**Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum 11th. Financial Statement and Annual Report of the Charity’s Activities** ## **For the Year Ended** **31[st] . March 2023** **Charity Number 1164795** **Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum Trustees’ Annual Report** ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ## **Contents** ||**Page**| |---|---| |Legal and Administrative Details|1| |Trustees’ Annual Report|2 - 3| |Trustees Terms of Office|4| |Legal Status and Objects|5-6| |Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities|7| |Receipts and Payments Account|8| |Statement of Assets and Liabilities|9| |Notes to the Financial Statements|9| **Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum Legal and Administrative Details** ## **Trustees** D M Adamson RE Retd. M Barry MM RE Retd. (Royal Engineers Association) M Collins P Groves (Waterbeach and Landbeach Branch Royal British Legion) D B Higgins RE Retd. (Hon. Treasurer) C Hill (514 Sqn Reunion) L. Moss A K Shipp R Stripe Lt. Col. Gus Thompson 38 Engineer Regiment QM (retd ) April 2022 Lt Col Joe Monaghan 39 Engineer Regiment QM (Retd ) to Nov. 2022 A J Wright (Chairman) ## **Trust Address** Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum Building 3 Waterbeach Barracks Denny End Road, Waterbeach Cambridge CB25 9PA ## **Volunteers** Clare Polet Anne Lockheart Christopher Jones ## **Museum Advisors** Lisabeth Yates, Radiation Protection Officer (RPA), University Safety Officer Deborah Walton Cambridge University Museums Conservation Officer Lt Col.Joe Monaghan Retd. 39 Engineer Regiment Emma Bunbury Museums in Cambridgeshire (MIC) David Smith Webmaster ## **Legal Status** The Charity was formed as a Trust under a Constitution dated 25 October 2012 The Charity converted to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 10 December 2015, Charity Registration Number 1164795 ## **Bankers** NatWest 36 Fitzroy Street Cambridge CB1 1EW Independent Examiner **Anne Craig** Denny Cottage Ely Road Landbeach Cambridge CB25 9PQ Page 1 **Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum Trustees’ Annual Report** __________________________________________________ The Trustees present their Annual Report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023. This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions under section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 which allows for the preparation of receipts and payments accounts by charities with income less than £250,000. ## **Annual Report of the Charity’s activities 1[st] April 2022 to 31[st] March 2023** The Trust has met on four occasions during the year. The Trustees were depleted further during the period due to the retirement from the Forces by Lt. Col. Gus Thompson, 39 Engineer Regiment QM and later his successor Lt Col Joe Monaghan, 39 Engineer Regiment QM. At this point in time 39 RE’s have not been able to produce a replacement Trustee. Another vacancy is the Waterbeach Parish Council Trustee nomination which has not materialised. Volunteers stand at three and the trustees are grateful for the assistance given by them in the running and stewarding of the Museum, when they are able to do so. The trustees living close enough to Waterbeach are active in the stewarding of the museum when open and particular thanks to the treasurer David Higgins who has stewarded each occasion the museum has been open to the public along with other trustees. The Trust is incredibly grateful to its Trustees and Volunteers for the active help and support given in the last twelve month. In 2022 the Trustees decided to open on the third Sunday of the month when there is a Community Market in and around the adjoining Community Rooms. The normal opening of the museum on the first Wednesday and Sunday each month from March to October with the addition of the afternoon of remembrance Sunday has been maintained This has brought the visitors for this accounting twelve months back to a healthy 775 visitors. 514 Squadron Annual Reunion, church service at Waterbeach Parish Church of St Johns, annual lunch and BBMF flyby took place to the delight of the 514 Squadron Association and the flyover a delight to the village which happened The Museum Trust continues to receive donations of artefacts and much ephemera during the year for which we are ever grateful from both the RAF and RE periods. The Trust is particularly looking for 39 Engineer Regiment and associated units’ photos and artefacts of their time at Waterbeach and the operations or exercises they were involved in. The Royal Engineer section of the Museum was depleted when 39 Engineer Regiment were moved to Kinloss. Trustee. Col. (Retd). David Adamson has established a useful contact with the regiment and its CO. Families of former service men and women have also given memorabilia and artefacts we have been pleased to receive items from