## **ANCHOLME VALLEY HERITAGE TRUST LIMITED** # **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDING 30 NOVEMBER 2020** ## **CONTENTS** |Company/Charity Particulars|Page 2| |---|---| |Trustees’ Report|Pages 3-7| |Statement of Financial Activities|Page 8| |Balance Sheet|Page 9| |Notes to the Accounts|Pages 10-13| |Charity Independent Examiner’s Report|Page 14| **Company Number 08764973 Charity Number 1157731** ## **ANCHOLME VALLEY HERITAGE TRUST LIMITED** # **COMPANY/CHARITY PARTICULARS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 30 NOVEMBER 2020** Directors & Trustees Chair W Trevor Richardson Vice-Chair Kay F Rothery Stuart Chandler Patricia A Hildyard Patricia A Horton Paul J Johnson _from 15/01/2020_ Christine M Robinson A Robert Waltham Company Number 08764973 Charity Number 1157731 Charity also known as Brigg Heritage Centre Registered Office The Angel (First Floor) Market Place Brigg North Lincolnshire DN20 8LD Telephone 01724 296771 (Heritage Centre) Email briggheritage.centre@northlincs.gov.uk Website http://www.briggheritage.org/ Banker Barclays Bank Scunthorpe Branch Charity Independent Examiner Acara Accountancy Hadley Ridge, North End Goxhill North Lincolnshire DN19 7JX Page 2 ## **ANCHOLME VALLEY HERITAGE TRUST LIMITED** ## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDING 30 NOVEMBER 2020** The trustees, who are also the directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act, submit their annual report and the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 30 November 2020. ## Statement of trustees’ responsibilities Company and charity law require the trustees to prepare accounts for each financial year or period that give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the company and of the surplus or deficit for that year. In preparing those accounts 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 departures being disclosed and explained in the accounts. - Prepare the accounts on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue business. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose, with reasonable accuracy at any time, the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. ## Objectives, principal activity & organization structure Ancholme Valley Heritage Trust Limited is a company limited by guarantee incorporated on 6 November 2013, and registered with the Charity Commission on 4 July 2014. The charity’s objects, stated in its Memorandum and Articles of Association, are to facilitate and advance the education of the general public, schools and community groups in all aspects of heritage, arts and culture primarily, but not exclusively, in the Ancholme Valley. The charity is also known as Brigg Heritage Centre. The charity/company is overseen by a Board of Trustees who are also its Directors. It has one paid manager who is responsible to the Board for day-to-day operations plus volunteer recruitment and supervision. The trustees are aware of the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance and have taken it into account when exercising any powers or duties to which the guidance is relevant. ## Trustees/Directors Trustees of the charity are also directors of the company and are appointed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) with casual vacancies during the year filled by co-option. Names of the current trustees, and all others who served during the year being reported, are listed on page 2 along with the dates they served if not for the full year. The company is limited by guarantee, rather than share capital, so no trustees hold any shares in it. The Board regularly reviews training course information provided by Voluntary Action North Lincolnshire of which the charity is a member. Relevant courses are reported to board meetings along with clear recommendations about who would benefit by attending. Trustees are encouraged to attend wherever courses are appropriate. ## Risk Management The Board holds formal monthly meetings with a printed budgetary report considered each quarter along with the charity’s five-year financial plan. These documents highlight any Page 3 ## **ANCHOLME VALLEY HERITAGE TRUST LIMITED** ## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 30 NOVEMBER 2020** upcoming financial risks along with proposals for their mitigation. A risk management policy was adopted and incorporated in the charity’s corporate plan, which was completed during the year. This is now also reviewed on a regular basis. The following policies and procedures have been adopted and are kept under regular review: Internal Financial Controls; Counter Fraud Strategy; Fraud Response Plan; Registration of Interests; Financial Reserves; Employee Disciplinary; Safeguarding Children; Equality, Diversity & Inclusion; Health & Safety; and Privacy. Appropriate public liability and employer’s liability insurances are maintained. ## Review of the year There is, of course, only one place to begin in a review of this dramatic twelve-month period. In common with other organisations of our kind, and indeed the whole country, Covid-19 has had a huge impact on our activities and financial position, presenting challenges from its arrival in March through to the end of the financial year. And with a still uncertain future, the trustees are aware that there will be further challenges to face in 2021. The logical place to start our review is by looking at the charity’s financial position. 