WEYMOUTH MUSEUM TRUST
TRUSTEES' REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
for the year ended 31 March 2025
Company registration number: 07435561 Charity number: 1143692
WEYMOUTH MUSEUM TRUST
Unaudited Financial Statements
Year ended 31 March 2025
| CONTENTS | PAGE |
|---|---|
| Trustees and Professional Advisers | 1 |
| Trustees' Report | 2 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | 6 |
| Income Statement | 7 |
| Statement of Financial Position | 8 |
| Detailed Income Statement | 9 |
WEYMOUTH MUSEUM TRUST
Trustees and Professional Advisers
Year ended 31 March 2025
| Trustees | Mr Frederick William Allott |
|---|---|
| Ms Emma Ayling | |
| Mr Anthony Hadyn Beazer | |
| Mrs Anya Lucy Chapman | |
| Mr Robert William Chedzoy | |
| Mrs Diane Mary Day | |
| Mr David Best Harris | |
| Mrs Marcia Lorraine Pritchard (Chair) | |
| Registered office | 16 Ullswater Crescent |
| Weymouth | |
| Dorset | |
| DT3 5HE | |
| Independent Examiner | Sheila Stewart |
| Associate Member of the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers | |
| 21 Westcliff Road | |
| Portland | |
| Dorset | |
| DT5 2HW | |
| Bank | CAF Bank Limited |
| 25 Kings Hill Avenue | |
| Kings Hill | |
| West Malling | |
| Kent | |
| ME19 4JQ |
Page 1
WEYMOUTH MUSEUM TRUST
Trustees' Report
Year ended 31 March 2025
The trustees present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the company for the year ended 31 March 2025.
The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and comply with the Charity's governing document and applicable law.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
Objectives
To provide a museum and heritage centre beneficial to the community of Weymouth and the remainder of the County of Dorset and for the advancement of education and all purposes ancillary thereto.
Aims, Strategies and Activities for the year
The Charity is aiming to maintain meaningful engagement with the Weymouth Museum while it remains closed. It also aims to continue to preserve the historic collection in good order, whilst rationalising it, and ensuring it is correctly catalogued. The Charity also tries to answer queries raised by the public about historical issues in the wider Weymouth area, as quickly as possible.
CHAIR'S REPORT
This year has seen mixed fortunes for the museum.
Our collections remain safe in a store at the Granby Industrial Estate, Weymouth, and a considerable amount of work has gone on at this site. The transfer of our collections information to MODES, the museum sector's collections software, has continued, along with work on conserving our artefacts. Their condition is being checked, items repaired and the whole collection is being rationalised. We now have a much better understanding of the collection as a whole, what it contains and where we have gaps in the collection. Boxes have been unpacked which have not seen the light of day since the move from Melcombe Regis.
We are very grateful to the work of our volunteers. We have recruited a significant number of new volunteers many of whom bring relevant qualifications in museum work. We continue to be grateful for those volunteers who have given their service for so long.
Volunteers have contributed to the planning of the new museum, finding the Weymouth stories that are hidden in the collections. They are researching Weymouth people and companies connected to the collections in order to enrich the database.
The photographic collection continues to be of great interest to the public and we were delighted to be given photographs and postcards to add to the collection, including a large collection of transport-related photographs. We are grateful to Geoff Pritchard and Andy Cooke for making many of these images available to the public through our Facebook page. Our Facebook profile has continued to grow. The figures below show the hits on our site:
| Year ended 31 | Year ended 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| March 2025 | March 2024 | |
| • Number of posts: | 64 | 193 |
| • Reach: | 162,400 | 33,700 |
| • Interactions: | 6,500 | 7,000 |
| • Views: | 398,900 | no data |
| • Visits: | 10,200 | 19,100 |
| • New Followers: | 338 | 866 |
The work of the local history centre has continued under the expert leadership of Richard Samways. We are delighted that Maureen Attwooll has returned to us, and she brings huge knowledge of the area.
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WEYMOUTH MUSEUM TRUST
Trustees' Report
Year ended 31 March 2025
During the year 70 enquiries were dealt with by Richard Samways and Maureen Attwooll. Such enquiries are not just locally derived but can come from all parts of the United Kingdom and abroad. Most arrive by email. They are wide-ranging, covering every aspect of local history, including buildings, people and events. Period flavour is often sought by the authors of historical novels.