them. However, it is apparent as former Waterbeach Service personnel have moved out of the Regiment there is not the same affinity with Waterbeach and so contact is depleting. The Chairman together with Les Moss a Volunteer have been making more space for displays in the museum and recording the artefacts. Several changes have been made to the displays. The trustees have agreed to increase the Engineers section of the museum. Grants will been sort for four new lit display cases so the RAF displays can be moved out of the area reserved for the Engineers section. Discussions had been taking place with Duxford Radio Trust (DRT) to introduce a display of a Lancaster Bomber part fuselage with the Wireless Operators position and some other WW11 directional equipment. This is working equipment including a radio with medium, long and short-wave receiver and was introduced in shortly after our opening in March 2023. Also, there is a a working Morse Code key for use by the public with certificates for successful visitors tapping out their names. The DRT are supporting the exhibit and attend the museum, when open, to talk to visitors and operate the equipment which is very much hands on for the visitors. This display is proving to be of great interest to our visitors. WMHM are hoping for a continued association with DRT to help provide and explain used by the forces based at Waterbeach. some of the electrical equipment Page 2 **Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum Trustees’ Annual Report** __________________________________________________ As yet the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and Urban&Civic (U&C), the developers of the New Town, have not issued a full lease for the Museum, but only a ‘Tenancy at Will ’on an annual basis; however, in the draft of the full lease, currently in the DIO and U&C’s hands for signing off, we have negotiated a period of ten years. For information Trustees have ensured through extensive representation that the Section 106 of the Planning Consent requires that if the Museum is ever to be asked to leave its current historic premises, then that can only happen if the Museum trustees agree that the alternative premises being proposed are at least as good and acceptable as the current building; should there be no agreement then there is a requirement for independent adjudication of that issue. Our 2024 report will show the lease is in place and registered The Trustees thank U&C for their continued support and for allowing visitors under supervision to visit the Barracks Airfield/Training Area and the Memorial Garden, although this is more difficult now works have commenced. Demolition works.to unwanted buildings on the barracks and training /airfield area are going on a pace. Infrastructure is being put in place and two builders have started work on the 6,500 dwellings. (RLWE), a development consortium, also are progressing with an application to the building (4.500 dwellings) on farm land on the outer fringes around U&C’s area. Generous support has also been had through the Friends of the Museum administered by the Trust’s Hon. Treasurer David Higgins. He notes during the period we were supported financially by a total of 50 " Friends " of the Museum. Some of our " Friends " very generously paid-up front for up to 8 years of annual payments, and our total income from the campaign for this period was £ 521.59, a very successful year again indeed. In September 2022 the Trustees organised a BBQ for Friends of the museum which proved to be a good way of keeping in touch with the museum supporters. A Memorial Bench seat was dedicated to Maj. David Hornby RE Retd. (deceased) who passed away in January 2022. Davids’s wife Linda and family were present. The Trustees would thank the professional help and support given by Lizabeth Yates, University of Cambridge Radiation’ Safety Officer and Deborah Walton, University of Cambridge Museums Regional Conservation Officer (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough) and their staff, whose advice with radioactive artefacts and other Museum matters has been invaluable. Similarly, and thanks to Sally Ackroyd, Museums Partnership Officer Cambridgeshire County Council (MIC). The Trustees record they’re thanks to Mark Clack for IT equipment and support and Anne Craig our Independent Examiner. A thank you to David Smith the Trusts Webmaster who has continued to update material as requested at www.WaterbeachMilitaryMuseum.org.uk David ‘retired’ at the begging of 2023 but will continue to support until a new web master is found ## **Insurance** ## **The Museum and Trustees have the appropriate insurances in place.** Page 3 **Waterbeach Military Heritage Trustees annual** **cont’d.** **report** ## **Trustees’ terms of office** |Peter Groves (Royal British Legion)
|2023| |---|---| |David M Adamson
|2023| |Clive Hill
