## **Elstree and Borehamwood Museum Annual Report** **April 2022 – March 2023** ## **Contents:** |**1. Charity Information**|**2**| |---|---| |**2. A Message from the Chairman**|**3**| |**3. A Review of the Year**|**3**| |**4. Background Activities**|**5**| |**5. Events**|**6**| |**6. Friends and Volunteers**|**6**| |**7. Trustees**|**6**| |**8. Collections**|**7**| |**9. Finance**|**8**| ## **Charity Information Charity Trustees** Clive Butchins (Chair) Simon Gee Elaine Butchins Pat Strack (V.C. and Secretary) Norman Shuker Betty Chandler Paul Welsh ## **Museum Manager** Dave Armitage ## **Museum Officer (Hertsmere Borough Council)** Ruth Stratton **Principal Address:** 96 Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire WD6 1EB **Website:** www.elstree-museum.org.uk ## **Registered Number:** 1157770 **Principal Activities and Objectives:** The charitable objects are to advance education for public benefit, in particular in the subject of Elstree and Borehamwood, its history and heritage. ## **A Message from the Chairman** What a wonderful team we have that enables us to keep the museum moving forward and achieving such great exhibitions and events. Four thousand visitors is a fantastic testimony to the dedication of all our volunteers and the hard work put in by our exhibitions team. Special mention must go to Dave, our museum manager/curator, Tony De Swarte and his wonderful model railways. Simon Gee and the other display builders ably supported by Ruth Stratton, our museums officer. And of course this would not be possible without our dedicated ream of volunteers who are on hand to greet, help and advise all those visitors. The outreach programme is also very successful, with regular demands form schools for sessions to support their curriculum, as well as both the external talks and friends’ events, which are always interesting and rewarding to attend. The absence of a lease for ten years means that our accounts have had to include substantial provisions based on estimated future demands on the museum finances. Please be assured we continue to work to regularise this together with agents working for the County Council. All in all 2022-23 was a most successful year and I complement everyone who was involved for all their hard work and dedication. ## **Review of the Year** _**Off the Rails - the Line that Never Was**_ exhibition had opened at the end of the last financial year. It turned out to be one of the most successful exhibitions the Museum has run. Tony de Swarte’s model railway attracted visitors from far and wide. When it closed, after extension until March 2023, the total visitor numbers had risen to over 4,000 Simon Gee was contacted by a private collector who had some unique plans of the original line. These were transported to Borehamwood to be photographed before being returned to the private collector. Also as a result of the exhibition, a gentleman came into the Museum one afternoon with some rolled up papers under his arm. These turned out to be important 1946 town plans of Elstree, had the Northern Line Extension gone ahead. The gentleman said he was prompted to bring them along after seeing the exhibition. They were the work of his grandmother, Angela Christensen, who happened to be the first female planner in the country, and he wanted to donate them to the Museum. Unfortunately these were in a tatty state but Ruth managed to get a small grant from Hertfordshire Association of Museums for conservation and digitisation. The plan is to have the copies on display in the foyer café of 96. **Social Media** : Catriona, Corporate Support Officer at Hertsmere Borough Council, and Simon attended an online course, Digital Storytelling. They looked at improving the social media and website. Simon ran a Most Missed Buildings feature on Facebook and Blog, which was extremely popular. Catriona collated all the comments and memories shared, which is an important resource for the Museum. **Balmoral Drive Store:** Last summer, Hertsmere Borough Council asked the Museum to vacate this site and relocate to a smaller store in Stanborough Ave. Negotiation with Hertsmere resulted in being given an adjoining room on the Stanborough site. This was