The Millennium Embroidery Group Sunbury-on-Thames CIO Report and Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31 March 2024
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The Millennium Embroidery Group Sunbury-on-Thames CIO
Report and Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31 March 2024
CONTENTS
Trustees ’ Report 3 – 10 I ndependent Examiner’s Report 11 Income & Expense Statement Appendix A Page 1 Balance Sheet Appendix A Page 2 Notes to the financial statements Appendix A Pages 3-4
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The Millennium Embroidery Group Sunbury-on-Thames
The trustees present their report along with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2024. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out on Appendix page 3 and comply with the charity’s governing document, applicable law and the requirements of the sta tement of Recommended Practice ‘ Accounting and Reporting by Charities’ .
Constitution and Objects
The Millennium Embroidery Group Sunbury-on-Thames is constituted under a trust deed dated 7 February 2001 and became a registered charity on 14 February 2001.
On 10 June 2015, The Millennium Embroidery Group became a Charitable Incorporated Organization.
The Trust and the CIO share the same objects and continue to coexist at present. However, the Trust is currently in the process of being dissolved. The accounts relate solely to the activities of the CIO.
The objects of the charity are to advance the education of the public with regard to the archaeology, history, geography, wildlife, development and daily life of Sunbury-on-Thames.
Organisation
The trustees who have served during the year and since the year end (except as mentioned thereon) are set out on page 11. Trustees are appointed by the Board of Trustees.
Reserves Policy
The trustees administer the charity’s reserve policy which is to build up sufficient funds to pay for the embroidery centre ’s continued operation and future development of the Gallery & project.
MAIN ACTIVITIES and ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE YEAR
• Trustees
The Board of trustees met 4 times during the year to agree future policy, monitor the group's activities and approve the workings of the Operations Committee. There are currently 6 trustees.
• Operations Committee
The committee held frequent management discussions throughout the year and implemented measures to enable the Gallery to return to a more normal way of operating as the year progressed.
• The Building and Attendance
The total number visiting the gallery space during the year was 11,594. Of these, 3,307 (or 28.5%) were recorded as new being visitors. Talks were given
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to 23 visiting Groups. An estimated total of 46,000 people visited the building as a whole during the year.
ACHIEVEMENTS
- The Community Fundraising Initiative – Second Year
We held a second community fundraising event at Monksbridge, a local riverside house which the owners had generously made available to us. Although attendance was slightly down on the previous year (which had coincided the HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations ) we were able to raise over £17,000, which was another tremendous result and a great reflection of the enormous local help we had on the day.
Taken together with last year’s figure of £23,000 , it meant we raised a total of just over £40,000 on just those 2 days.
PUBLIC BENEFIT
The Embroidery Gallery is located in an award-winning walled garden. Both the garden and the building are well-visited and convey a great sense of calm and wellbeing.
We ran 8 exhibitions during the course of the year and had 21 educational workshops. We had had several school visits, and we were pleased that we were able to reinstate our regular arts programme with Manor Mead School for children with special needs.
Entry to the building is free, as is access to the permanent embroidery display and all exhibitions. We had a number of talks to visiting groups and mounted a full programme of exhibitions. The building was open to the public six days a week for a total of 300 days over the year.
The permanent embroidery display is at the heart of the project and embodies all the charity’s objects. Members of the project team guide visitors through this display and the history and subject matter of the embroidery. Visitors to the Gallery cover all age groups and sections of the community.
During the summer months, the local authority arranges weekly music concerts in the Walled Garden on Sunday afternoons. During the year 14 such concerts were held in the garden. Depending on the weather, these can attract audiences of 200+ people. Due to its location, the Gallery benefits from additional revenues from Café sales during these events while providing much needed rest room facilities for visitors. The Gallery is a member of the community toilet scheme run by the local authority.
- Access
The building welcomes and provides for people with disabilities. In normal years we receive regular visits from groups with special needs as well as from visitors with sight impairment and physical disablement. A wheelchair is available to visitors. Audio guides are also available on request as well as the written transcripts of these, together with a
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Braille transcript of both our visitor leaflet and our descriptive booklet on how the embroidery was created.