Work on the collection has continued and some 500 items have been entered into the MODES database, mostly items from the former Weymouth Library local history collection. Work on sorting and evaluating the contents of map cabinet drawers continued and the stocktaking of the local history collection has almost been completed.
We have run three mini-exhibitions during the last year. The one about the 70[th] anniversary of the fire at the Ritz (now the Pavilion) was very successful and on one day over 500 people came to see it. Our collaboration with the Nothe on a D-Day 80[th ] anniversary display was also successful. In the Asda foyer the exhibition on kitchen equipment since the 1950s caused a huge amount of discussion.
All of this would not have been possible without the expert guidance from Kate Hebditch, who has managed volunteer team at the Granby site. The site is very cold in winter, and this adds an unwelcome dimension to the work. Heaters and warm jackets have have been purchased to ease this issue.
The Board of Trustees has undergone a considerable transformation this year. Richard Breward, the treasurer, retired during the year and I would like to use this opportunity to thank him for all his valuable work. Hadyn Beazer has now taken over as treasurer.
We have been joined by four new trustees. Emma Ayling who is the senior volunteering and community officer for The National Trust, Dr Anya Chapman who is the principal academic in tourism management at Bournemouth University, Diane Day, who brings huge experience from the voluntary sector and volunteer coordination and Sarah Downes, who is a lecturer in history at Weymouth College.
These colleagues have strengthened the board considerably and they are already making a very valuable contribution. We also said goodbye to Brian Heatley the representative from Dorset County Council and Claudia Webb has now joined us to replace him.
Much of the work of the Board earlier in the year was taken up by preparing a new Heritage Lottery submission. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in our bid in December 2024. However, Heritage Lottery have asked us to resubmit after making some alterations to the bid, mostly to the business planning, and to the cost of the fit out of the building. We are very grateful to Dorset council who have funded us in submitting this bid and continue to do so. We plan on resubmitting a revised application later in the year. The developer is making good progress with the reconstruction of the Brewers Quay site and we look forward to returning there in due course.
Currently, we are investigating the possibility of a pop-up museum in one of the shops in the town. We consider it very important that we should keep the museum alive in the minds of the Weymouth public and provide a visitor attraction. We also wish to be involved in the Town of Culture initiative which the council is running. We are seeking grants to enable us to fund the pop-up museum.
The Friends of Weymouth Museum have continued to support us. On our behalf they purchased, an interesting collection of glass slides, and negatives of 1940s-1960s Weymouth from an auction. We are very grateful for their help.
In addition, we have had other donations to enhance the Museum's collection, comprising:
-
A large collection of photographs (much of it transport-related) from the late J.D. Ward.
-
A painting of Westbrook House by Sir Hugh Casson from Carola Klein.
Page 3
WEYMOUTH MUSEUM TRUST
Trustees' Report
Year ended 31 March 2025
- The bell of the Sarnia, the clock from the Maid of Kent an other shipping-related items from John Watson, a former captain of these vessels.
• Two collections of toys and games from the Keates family and from Paul Warry.
• A number of other local history collections including items from the Dorothy cafe, a cobbler's shop and Southern Electric House, a1960s television and a dress, souvenirs, programmes from the Pavilion, and a number of photographs from different eras and parts of the town.
Many thanks to all who donated items. It is much appreciated.
We owe ongoing thanks to Vicky DeWit, county museums advisor who is a constant source of support and knowledge to the Trustees.
We can be contacted by email: weymouthmuseumchair@btinternet.com or by phone 07971 597 860.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Total receipts for the year amounted to £73,533 (2024 - £29,277) and expenses were £77,835 (2024 - £72,730). Unrestricted and restricted reserves at 31 March 2025 were £24,660 (2024 - £28,962) and £nil (2024 - £nil) accordingly.
Reserves Policy
The Trustees have reviewed their policy, considering recommendations by the Charity Commission with regards to maintaining an acceptable level of reserves. The charity has set a reserve of £10,000. This is sufficient to cover Weymouth Museum's very low overheads during a lean fundraising year.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governing Document
The Charity was incorporated as a private limited company on 10th November 2010 and registered as a charity on 7th September 2011.
