2025
Bampton Heritage and Visitor Centre
12[th] Annual Report
Contents
Message from the Trustees
Publicity
Treasurer’s Report
Centre Activity
The Collection
Secretarial
Volunteers
Digital
Research
Strategic Plan
MESSAGE FROM THE TRUSTEES
The Trustees of BHVC are delighted to report on another successful and busy year, the highlights of which are shown throughout this report.
To ensure good governance, Bampton Heritage and Visitor Centre (BHVC) has a framework of leadership, behaviours, and processes to ensure the charity is well-run, complies with current legislation and achieves its charitable aims effectively. It builds public trust through transparent decision-making, accountability, and ethical stewardship.
The Charity relies solely on volunteers, without whom BHVC would not exist. Each one of the volunteers is unique, and they build their role in their own way – staffing the Centre, volunteering on stalls and at events, guiding town trails, and of course, the unsung heroes in the back room who must never be forgotten. BHVC are always keen to hear from anyone who might be interested in volunteering.
We also thank our Friends, Town Councillors, local businesses and members of our community whose support is invaluable. The support and understanding of Church members is also key to the existence of the Centre within St Michaels and All Angels church. Peter Freeman, Garry Girling, Marian Girling, Andy Macdonald, Rachel Macdonald
PUBLICITY AND EVENTS – Marian Girling
2025 was certainly another busy year for Bampton Heritage Centre, with so many events to plan and, of course, they all needed promoting.
We started the year off by taking the WI Scrapbook into some of Bampton’s cafes, as well as in the Centre. It is a fascinating insight into all aspects of life in Bampton in 1967/8. It’s a real time capsule, and everyone found it fascinating.
Our annual Quiz Night in April was again a great success. We were sold out, and the event had a great atmosphere. This event is a great fundraiser for the Heritage Centre too.
We ran lots of walks in 2025, Town Trails and Bank Holiday Walks, as well as a Geo Walk on the hottest day of the year, and two Sketching Trails on two of the wettest days. Luckily, the weather didn’t deter anyone from enjoying these walks.
May saw the 80[th] anniversary of VE Day, and we focused on the evacuees who came to Bampton from London. We had a fascinating display of items, films taken in Bampton during the war, as well as wartime food to try. This event was very well attended and enjoyed by all generations.
In the autumn, we took part in the national Heritage Open Days event, this year’s theme was Architecture, and we focused on the architecture of the church. Our Sketching Trail was part of this event as well.
After a packed year of events, we finished the year with lots of stalls selling the Centre’s festive cards and gifts. Also, two Twixtmas Walks, one long walk and one Town Trail walks had lots of takers; people obviously wanted to walk off their festive indulgences and enjoy the fresh air.
All these events require a lot of publicity, and we make use of local publications, notice boards in Bampton and further afield and, of course, social media.
We continue to go from strength to strength on our Social Media platforms, especially with Facebook. We now have 1067 Followers on Facebook and 397 followers on Instagram. Social media is a great way for us to promote the Heritage Centre and a great tool to help promote our events to specific interest groups.
We look forward to another successful year ahead. We have some exciting new events planned, so do keep an eye out for them.
TREASURER’S REPORT, JANUARY TO DECEMBER 2025 - Rachel Macdonald
Bampton Heritage and Visitor Centre (BHVC) draws your attention to the healthy financial position at the end of 2025. These accounts are presented in a straightforward way to demonstrate that BHVC acts responsibly, openly and honestly when managing its money.
Thank you to the Independent Examiner, Geoff Girdlestone, for his continuing help and guidance in preparing the accounts.
The accounts are divided into two – Restricted and Unrestricted.
RESTRICTED FUNDS - grants or donations which can only be used for specific projects. Income is not always spent in the year it is received.
Income: £1,750
Expenditure: £2,000
This year money was obtained from Mid Devon and Devon County Council towards the finger post project (now complete) and Mid Devon Council for new signs for the churchyard entries to be implemented by March 2026.