cold and damp and not suitable for object storage. Dave Armitage fitted double glazing with a UV filter to one of the rooms. A dehumidifier was loaned and Dave arranged with Hertsmere to have ceiling heater fitted and the roof leak repaired. **Presentation:** Dave was invited to do a talk at St Michael and All Angels to the LeeCliffe Chatter Tables group. The presentation was called ‘It’s My Life’. This was very popular and attended by forty-four people. Dave also repeated the talk to a WI group in September. **SKY Studios:** Also in September, Sophie Owen and Angus Forbes from Sky Studios gave a presentation to the Museum Trustees as an introduction to the development of the Studios in Borehamwood and to discuss ways of working together. **Listening Post:** This was purchased for playing the oral history recordings in the exhibitions. **Art Exhibition:** Dave and Ruth were approached by Michael Finlay, a former scene painter at Elstree Studios. He asked if some of his abstract art, inspired by his time working in the film industry, could be shown in the foyer café of 96. The Museum funded the reproduction of panels and the display was on show until March 2023. During that time, Michael invited many friends and family to the café to show them his work. A small opening event was arranged by his son Rob and guests were given refreshments. Original prints could be purchased. Michael was extremely grateful to the Museum for this opportunity. **Christmas Lights Switch On:** The Museum was open the Sunday afternoon of 27[th] November for the event. Original design Christmas cards were on sale in the foyer. A **new card machine** was purchased due to the demand in card payments for merchandise. This also gave opportunity for donations to be made via contactless. **Christmas Party:** The annual volunteers Christmas party was held on 16[th] December at Schopwick Place. The event had not been possible in the previous year due to Covid. Thanks must be given, as ever, to Anne and Norman Shuker for their hospitality. ## **Events** **Armistice Day:** Simon laid a wreath on behalf of the Museum **School Visits:** Summerswood booked for 3 days at the end of May 2022. They requested activities related to the Queen and her reign. One hundred and twenty school children visited in total. April 2022 saw the restarting of the **Reminiscence group** and around 18 regulars attended each time. **Bus Centenary Event:** The Museum opened for this event on Sunday 19[th] June between 11am and 3pm and had 93 visitors. Tony de Swarte was on hand to answer detailed questions about the trains and the railway. ## **Friends and Volunteers** Following the Hertsmere Borough Council led volunteer recruitment campaign with video and leaflets and fliers, the Museum gained six new volunteers, one of which wanted to take over the schools visits. In July 2022, the Museum gained Ken Freedman as a volunteer treasurer. The First Friends event was in August, and was a talk given by Tony de Swarte. This was an interesting insight into when Tony ran a sandwich bar in Covent Garden for 20 years. Forty people were booked but unfortunately only 22 turned up due to bad weather. ## **Volunteer Hours** April – December 2022: 3,018 January – end March 2023: 890 ## **Visitors** April – December 2022: 3,369 January – end March 2023: 766 ## **Trustees** The AGM was held on 18[th] November 2022 outside the Museum on the Library floor. Betty Chandler and Pat Strack stood down and were unanimously re-elected. Ken Freedman gave his first report on the Museum finances ## **The Board of Trustees as of 18[th] November after the AGM was:** Clive Butchins: Chair Elaine Butchins: Vice Chair and Secretary Paul Welsh Pat Strack Norman Shuker Betty Chandler Simon Gee ## **Collections** Restarting MODES: After a two year break, the regular Friday object cataloguing project was resumed in the autumn of 2022. The team was back up to full capacity after John Woolston returned. Finance Registered number 1157770 ELSTREE & BOREHAMWOOD MUSEUM TRUSTEES REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31st MARCH 2023 si¢410￿ 6te£ AmAtsp•nd Keh Freedma Rthh Strntt 96Shth* Road W06 IEB i￿rn Th¢dwrll•ble ￿lICts￿et••dy•nr*t￿￿tthTr ftyth¢ pulhlc befrfrt In prtkulllrkntheJubJett of Elstree and Borth•mwood Rs htsw•rKI l*rW. EisfREE & BOREHAMWOOD MUSEUM REGISTERED NUMBER 115Trn> BALANCE SHEEr . AS AT 31st MARCH 2023 Yur Endl Not•$ 31st Marth To 3tst March 2022 927 io 9)496 92633 1340 83801 DebtOTS Cash at bank & in hand 2638 Amounts falllng due within one year 2638 89995 83811 71896 Provlslon for liabllltles 76146 13849 11915 REPRfSEKfED BY: Unrestrfcted funds 13849 11916 TOTAL FUNDS 13849 11916 These financlal statements were approved by the trustees and signed on thelr behalf by: Clive Butchln5 NOrn￿n Shuker INCOME FROM: 10550 691 13412 Grants & glfts . Shop Sa￿$ Fflends Interest Re¢ei¥ed S¢hods storage 502 601 212 37 150 13174 14934 TOTAL IP4COME Charitsble Actfvltles 11241 8373 11241 8373 6561 IIEf INCOME 1933 8alance as at IstAprll 2022 11916 5355 11916 DEfAIiED STAIEMENT OF FINANaAL Acnvrn FOA ThEYEAR EN0114G 3tst MARCH 2023 Year IS Mon To 31322 31.3.23 781 502 Shop sales Gross Profft OThER INCOME Grants Donatlons & presentations Frlends subscrlptlons Schoo15 Storage ' Bank Interest recelved 10550 13412 601 282 150 212 37 13174 14934 Temp exhlbltion desl8n & prfnt Education & Events Insurance rr & equlpment costs Premlses & associated costs Println&posta8e & stationery 161 1605 li 4250 104 1639 785 6797 OThER EXPEPtsES Annual subscflptlons & renewals Bank Char8es Frlends expenses Consumables Royaltles Sundry TraT•*l 265 311 42 122 31 11241 8373 IIEf IllCOME 1933 6561 Balance as at tst Aprll 2022 11916 5355 13849 11916 140TE5TOThE FIPWXIALSTA1EMEPITS These accouthts havebeen prepared UnderthehistfK￿ (￿Cor￿ent￿)nwth rtem5feeosnbd ai i (* vanmction unless OthÈ￿tse st*ed ith the rknant nottstothe5eartoiini5. The attountsh•¥e been prepared in ac¢wd•ce th thÈ Charit*sStatefftentoffecammended Prartke lapplicable tocharttles preparin8 theirittounts in accordance ¥hth the Ananclal PeportSn8 5tsndard •P￿￿3￿4e in the UK and Republi¢0¢ Irel￿d FRS 102KlSWed￿ October 20191 l(harli￿$softp IFPS 102)the hnwial reportinÉ 5t•dard •pplKable In the UK and Republkol Ireland (FR5 102)the financtsl rewiin8s>nd*d appi*•Weln the UK•d Repybk of IreLirtd IFft5 IOZI *Klwithihe OwitiesAO 2011. The a¢counts h•e been prep¥ed Ws. Inctyme is Ir￿￿ded ith the$tatementof Fln**lal AitthWA)whtn thetharity becomes entit￿ tothe resouf¢es.it ism(*e Ilkety than notthe tsusteeswitt rece*4t the resourees and the )￿￿¥¥¥alUe£aft￿ mewredwth suiik*nirelSatAIQI. Gw¥rfs *nd don*iware Ir%1￿ed ify >444Ao whtn thegener* Intomt recryrriikn ¢dterla are met. embership sub5trtwions re¢el¥ed in the th*ure of a 8ift are reco8ntsed in dmatioi Membetshlp subscriptionswhith 8wes a memlxr the T*httobuy ser¥ke5 Ncther bEneftts are rewsnised as IThcL￿e dwrkable acthtie& This i* included Inthe xwjntswhen ret•pt is probable athd aMwntr￿elV￿etafi be measured reliaWy.ThL4 ishofftally of the irterest paidw ptyableby the bank. The valuegf any voluntary help r￿e￿ed Is ihtluded in the accounts bLrt is described the trvsteesannu* repm. Stock Is Intluded at thelwr of ¢r6tornetreaUsable ¥alyp. Tra¢Je otherdebrors are fecosnised atthe s¢ttlement amtyjnt due èfter artv dISc￿ntsoffered.pftpavrneThts are valued * the amount Pfepald netofanyti trade Cash atbank and in14fid lThcludes tash and shrfft term hWly Nquld cash dppos held Sn bank ¢T•d￿ ￿a￿lItIeS are re￿nISed where rt15 more Wketythan thotth*there $5a le8al or consvuctive obllBknn Comm￿￿8th￿ tharlty to pay resowtes andthe arnount of the 0￿1¥8110n c3n be measured with reasonable ¢ert•lnty. A liabllrty is measured an recognition at hirtffikal c05tand then wbse4uentty measuied ai the be￿ ewmate olthe am¢Junt required to settletheobl*at 4tthÈ rewtir8date. 10550 Genernl 8rnnts 691 2668 161 104 1639 educatkn & Events li 4250 2Crf> IT & •qulptment expense5 6797 634 p￿nti￿Pos￿￿ &Statkirtery Annual fets Royalt*s CMsumables 265 42 122 11241 83n io 1341 2638 65013 10133 60763 10133 Ufjltty wsts Exhlbitlon removal ￿sts 76146 71896 Elstyee & Bort￿MWo0d museum Is • tharltsble I￿¢rpOr*￿d organlsatlon d Is re81sW￿ wlth the charlty ¢ommlsslon.It Is not rewlTed to reiister wlth Compan*5 House a5 • company.ft has Nmlted Ilawllty SO that its rnember5 and trvstees do Mt rttd to contrllmrte In the ￿￿nt of the rh¥lty belr wound up.