2019/20 was always going to prove a particularly difficult year as the Community Use agreement with North Lincolnshire Council - £12,000 per annum - ceased at the end of 2019. Trustees had made plans to seek to address this deficit in income by exploring potential alternative grant funding, but also by building on and further developing increasingly successful areas of activity (identified below). Work was also underway to identify new, innovative opportunities. Despite a strong start to this agenda at the beginning of the year, the closure of the Centre and the need to close down all fundraising activities, until a brief revival for a few weeks late in the year, meant that these plans had to be shelved, at least temporarily. Conversely however, at the end of the year our financial position has never been stronger. Monetary income for 2019/20 was in excess of £40,000 although £30,000 of this was from Government Covid-19 intervention grants and job retention funding. While we are aware that some of this may be continuing until at least the end of March 2021, it is very unlikely that we will be able to generate the kind of income we may have hoped for in the first six months of 2021. We must not have any illusions of the future challenges which await us. The most obvious challenge faced during 2020 was the enforced closure of the Heritage Centre itself. The arrival of Covid-19 and the Government restrictions which followed inevitably forced our closure at the end of March. North Lincolnshire Council took this opportunity to complete some long-standing renovation works throughout the Angel complex. This meant that, even though we went through a rigorous Risk Assessment process during the Summer to make both the Heritage Centre and the Buttercross ‘Covidsecure’ so that we could have been ready to re-open early in September, we had to wait for circumstances outside our control before we finally opened our doors again at the end of October. Then, just one week later came the national lockdown, meaning we closed again after only three days of operations. At the end of 2020, we are now in limbo within another national lockdown meaning that we are still unable to contemplate a further re-opening. As already stated, we had made a promising start to the year across a number of areas which have all been developing well in recent years. - a) **Lost Heritage Crafts** – We still have a sizeable proportion of the Brigg Biomass grant which was designed to create and develop this area. For over two years now, Heritage Centre volunteers have used their impressive array of skills and knowledge to teach members of the public traditional skills identified as in danger of being lost. Page 4 ## **ANCHOLME VALLEY HERITAGE TRUST LIMITED** ## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 30 NOVEMBER 2020** The programme of events has always achieved its original aim of bringing members of the wider community into the Centre who might not otherwise have had reason to visit. Typical workshops in the past have included watercolour painting, calligraphy, felting and weaving. The beginning of this year saw the introduction of a new class ‘An Introduction to the Ukulele’. For the first time, an external volunteer joined us to deliver this course to a full audience. It proved to be one of the most successful courses we have run to date, and plans were afoot to encourage the original group to go on to a second round of workshops, and to deliver another introductory course. Needless to say, these had to be put on hold, but we are looking to develop a new programme of events, although our style and method of delivery may have to be adjusted. - b) **Events/Talks** – Our events programme has become ever more ambitious over the last couple of years and, at the beginning of this year, plans were well under way for a concert by the internationally celebrated and locally-born folk singer, Martin Simpson. Due to take place at the very end of March, tickets had sold out, but of course the week before the event Covid-19 closed down such occasions. A massive effort was needed to contact all who had purchased tickets, offering refunds should they want them, but only a few did so. We are in regular contact with Martin’s agents and the hope is that we can finally stage this event in 2021. Plans are underway to significantly increase the number and quality of both talks and events in the future. They have increasingly become a significant source of income for the Heritage Centre. More importantly, the quality we have achieved has raised our profile and enabled us to reach out to the wider community. People have now come to expect more from us than simply a place to visit. We are the area’s main provider of this kind of event. - c) **Room Hire** – Given all the difficulties we have had during the year, this has actually been, relatively