UNRESTRICTED FUNDS - monies raised by BHVC Volunteers through activities such as events, the shop and stall sales, town trails, donations.
Income : £6,746
It is good to see that the drop in sales and donations did not continue this year, helped by generous donations by volunteers in items for sale and their time over the Charter Fair and Christmas period. A special thank you to them.
The Quiz Night was again an important contributor to 2025 income and is now becoming a regular event in people’s calendar. Thanks to all involved.
Expenditure: £2,662
An increase on last year, reflecting the investment made in improving the storage and organisation of the Collection, along with materials to enhance the special presentations held during the year. These events delivered an increase in Visitor Numbers – a strategic objective. Trustees are always intent on managing the overheads of the charity and I am pleased to report the annual payment to the Church was held at last year’s level, while insurance premiums increased only a little.
NET INCOME (income minus expenditure): £3,834
The stable financial position reported for 2025 is due to continuing hard work and generosity of Volunteers, and support from local business and members of the community – BHVC only remains viable because of those endeavours.
Following input from both Volunteers and Friends, Trustees have identified projects for which funding is required from 2026 which form part of the BHVC Reserves Policy 2026.
SUMMARY ACCOUNTS
BAMPTON HERITAGE AND VISITOR CENTRE
Accounts for year ending 31st December 2025
| 2024 INCOME 1,333 Donations 2,481 Sales 499 Well Being Walks 150 Grants 4,608 Other 9,071 EXPENDITURE 64 Admin 168 Equipment/Materials 391 Events 71 Museum Collection 666 Overheads 19 Publicity 357 Repairs & Maintenance 1,590 Shop stock 20 Subscriptions 156 Volunteer support & training 499 Well being walks 30 Walking 0 Town maps 70 Court roll 0 Finger posts 4,100 4,971 Net Income 1,309 Assets minus depreciation (20%) 22,146 Balances - Bank 73 Balance with Paypal 90 Cash in hand Money owed to BHVC 2,105 Stock 24,414 Total Assets |
£ Restricted 1,750 |
£ £ Unrestricted Total 1,472 1,472 2,518 2,518 0 0 0 1,750 2,756 2,756 |
|---|---|---|
| 1,750 | 6,746 8,496 |
|
| Restricted 0 0 0 2,000 |
Unrestricted Total 14 14 0 0 523 523 763 763 674 674 0 0 27 27 496 496 77 77 54 54 34 34 0 0 0 2,000 |
|
| 2,000 | 2,662 4,662 |
|
| -250 | 4,084 3,834 747 25,971 92 80 0 1,238 27,381 |
Note: write off of railway cupboard with asset value £200 plus child's computer £100.
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Sectlon A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of 8ampton Heritage and Visitor Centre On aecounts for the year ended 31 December 2025 Charity no Ilf any) 1158194 Set out on page8 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charty I'the Trust") for the year ended Responsibilitie5 and As the charity trustees ol thè Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basls of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 lllhè Acri. I report in respect ol my examination ol the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 ol the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515llbl of the Aci. I have cornpted my ex8minalion. I confirm that n erial matters have come lo my attention I in connection with the examination which gNe5 me cause to believe that in, any fflaterial respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not 8¢¢ord with the ac¢ounting records Independent examiner's statement I have no concern5 and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention Should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts lo be reached. pi e dele18 Ihe words in the bTrckels if they do not apply. Slgned: Datg.. gi Name.. Relevant professional qualifi¢ationlsl or body lif any).. Address: H L¥-16k4 Ih<X- £%iL QLF. October 2018
CENTRE ACTIVITY
The numbers of visitors BHVC welcomed to the Centre or attended an event are shown below. Visitors to the Centre rose but have still not achieved pre-Covid figures. Town trail numbers were disappointing, and a review is being undertaken.