Organisational Structure
The Charity is managed and operated by the Board of Trustees who meet at least twice a year.
Trustees
Trustees are elected and removed by the Board of Trustees. The minimum number of Trustees is 2. The Trust aims to have no more than 12 Trustees.
The trustees who served the company during the year were as follows:
Mr Frederick William Allott Ms Emma Ayling (appointed 20 July 2024)
Mr Anthony Hadyn Beazer Mr Richard William Breward (resigned 10 October 2024) Mrs Anya Lucy Chapman (appointed 12 December 2024)
Mr Robert William Chedzoy Mrs Diane Mary Day (appointed 14 June 2024) Ms Sarah Downes (appointed 17 June 2024, resigned 3 April 2025) Mr David Best Harris Mrs Marcia Lorraine Pritchard (Chair) Mr Paul Ian Webb (resigned 21 March 2025)
Page 4
WEYMOUTH MUSEUM TRUST
Trustees' Report
Year ended 31 March 2025
Major Risks
The Trustees have carried out an assessment of the major risks to which the Charity is exposed. Procedures and systems are in place to mitigate these risks.
STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES
The Trustees are required under Charity law to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the Charity and of the financial activities of the Charity for that year.
In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
-
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
-
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
• state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departure disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with applicable laws and regulations. They are also responsible for ensuring that the Charity maintains an adequate system of internal control designed to provide reasonable assurance that assets are safeguarded against loss or unauthorised use and to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities.
SMALL COMPANY PROVISIONS
This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the small companies exemption.
This report was approved by the board of trustees on 2 June 2025 and signed on behalf of the board by:
Mrs Marcia L Pritchard Mr Anthony H Beazer Trustee (Chair) Trustee (Treasurer)
Page 5
WEYMOUTH MUSEUM TRUST
Independent Examiner's Report
Year ended 31 March 2025
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES ON THE PREPARATION OF THE UNAUDITED STATUTORY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF WEYMOUTH MUSEUM TRUST FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Weymouth Museum Trust ("The Trust") for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
-
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
-
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 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.
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.
…...........................................
Sheila Stewart Associate Member of the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers Independent Examiner
21 Westcliff Road, Portland, Dorset, DT5 2HW
Date: 2 June 2025
Page 6
WEYMOUTH MUSEUM TRUST
Income Statement
Year ended 31 March 2025
| Year | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| ended | ended | |
| 31 March 2025 | 31 March 2024 | |
| Income | £73,533 | £29,277 |
| Expenses | ||
| Property costs | £38,232 | £44,660 |
| Collection / Shop costs | £38,648 | £17,536 |
| Administration costs | £955 | £10,534 |
| £77,835 | £72,730 | |
| (DEFICIT)/SURPLUS IN THE YEAR/PERIOD | (£4,302) | (£43,453) |
Page 7
WEYMOUTH MUSEUM TRUST
Statement of Financial Position
As at 31 March 2025
| Current assets Bank account Reserves Restricted funds Unrestricted funds Reserves - carried forward NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS |
31-Mar-25 £24,660 - £24,660 £24,660 |
31-Mar-24 |
|---|---|---|
| £28,962 | ||
| - £28,962 |
||
| £28,962 | ||
1 General information
The company is a private company limited by shares and is registered in England and Wales. The address of the registered office is 16 Ullswater Crescent, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 5HE.
For the year ending 31 March 2025, the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
Trustees responsibilities:
-
The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476;
-
The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the micro-entity provisions.