The tactile guide to the embroidery enhances the visitor experience to the gallery. The display system, which cantilevers from the wall below the embroidery, allows for wheelchair access to the various panels and carries titles in relief lettering together with their Braille equivalents. A tactile map of the Walled Garden is also available.
• EXHIBITION and EVENTS
There were 8 exhibitions held during the year, all of which were community based.
• Darren Ball – Textile Artist :
Darren Ball is a local artist who trained in fashion textiles. His embroidery reflects his passion for textiles and he is a member of the Sussex Guild of Craftsmen. He uses a domestic sewing machine to appliqué and free embroider personal narratives.
• Hampton Court Palace Florilegium Society :
The Florilegium Society have exhibited with us several times in the past. They have been based at Hampton Court Palace since 2004 and have unlimited access to the Palace gardens, greenhouses and parkland. They provide the Palace with an annual pictorial record of plants from the Palace’s Queen Mary Exotic Plant Collection (started in the late 1600’s) for the Place Archive and posterity.
Since Covid they have, on a number of occasions, hired the space at the Gallery for their meetings. During the spring and summer months they were inspired to paint the flora and fauna of the Walled Garden in which the Gallery is situated, and their paintings formed the basis of this latest exhibition.
• Manor Mead School:
We were delighted to be able, once again, to collaborate with the pupils from Manor Mead School on a Community Art Project run by Isabel Gomes, an educational textile artist, who guided the pupils through their creative journey . The project, entitled ‘Namaste’, explored the themes of positive energy and the beauty of selfexpression.
The finished art work was displayed in the Sunbury Gallery for 7 weeks during July and August and provided an opportunity for the pupils’ family and friends to see their work in a public gallery setting.
The project was supported by the Millennium Embroidery Group CIO.
• Sunbury Working Artists - SWA:
The Sunbury Working Artists are a multi-disciplinary group of local artists who exhibit regularly as a group and also individually. We
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showcased their broad range of work, including fine art, photography, ceramics and printmaking, during the Summer.
• Graduate Show:
Two textile artists, Eliza Gomersall and Sarah Dempsey, both graduates from The Royal School of Needlework, Hampton Court Palace, held a two month exhibition at the Gallery in September and October. It is part of our ongoing collaboration with the Royal School of Needlework showcasing the work of both current students and recent graduates.
• The Grange:
We held an exhibition of the remarkable work produced by residents of The Grange at Bookham in Surrey. The Grange is a charity dedicated to supporting adults with learning disabilities and empowering them to lead independent lives. Originally known as the ‘School of Stitchery and Lace,’ they have gained renown for their exceptional needlework and craftsmanship. Their output has included royal commissions, and they enabling people with disabilities to pursue careers in establishments such as Liberty’s and Harvey Nichols. One of their pieces has a place in the Diana Springall Collection. Today, The Grange offers a range of services, including residential care, supported living, and skills training.
The centrepiece of their exhibition was a large and dramatic wall hanging depicting a tree with falling autumn leaves. The piece was worked on and assembled by many residents who were mentored by one of our trustees, Karen Nicol, who is a textile artist and teacher.
Residents of the Grange made several visits to the Gallery during the course of the exhibition and a preview/reception evening was held at the Gallery.
• David Morrish: In My Safe Space
David Morrish is a multi-talented award winning textile artist and embroiderer. The exhibition covered a range of work showing his development as an artist and also focusing on his recovery from a life threating accident and the role that embroidery played in the healing process. The pieces displayed covered a wide emotional spectrum, echoing his PTSD struggle and remarkable recovery.
A talk was given in the Gallery by David Morrish on the 17 February to an audience of 33 people.
• Balance of Nature: 2 Graduates
We held an exhibition of two diverse designers, both working in similar fields, jewellery and art; Joe Shevelan using robust materials to create hand forged jewellery and contemplative rock sculptures; Susie Garner, a silversmith, producing delicate silver flowers and decorative wall art, encapsulating the intricate and intertwined textiles of nature.
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The exhibition was part of our programme to afford recent graduates the opportunity of exhibiting their work in a gallery setting.
• WORKSHOPS and TALKS
We ran twenty-one educational classes during the year. These included classes in embroidery, lace making, willow weaving and calligraphy, arm knitting.