Special presentations were well attended. A school visit and geo-walks also contributed. Numbers attending some of the events:
| 27/02/25 | Walk & talk church | 16 |
|---|---|---|
| 01 to 05/05/2025 | VE dayexhibition | 188 |
| 24/07 to 02/08/2025 | 1920's weekend | 142 |
| 14/08 to 16/08/2025 | VJ weekend | 33 |
| 18/09 to 20/09/2025 | Open Heritage includingart trail | 73 |
VISITOR NUMBERS 2025
| CENTRE | TOWN TRAILS | |
|---|---|---|
| January | 0 | 0 |
| February | 57 | 0 |
| March | 80 | 2 |
| April | 70 | 2 |
| May | 243 | 6 |
| June | 104 | 4 |
| July | 182 | 0 |
| August | 155 | 0 |
| September | 131 | 5 |
| October | 99 | 0 |
| November | 119 | 2 |
| December | 68 | 7 |
| TOTAL | 1,308 | 28 |
YEARS 2019 to 2024
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centre | 1,544 | 233 | 687 | 990 | 997 | 1,209 |
| Town Trails |
84 | 15 | 58 | 33 | 22 | 44 |
THE COLLECTION– Rachel Macdonald
2025 saw closer working with the Devons Museums Group of which BHVC is a member. Drawing on their expertise and accessing professional advice from organisations they make available, a Collection Policy was approved by Trustees. Within this document are the criteria for objects that BHVC is offered for its Collection:
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a) must relate to Bampton and fall within a 3-mile radius;
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b) be in stable condition and are entire and/or intact;
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c) have proven ownership/title; and
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d) do not create a health and safety hazard.
The Collection Register has been further improved thanks to the skills and dedication over many hours by Naomi Hemmingway. This facilitated
a major audit of the Collection, focusing on artefacts. This year, each object has been removed from its packaging, identified and a unique BHVC number attached. Over 1,800 items have been audited to date. Investment has been made in storage materials and containers with each object stored in appropriate and secure storage that will aid preservation in the future.
Several presentations were run during the year, including celebrations of VE Day and Commemoration of the Bampton Fallen for VJ Day. Both proved very successful and made a significant contribution to Centre visitor numbers. BHVC was delighted to welcome residents from Castle Grove to the VE Day presentation. Volunteers heard some incredible stories of WW2 from the residents. BHVC also joined the Devon-wide celebration of the 1920s: Devon Twenties Festival – Exploring life in 1920s Devon. We looked at Two Women of Bampton - Frances Chown, Farmer’s Wife and Margaret Partridge,
Electrical Engineer. The contrast between the two women’s lives was vivid, but in some ways surprisingly similar.
BHVC hopes to work more closely with establishments around Bampton and its environs in the future and is looking forward to hosting the Over 60’s Club in February 2026. The new ‘Back to School’ exhibition (a look back across education in the area) will be on display and we will work with the Club on creating an index for their Anniversary Memories Book, of which they were kind enough to donate a copy to BHVC.
The Collection audit will continue in the background throughout 2026, focussing on documentation and photographs, while a full programme of exhibitions will be presented in the Centre.
SECRETARIAL - Kelvin Holdom
As the newly appointed Secretary to BHVC, I am slowly getting to grips with the BHVC editorial and digital systems. Luckily, I have a huge amount of support from Garry Girling with Microsoft 365 and the other Trustees for their help and patience while I settle into this demanding but equally enjoyable role for Bampton Heritage. Any ‘secretarial’ mistakes in this AGM will be down to me, but –hopefully- there won’t be any in 2027!
Heritage Open Days Sketching Trail Artwork
VOLUNTEERS - Alison Brooker
As you read through this report, you will see how much our Trustees do for BHVC, but our thanks go to our incredible team of volunteers who make all these things possible. They are not just supporting BHVC they are the energy that powers it.
We said goodbye to two Volunteers this year, Penny and Jane and welcomed Sarah, Sylvia, and Michael. We increased our opening hours by opening on a Friday afternoon, and in the coming year, we are changing the way we offer Town Trails by running them twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month, without the need to book.
Rachel Macdonald and I have been working on both updating the Volunteers Handbook and improving the induction process for new volunteers.
