Middlewich Heritage Trust
A Charity Registered in England and Wales - No. 1161871 and a Company, Limited by Guarantee - No. 09441581
Draft Annual Report of the Trustees for the year ending 28 February 2023
Address of Principal Office: Victoria Building, Lewin St., Middlewich, CW10 9AT
Trustees at the date that this report was approved:
Mr S R Broadfoot Mr J K Kingston Mrs P J Leathwood Mr D A Nellist Mr M G Walker Mr M A Walton (Chair)
The Constitution of Middlewich Heritage Trust
The governing document of Middlewich Heritage Trust is the Articles of Association for a Charitable Company formally adopted on 18 February 2015
Organisation
Middlewich Heritage Trust is managed by a Committee which meets regularly; the members of the Committee are the trustees of the charity and are directors of the company.
Appointment of Trustees
Trustees (who are directors of the company) are elected at an Annual General Meeting. Two retire each year but may be re-elected if the members agree. Prospective trustees are asked to read the Charity Commission’s publication The Essential Trustee as a check of their eligibility, and newly appointed trustees are asked to sign the Charity Commission Declaration of eligibility for newly appointed trustees.
Public Benefit Statement
The trustees have complied with the Charity Commission requirement for Middlewich Heritage Trust to provide identifiable public benefits. Of the descriptions of charitable purposes set out by the Charities Act, the work of the charity is covered by the following: Education / Training, Arts / Culture / Heritage / Science, Environment / Conservation / Heritage.
Objectives of Middlewich Heritage Trust
The Trust’s objectives are specifically restricted to the preservation and promotion of the heritage of Middlewich (including buildings, artefacts and archives) as a resource for the benefit of the residents of Cheshire East, of Cheshire West and Chester, and of the wider public.
Activities
During this year the Trust has provided a range of activities including mounting public exhibitions to explain the town’s canal, salt and World War I heritage, brine pump open days for the public at the Brine Pump site, teaching sessions with schools, and tours for the public and voluntary organisations. The Trust has also leased a new, more public friendly access to the pump site.
Finance
See page 3
Reserves Policy
The Trust intends to maintain reserves to provide contingent resources to enable it to underwrite costs of its activities, and to meet unforeseen costs and shortfalls in income.
With regard to the financial implications and risks of the Trust’s charitable activities, the trustees consider that, under present circumstances, a reserve of 4,000 is appropriate.
This policy will be reviewed annually at the first meeting of the trustees each year as part of the process of monitoring the accounts (including any Notes to the Accounts) and the size of the reserve will need to be increased to establish a repairs and renewals fund as the renovations to the pump site are completed.
To enable these targets to be met, the trustees have agreed that a report will be presented to each meeting listing income and expenditure since the previous meeting, so that timely remedial action can be taken if necessary to prevent potential financial problems building up.
MIDDLEWICH HERITAGE TRUST- Flnal Account 2022123 INCOME AND EXPENDITURE Bank balance at l March 2022 £10,997.30 Minus cheques issued but not cashed at 28 Feb, 2022 Cheques in hand at l March 2022 Cash in hand at l March 2022 £0.00 £0.00 1£8.791 £10,988.51 Income for year £25,835.41 Expenditure for year Surplus of income over expenditure £26,827.04 1£991.631 £9.996.88 Total ASSETS Bank Balance at 28 February 2023 £9,959.26 Cash in hand at 28 February 2023 £37.62 Plus cheques in hand at 28.02.2023 Total £0.00 £9,996.88 Capital equlpment £846.90 Signed M A Walton I have examined the accounts of Middlewich Heritage Trust for the period ending 28 February 2023. I hereby verify that in my opinion the financial statements give a true and fair view of the Trust's financial affairs as at 28 February 2023 Signed I S Broadfool