There were 2 arranged talks and one external talk given to the Kingston U3A Group (estimated audience of 120) covering the history of the Sunbury Millennium Embroidery.
• MEMBERS of THE SUNBURY EMBROIDERY
The Members of The Sunbury Embroidery was established January 2018. Members benefits include advance notification and priority bookings and a discount on all purchases and ticketed talks. They also receive a loyalty card for use in the Gallery Café. Monies raised help to support our community outreach programme.
• VOLUNTEERS
We gained new volunteers during the year who replaced leavers which maintained our compliment at 45 regular volunteers. Some volunteer their time for part of a day and others for longer periods.
One example of the latter is the Sunbury Gallery Beading Group made up of 6-8 volunteers. They meet in the Gallery every Tuesday morning and create wonderful, beaded jewellery and other items. During the year the merchandising of their work has had more prominence resulting in an uplift of sales. All proceeds are donated to the Gallery.
Other volunteers offer their help in different ways, such as with picture framing, photography, and the printing of material. The project could not function as it does without their continued and invaluable help. They have enabled the project to be entirely self-sustaining since it was established.
OTHER ORGANISATIONS
The Gallery hosts quarterly meetings of the Friends of Sunbury Park (FOSP), a local voluntary group liaising with the local authority on the management of the parkland in the village. In collaboration with FOSP the Gallery team have designed a series of booklets describing the Flora and Fauna of Sunbury Parks and open spaces. Added to four previous publications, we helped produce a further title this year, entitled ‘ Fungi and Lichens of Sunbury and Hawke Parks ’ . All titles are available in the gallery and in local outlets at a very modest cost. This is an ongoing collaboration describing the diversity of animal and plant species in the locality. There are several more titles in the pipeline.
The gallery also hosts meetings of the Lower Sunbury Residents Association (LOSRA) once a month, whose purpose, as a voluntary association, is to optimise and enhance the quality of life for Lower
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Sunbury residents. The Embroidery Group is collaborating with LOSRA in producing a revised edition of ‘ The Sunbury Trail ’ booklet – a walking tour of the village, highlighting notable buildings and aspects of the history of the village. The 2.5 mile walk around the village starts and finishes at the Gallery.
• LOCAL SUPPORT
The building’s activities continue to enhance its community role. It has strong local support as well as attracting visitors from a wider area. It is a well-established meeting place and a significant part of community life in the village.
We entered the second year our community fundraising initiative and received a number of individual donations.
• THE GALLERY CAFÉ
The Café remains very much the vibrant hub of the building and a valued community meeting place and destination. The revenue earned by the Café helps the entire project to remain self-supporting.
We have partnered with a local charity – Surplus to Supper – which collects and distributes surplus food from local food retailers. This has, in part, offset ongoing ingredient cost increases for the Café. We make a monthly donation of £50 to this charity.
In June we increased menu prices by 5% across the board in order to cover salary, energy and ingredient cost increases. From April we switched our merchant service provider to Sum-Up for the Café following an initial test run in the Gallery. This reduced our transaction charges by c.15%.
• EMPLOYMENT
During the year, we had on average 5 permanent part-time employees (including a cleaner) and up to 6 occasional part-timers who mainly worked weekends or provided weekday cover. One long-term permanent employee took maternity leave from the beginning of July having been signed off on sick leave for June. Her replacement started in April and left at the end of August with cover for the remainder of the maternity period being carried out an existing part-time employee.
GALLERY OPERATION and APPRAISAL
The Trustees were encouraged that by most metrics we appear to have been – able to operate at pre-covid levels for the whole of the year although our operating hours remain slightly reduced compared to pre-pandemic opening times - something being experienced across the whole of the hospitality sector. However, Gallery visitor levels increased by c. 11% and spend per transaction through the Café reflected the increases in menu pricing.
The Project continued to face financial challenges throughout the year with many operating cost adjustments, the most significant of which was national minimum wage rate increases which added 5.3% or c. £6,000 to the salary bill.
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In addition, Café input costs increased by 12.9% and electricity costs increased by 67% due to the ending of our very favourable 3 year fixed tariff. Our loyal team of staff and volunteers continue to make the Gallery both a friendly place to visit and a popular and valued resource for the local community.