speaking, a good area for us, providing much needed income from bookings at our two venues: the Heritage Centre and the Buttercross. A number of one-off bookings saw us get off to a good start at the beginning of the year, and once we were able to make our venues Covid-secure, which in itself took an enormous effort, we began to attract a number of regular bookings. For example, we now have a theatre group, a dance school and a play therapist all using our facilities on a termtime weekly basis. As the year drew to a close, all had to be put on hold but we are cautiously optimistic that, when things settle, these will be valuable clients next year. It was also very pleasing to see that, despite the obvious difficulties and challenges, the number of bookings for weddings in the Buttercross has grown year on year. - d) **Exhibitions** – The main permanent exhibitions have been maintained and kept open to the general public whenever we have been able to open during the year. In addition, a programme of temporary exhibitions of local interest that both inform and educate visitors about the heritage of the local area was planned. At the very beginning of the year, we were in the final weeks of an exhibition, ‘When War Knocked on our Door’ and it was followed by ‘100 Years of Brigg Music and Drama Festival,’ which regrettably closed within a few days of its launch. This area of work Page 5 ## **ANCHOLME VALLEY HERITAGE TRUST LIMITED** ## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** ## **FOR THE YEAR ENDING 30 NOVEMBER 2020** does continue to expand and increasingly involves the Heritage Centre working alongside more and more local community organisations to stage quality exhibitions. - e) **Other activities** – Many of the activities that we have typically engaged in over several years have been affected by the closures and lockdowns. We hope to resume normal service in these areas at the earliest opportunity: - Children’s Craft activities and workshops - Christmas activities - Educational visits - Visits to the Centre by local groups and organisations - Shop Sales The trustees maintain their policy of seeking new opportunities to grow and to raise the Heritage Centre’s profile and status within the community and further afield. In addition to the above, we have continued to be involved in various items of partnership work with external organisations, such as Brigg Town Business Partnership, Brigg Town Council and North Lincolnshire Council. At the end of 2019 preliminary discussions to carry out project work had been taking place with prestigious local and regional institutions. It had been anticipated that some of these would commence during 2020 and start to pay dividends, both in terms of income generation and enhanced prestige. While it is naturally disappointing that these have not yet materialised, we have reason to be optimistic that there may be some activity during 2021. ## **Successful Grant applications 2019/20** The trustees were successful with two small grant applications in 2019/2020: - Swimarathon (Rotary Club) Funding provided a £400 grant towards creating and producing a colourful illustrated Children’s Trail/Guide for Brigg, full of fun activities and fact-finding exercises. - Brigg Town Council gave a grant of £411.50 for the purchase of new exhibition materials to supplement and improve those used in our temporary exhibitions. ## **Visitors to the Centre** The total number of visitors recorded was approximately 750 people. No realistic comparison can be made with previous years. The Centre was open less than four months during the least popular time of the year, up until the end of March, and then again for just one week before the second lockdown. The trustees appreciate that when things do begin to get back to some kind of normality, we face a tough battle to get people through the doors again. We remain mindful of the need to attract more visitors both old and new, and we will be looking at innovative ways of achieving this goal. ## **Risks, Issues and Challenges to the Charity** Covid-19 continues to affect all our lives. Even prior to the latest lockdown North Lincolnshire Council was categorised as a ‘very high risk’ area. Until this changes we will be unable to re-open. This will severely reduce opportunities to generate income, although we will be able to make limited use of the Buttercross for organised children’s activities. This will inevitably have a serious financial impact and we are thankful that during 2019/20 our reserves have been built up due to Government intervention funding, some of which will continue until at least March 2021. It is imperative though that we stay innovative and ready to act on opportunities once things begin to open up again. As the Heritage Centre remains free to the general public, income continues to depend on grants, donations and those trading activities. Page 6 ## **ANCHOLME VALLEY HERITAGE TRUST LIMITED** ## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 30 NOVEMBER 2020** Reserves will be under pressure during the forthcoming twelve months. Careful consideration needs to be given to the setting of