These financial statements were approved by the board of trustees and authorised for issue on 2 June 2025, and are signed on behalf of the board by:
…........................................... Mrs Marcia Lorraine Pritchard Trustee (Chair)
…........................................... Mr Anthony Hadyn Beazer (FCA) Trustee (Treasurer)
Company registration number: 07435561
Page 8
WEYMOUTH MUSEUM TRUST
Detailed Income Statement
Year ended 31 March 2025
| Year ended 31 March 2025 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FUNDS AVAILABLE BROUGHT FORWARD NLHF Supporting Grants Total Grants Total Grants received to date Total Spent in earlier years Brought forward reserves INCOME Grants - Dorset Council - revenue grant - Dorset Council - other grant - Dorset Council - funded storage costs - Grants - Dorset Council - capital leverage - NLHF - Other grants Total grants Donations Other income TOTAL INCOME EXPENSES Property costs Rent - pop up Rent - storage Utilities Moving Back Packing and Moving Core Museum activity Pop Up museum management - in shop Outreach Management of Collections Care and conservation of Collections Temporary Exhibitions Community Projects Display costs Consultation advice IT licences IT other costs Project evaluation Interpretation / exhibition / display Marketing and Social Media Administration costs Insurance Website IT Costs Memberships Broadband / telephone Cost of sales Admin costs Legal and accountancy Bank charges TOTAL EXPENSES DEFICIT IN THE YEAR FUNDS AVAILABLE AT THE END OF THE YEAR |
NLHF (Moving and Bridging the Gap) - Restricted funds Own funds - Unrestricted funds TOTAL £98,500 £33,000 £132,500 £122,600 £122,600 (£0) £28,962 £28,962 - £10,000 £10,000 - £15,062 £15,062 - £38,232 £38,232 - - - £9,900 - £9,900 - - - £9,900 £63,294 £73,194 - £141 £141 - £198 £198 £9,900 £63,633 £73,533 - - - - £38,232 £38,232 - - - - - - - - - - £38,232 £38,232 - - - £2,775 - £2,775 - £18,652 £18,652 - £218 £218 - £341 £341 - £1,540 £1,540 - - - £6,125 £5,319 £11,444 - £723 £723 - £140 £140 £1,000 - £1,000 - £583 £583 - £1,232 £1,232 £9,900 £28,748 £38,648 - £279 £279 - £60 £60 - - - - £85 £85 - £441 £441 - - - - - - - £50 £50 - £40 £40 - £955 £955 £9,900 £67,935 £77,835 - (£4,302) (£4,302) (£0) £24,660 £24,660 Year ended 31 March 2025 |
Year ended 31 March 2024 | ||||
| NLHF (Moving and Bridging the Gap) - Restricted funds |
Own funds - Unrestricted funds £28,962 £10,000 £15,062 £38,232 - - - £63,294 £141 £198 £63,633 - £38,232 - - - £38,232 - - £18,652 £218 £341 £1,540 - £5,319 £723 £140 - £583 £1,232 £28,748 £279 £60 - £85 £441 - - £50 £40 £955 £67,935 |
NLHF (Moving and Bridging the Gap) - Restricted funds |
Own funds - Unrestricted funds £42,485 £5,000 £14,000 £8,424 - - - £27,424 £1,653 £200 £29,277 £6,250 £16,713 £194 £2,760 £1,761 £27,677 - - - - - - £575 - £1,224 - - £2,789 £4,588 £279 £140 £9,429 £65 £359 £120 £143 - - £10,534 £42,799 |
TOTAL | ||
| £98,500 £33,000 £132,500 £122,600 £122,600 (£0) - - - - £9,900 - £9,900 - - £9,900 - - - - - - - £2,775 - - - - - £6,125 - - £1,000 - - £9,900 - - - - - - - - - - £9,900 |
£99,500 £33,000 £132,500 £122,600 £92,669 £29,931 - - - - - - - - - - - £16,983 - - - £16,983 - - £10,148 - - - - - - £2,800 - - - £12,948 - - - - - - - - - - £29,931 |
|||||
| £72,416 | ||||||
| £5,000 £14,000 £8,424 - - - |
||||||
| £27,424 £1,653 £200 |
||||||
| £29,277 | ||||||
| £6,250 £33,696 £194 £2,760 £1,761 |
||||||
| £44,660 | ||||||
| - - £10,148 - - - £575 - £1,224 £2,800 - £2,789 - |
||||||
| £17,536 | ||||||
| £279 £140 £9,429 £65 £359 £120 £143 - - |
||||||
| £10,534 | ||||||
| £72,730 | ||||||
| - | (£4,302) | (£29,931) | (£13,522) | (£43,453) | ||
| (£0) | £24,660 | (£0) | £28,962 | |||
| £28,962 |
Page 9