Regarding our fundraising, we were able to turn our attention to this once again. A repeat of the previous year’s community fundraising initiative in May generated over £17,000 in a single day, which was another astounding result, and it was especially rewarding for the many people involved in the day’s success. Disappointingly our application for funding to Your Fund Surrey was unsuccessful although support from our local council remains undiminished, although they too have been challenged over the past few years and a firm financial commitment from them is still to materialize.
We were able to offer a complete range of exhibitions and other activities during the year and we continued to advance the educational and community role of the project. T he charity’s ‘objects’ continue to be met and exceeded.
Approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by Date: 31 January 2025 Chairman Trustee The Sunbury Embroidery Gallery The Walled Garden Thames Street Sunbury on Thames TW16 6AB
Trustees who have served during the year ended 31 March 2024:
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Robert Shaw Chairman
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Nick Tilt Treasurer
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Paul Watts
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Simon Wheatley
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Barbara Robertson
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Karen Nicol
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Jean Norman - assumes duties of Minutes Secretary but is not a Trustee.
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The Millennium Embroidery Group Sunbury-on-Thames
Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of the Millennium Embroidery Group Sunbury-on-Thames
I report on the accounts for the Trust for the year ended 31 March 2024 which are set out in Appendix A, pages 1 to 4.
Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Honorary Auditor
As described on page 3 the trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year (under section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the Act)) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts (under section 43(3)(a) of the 1993 Act):
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to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners (under section 43(7)(b) of the 1993 Act): and
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to 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 Commissioners. 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 you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 41 of the 1993 Act: and
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 1993 Act
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have not been met: or
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to which in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Robert Thorne, FCCA The Annex 143-145 Stanwell Road Ashford, Middlesex, TW15 3QN
Dated: 31 January 2025
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Appendix A
The Millennium Embroidery Group Sunbury-on-Thames
The Millennium Embroidery Group Sunbury-on-Thames
Income and expenses for the year ended 31 March 2024
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total Funds | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | Funds | Funds | Funds | 31-Mar-23 | |
| Incoming Resources | |||||
| Donations, grants, legacies & Sponsorship | £14,740 | £14,740 | £7,527 | ||
| Investment income | £1,481 | £1,481 | £451 | ||
| Bank Switch Incentive | £0 | £0 | |||
| Activities in furtherance of the charity's objects: | |||||
| Workshop sales and commissions received | £34,380 | £34,380 | £36,976 | ||
| Cafe sales | £182,970 | £182,970 | £169,307 | ||
| Rental Income | £0 | £462 | |||
| Miscellaneous | £21,944 | £21,944 | £19,177 | ||
| HMRC Grants - CJRS | £0 | £0 | |||
| Total Incoming Resources | £240,775 | £14,740 | £255,515 | £233,900 | |
| Resources Expended | |||||
| Cost of generating funds: | |||||
| Cost of goods sold in workshop | £11,177 | £11,177 | £9,082 | ||
| Equipping & Furnishing the Gallery & Cafe | £1,613 | £1,613 | £5,452 | ||
| Food & Drink, etc. for Cafe | £52,909 | £52,909 | £46,864 | ||
| Fundraising and publicity | £7,377 | £7,377 | £10,984 | ||
| Charitable expenditure: | |||||
| Cost of operation of workshop and centre | 8a | £16,590 | £16,590 | £21,480 | |
| Salaries, NI, etc for Cafe | 6 | £120,422 | £120,422 | £114,311 | |
| Training projects & outreach work | £0 | £0 | |||
| Managing and administering the charity | 8b | £19,704 | £19,704 | £20,555 | |
| Total Resources Expended | £229,792 | £0 | £229,792 | £228,728 | |
| Net Movement in Funds | £25,723 | £5,172 | |||
| Balances brought forward at 1 April | £154,603 | £149,431 | |||
| Prior Year Adjustment | £13 | ||||
| Balances carried forward at 31 March | £180,339 | £154,603 |
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Appendix A
The Millennium Embroidery Group Sunbury-on-Thames
Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024
| Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Note Current Assets Stock 2 Debtors Cash at bank and in hand 3 Creditors Amounts falling due within one year 4 Net Current Assets Creditors Amounts falling due after more than one year # Total Net Current Assets Fixed Assets Payments in relation to new building Total Net Assets |
2024 2023 £2,838 £5,186 £8,313 £7,857 £195,391 £170,931 £206,542 £183,974 £29,804 £32,972 £176,738 £151,002 £0 £0 £176,738 £151,002 £3,601 £3,601 £180,339 £154,603 £0 |
2023 £5,186 £7,857 £170,931 |
| £183,974 £32,972 |
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| £151,002 £0 |
||
| £151,002 £3,601 |
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| £154,603 |
Approved by the Board of Trustees on ……………………... 2025 and signed by:22 January
………………………………………………...Treasurer Trustee
The notes on pages 3 & 4, Annexe A form part of these accounts.