a sensible, pragmatic budget for 2020/21 and beyond. Several key areas need addressing: - Funding and grants. The charity will continue to pursue grant funding applications with external bodies, although the trustees are well aware that grant funding for core costs is always difficult to access. - Extension of current activities and development of new ones. 2018/19 represented the best trading year since the charity opened and, despite the fact that the Community Use Agreement with North Lincolnshire came to a close, the trustees had realistic hopes for this to continue into 2019/20. Impetus has been lost, but the trustees will be reviewing their Business Plan and will be setting future medium and long-term plans and budgets to increase trading levels across a number of areas, old and new. - The Centre Manager’s contract expires on 31st March 2021 and the need for a driving force at the Heritage Centre must again be weighed against full time employment costs being typically 75% of monetary outgoings. ## Reserves Policy A revised policy was approved on 15/01/2020 in the light of the expiry of the charity’s Community Use Agreement with North Lincolnshire. It acknowledged the potential need to utilise existing reserves to maintain activities until 30/11/2020 whilst covering all employee entitlements and other contractual commitments in the event of a winding up. This policy is kept under review and refined in the light of operational results. With Covid-19 causing curtailment of activities but also leading to grants for the leisure sector, year-end unrestricted reserves, excluding tangible fixed assets but including designated funds, increased by £17.5K to just under £50K. ## Small Company exemptions This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to small companies within the Companies Act 2006. Approved by the Directors and signed on their behalf by: Trevor Richardson Director 3 February 2021 Page 7 Ancholme Valley Heritage Trust Ltd statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 30 November 2020 2019 05 812 47.8 4.812 4.812 17.591 19 19 113 12,1{￿ 12,11 3,575 Tol•l inc(¥ne 63.932 812 64.744 48.116 43.432 44.012 45,413 46.282 47,3r 17.6￿1 232 17.882 Net M0￿ment in fwbd8 18.017 (115) 17.882 32.226 33257 12 50.243 1.703 51.946 CoM￿nY 140. 08764973 - Ch•fity No. 1157731 Ancholme Valley Heritage Trust Ltd Balance Sheet as at 30 November 2020 20 2•19 275 275 1.184 31.1553 47.*rye 54.11Al R438) (zt581 51.071 51.916 Fuod5 1113 5D243 1.7D3 1.838 51. 8eclKJn 476 ofthe Ad. Comp•ny N). 08764913 - No. 1157731 Page 9 Ancholmo Valley Heritage Trust Ltd Notes to the kc(xwts the ending 30 No￿rnber 2020 d IFRS 1021. ellxlfft l J*vJ*y 2019. 2019 1.911 21.330 3.945 2.149 812 23.480 21.820 2.3)1 307 21.820 2.201 307 FwthisiNJ 812 47 eiJ8 23.335 io Ancholme Valley Herrtage Trusl Ltd Noles to the for the yew ending 30 NoNwnbw 2020 1.OC(J 2.933 102 777 12.C(Q 3.456 F*hty 2.933 102 1.601 17591 2019 3.575 4.061 4(*1 12.105 12.105 3575 1.988 1.988 2019 17.891 319 17.&11 31g 18.719 P•ydl & R•uu1ff￿rt 41 21.811 41 21.820 425 XJl9) 175 122 37 13D 331 12) 155 Web51* & 331 192 921 213 152 104 184 71 43.432 44.012 45.413 2019 911 862 911 Ancholme Valley Herrtage Trust Ltd Noles lo the f4x the yew ending 30 NO￿ 2020 1445 3.445 3.812 3.812 445 3.445 3.537 3.537 275 275 g (al 2019 450 478 3.385 10 Crnd*ws la fiv•5 Q 2019 817 1.538 Z438 812 2.1 12 FwM15 19.040 83.932 (402B2} 37.065 {45} 21g 1.019 219 1.084 51.940 535 P4p12 Ancholme Valley Heritage Trust Ltd Notes to the for ￿ yew ending 30 Novernbew 2020 fyrnQ 275 275 51.671 243 51.910 2019 19.191 19.3LKI 579 19.879 513 19.704 P•p 13 ## **ANCHOLME VALLEY HERITAGE TRUST LIMITED** ## **Charity Independent Examiner’s Report** Report to the Trustees/Directors of Ancholme Valley Heritage Trust Limited on their annual report and the charity’s financial statements, as set out on pages 1 to 13, for the year ended 30 November 2020. ## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and independent examiner** The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of its accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under section 145 of the Act; - follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act; and - state whether particular matters have come to my attention. ## **Basis of independent examiner’s report** My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit. Consequently, I do not express an opinion as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and my report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. ## **Independent examiner’s statement** In connection with my examination no matter has come to my attention: - 1 which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements - to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Act, and - to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Act - have not been met; or - 2 to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. John Guggiari FCCA 11 January 2021 Acara Accountancy, Hadley Ridge, North End, Goxhill, North Lincolnshire DN19 7JX **A** f f o r d a b l e **C** h ar i t y **A** c c o un t i n g , **R** e a l is t i c **A** d v i c e Page 14