We continue with our regular Volunteer meetings, these are not only opportunities for the Trustees to share information but, more importantly, time to come together and enjoy each other's company.
This year, we partnered with another charity called Room to Reward, and through this collaboration, we were able to recognise two of our "Hidden Heroes”, Wendy Boothroyd and Chris Holdom, with well-deserved short breaks, to thank them for their invaluable contributions. Both have been volunteering with us for over 10 years and in that time have done so much to contribute to BHVC’s success.
Chris & Wendy Receiving Their Certificates.
DIGITAL – Garry Girling
The digital systems for BHVC have adapted to several changes over the years 2025-2026. The first change was the departure of our previous IT administrator, Chris Price; Chris also oversaw our Microsoft 365 cloud-based software account. The 365 account is where BHVC’s records, policies and information, etc., are saved. The second was the news that Humphrey Berridge, who established and maintained the BHVC’s website, is now stepping down. The current BHVC website is a secondary page on the Bampton town website. To reduce the impact on the Town Council, who maintain the BHVC website, it was agreed that the BHVC website shall now be a standalone entity, separate from the BTC website.
To minimise the impact of these significant events on BHVC organisational protocols, the Trustees elected to set up a new role of Digital Trustee. So, all ‘IT’ issues, systems and questions are now to be directed to the Digital Trustee. As Digital Trustee, my role is to keep the access and availability of the BHVC systems working smoothly for the team.
One of my first duties after my appointment was to produce a specification in accordance with the team's wishes for a website designer to design our new website. The new website will have a new look while retaining lots of the existing information. We will be updating web pages where additional facts have been revealed. The new website will replace the old one as soon as it is completed.
VE Day 80[th] Anniversary Exhibition
RESEARCH– Peter Freeman
Research into certain aspects of Bampton’s heritage has moved forward during 2025. It has taken two forms.
The social history of Bampton’s men and women during the 1920s and the two world wars including presentations such as VJ day when the Bampton Men That Fell came under the spotlight.
Much time has been spent considering and researching the development of the church. The 19th century saw significant change and deterioration of the church fabric. In 1896 under Rev Forrester Holmes, the architect Samson was commissioned for major renovation. This saw the correction of the outward lean of both the south wall and arcade, repositioning of the east nave roof timbers, repositioning and extension of the rood screen, levelling and lowering of the floor whilst installing a new heating system, rebuilding the chancel arch and raising the chancel floor by 5 steps to the altar. I was pleased to share their story at two informal talks. I remember the costume well. Bampton Heritage now holds digital copies of Samson’s plans. This research has resulted in a timeline being drawn up for changes within the fabric of the church.
Research is of course a continuing story.
Talk on the architecture of the church by two time-travelling gents.
STRATEGIC PLAN 2025 to 2030 – Andrew Macdonald
2025 saw the introduction of a new 5-year Strategic Plan; new in content and new in style. Emphasis has been placed on delivering BHVC's charitable aims and focuses on key enablers and objectives.
The key enablers are:
- Digital
o Website o Database o Back-office and financial systems
· Finance o Bids to funding bodies · Licence o Renegotiate licence for the west end of St Michaels and All Angels
The actions taken to date on the enablers are recorded in this Annual Report.
The Strategic Plan places considerable emphasis on projecting and promoting both BHVC and Bampton’s heritage. This new emphasis saw BHVC deliver a fingerpost scheme in collaboration with the Town Council and Bampton in Bloom. Not only do the fingerposts direct visitors around Bampton, but specifically heighten the profile of the Heritage Centre.
In line with the strategic objective to raise the BHVC profile, both in Centre and outreach programmes, the profile has been refreshed in line with the key enablers. Changes include a new logo and renewal of noticeboards and entry signs.
Both the fingerposts project and the profile update were supported by successful funding bids to Mid Devon District Council (MDDC) and Devon County Council. 2026 has already seen an invitation from MDDC for further targeted funding. The ensuing bid was to deliver new visual aids in the Centre and also support outreach programmes requiring portable equipment. The bid has been successful.
New Fingerposts in Bampton.