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Appendix A
The Millennium Embroidery Group Sunbury-on-Thames
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31 March 2024
1. Principal Accounting Policies
Accounting Convention
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with best practice in the Statement of Recommended Practice "Accounting and reporting by Charities" (SORP2000)
Resources expended
Resources expended are included in the statement of financial activities on an accruals basis inclusive of any VAT that cannot be recovered
Fund Accounting
Funds held by the charity are either:
Unrestricted general funds - these are funds which can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the trustees.
Designated funds - these are funds set aside by the Trustees out of unrestricted general funds for specific future purposes or projects
Restricted funds - these are funds that can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the accounts.
Incoming resources
All income is accounted for on a receivable basis.
| 2.Stock Opening Stock @ 1 April + Purchases - Cost of Sales Closing Stock at 31 March 3.Cash @ Bank and in hand Bank Deposit Account Bank Current Account Credit Card Account Petty Cash in Hand 4.Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year Supplier Accounts Taxation and social security Pension |
2023/24 2022/23 £5,186 £5,186 £0 £0 £2,348 £0 |
|---|---|
| £2,838 £5,186 |
|
| £112,075 £107,834 £69,269 £50,619 £7,188 £5,225 £6,859 £7,253 |
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| £195,391 £170,931 |
|
| £1,846 £8,724 £26,873 £23,046 £1,085 £1,202 |
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| £29,804 £32,972 |
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Appendix A
5.Trustees Benefits and Transactions
During the year £301 was reimbursed to one trustee for miscellaneous expenses associated with the operation of the gallery and café (2023: £301 to one trustee)
No remuneration was paid to any trustees for the year for their duties as trustees (2023: NIL). 2 trustees were employed parttime in capacity providing Gallery Manager and book-keeper & HR/payroll services. (2023: 2)
| 6.Employees During the year there were six permanent part-time employees (2023: six) and five occasional employees during the year (2023: five). The total remuneration paid to all employees including employers national insurance amounted to 7.Auditor's remuneration The independent examiner made no charges for his work during the year (2023: NIL) Audit Work Accountancy 8.Charitable Expenditure 8a. Cost of Operating the workshop and centre Printing, post, stationery, telephone and newspapers Building cleaning, maintenance, security and insurance Equipment hire and maintenance Utilities General Expenses - PPE/donation Travelling expenses Rent and Rates 8b. Managing and administering the charity Bank charges Professional fees 9. Restricted Funds Building and equipping fund At 1st April Incoming resources Outgoing resources at 31st March 10, Analysis of net assets between funds Cash at bank and in hand Fixed assets Other current assets Current liabilities Totals at 31 March 2024 (Totals at 31 March 2023 |
2023/24 2022/23 £120,422 £114,311 £0 £0 £0 £0 £0 £0 £3,834 £4,984 £3,173 £4,915 £578 £813 £6,165 £4,081 £207 £3,375 £84 £226 £2,549 £3,086 £16,590 £21,480 £3,792 £3,207 £15,912 £17,348 £19,704 £20,555 £85,843 £78,316 £14,740 £7,527 £0 £0 £100,583 £85,843 General Restricted Total £94,808 £100,583 £195,391 £3,601 £0 £3,601 £11,151 £0 £11,151 £29,804 £29,804 £79,756 £100,583 £180,339 £68,760 £85,843 £154,603 ) |
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