(514 Sqn.)|2023| |Mike Collins|2025| |Robert Stripe|2025| |Les Moss (Secretary) (from May 2022)|2025| |Alan Ship|2024| |Adrian Wright (Chairman)|2024| |David B Higgins
(Treasurer)|2024| |Mike Barry MM (Royal Engineers Association)|2024| |Lt. Col Joe Monaghan (QM 39 Engineer Regiment)|| |to 2022 NOV Retired|| |39 Engineer Regiment Vacant|| |Parish Council Vacant|| **Signed Trustee…A J Wright ………………………………………………………** Adrian Wright (Chairman) Date: 26th October 2023 Page 4 **Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum Trustees’ Annual Report (cont’d)** **---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------** ## **Legal Status and Objects** The Charity was originally formed under a constitution dated 25 October 2012. On 10 December 2015 it converted to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. The objects of the Charity are to: To advance the education and interest of the public in the history of RAF Waterbeach Station, airfield and former Waterbeach Barracks and surrounding area in particular by the continuation, re-establishment and support of a living Museum and interpretive centre. In reviewing its activities, the Trustees have been mindful of the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. The CIO has power to do anything which is calculated to further its object[s] or is conducive or incidental to doing so. In particular, the CIO has power to: (1) borrow money and to charge the whole or any part of its property as security for the repayment of the money borrowed. The CIO must comply as appropriate with sections 124 and 125 of the Charities Act 2011, if it wishes to mortgage land; (2) buy, take on lease or in exchange, hire or otherwise acquire any property and to maintain and equip it for use; (3) sell, lease or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the property belonging to the CIO. In exercising this power, the CIO must comply as appropriate with sections 117 and 119-123 of the Charities Act 2011; (4) employ and remunerate such staff as are necessary for carrying out the work of the CIO. The CIO may employ or remunerate a charity trustee only to the extent that it is permitted to do so by clause 6 (Benefits and payments to charity trustees and connected persons) and provided it complies with the conditions of that clause; (5) deposit or invest funds, employ a professional fund-manager, and arrange for the investments or other property of the CIO to be held in the name of a nominee, in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as the trustees of a trust are permitted to do by the Trustee Act 2000. ## **Appointment of Trustees** Apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. - (a) In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO. ## **Nominated Trustees** - (a) Waterbeach Parish Council, Royal Engineers Association RAF Association - Royal British Legion – Waterbeach and Landbeach Branch - (b) Any appointment must be made at a meeting held according to the ordinary practice of the appointing body. - (c) Each appointment must be for a term of three years. Page 5 **Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum Trustees’ Annual Report (cont’d)** - **---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------** - (d) The appointment will be effective from: - (i) the date of the vacancy; and - (ii) the date on which the charity trustees or their secretary or clerk are informed of the appointment. - (e) The person appointed need not be a member of the appointing body. - (f) A trustee appointed by the appointing body has the same duty under clause 9(1) as the other charity trustees to act in the way he or she decides in good faith would be most likely to further the purposes of the CIO. ## **Review of Activities and Financial Performance** Under an agreement with the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the contents of the Museum at Waterbeach Barracks were formally handed over to Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum on its formation in October 2012 and the contents had to be taken off the Barracks site and stored. In 2012/13 the Barracks finally closed and everything shut down. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) took over the site and with their partner developer for the Barracks and airfield training area, Urban&Civic (U&C), in 2014/5 offered part of the former museum back to the Trustees with an ‘At Will Lease’ for the time being and that is still the situation today. The Trustees are pursuing a proper lease with the DIO & U&C. During the difficult year under review due to COVID-19 the charities’ income has decreased. The charities main income has been by donations from the Museum visitors, the sale of ‘At The Beach’ and ‘Sappers At The Beach’; new and second-hand books and cards. Various pin badges of 39 Engineer Regiment and its Squadrons and 514 Squadron RAF. A new stream of income has come from the Formation of a ‘Friends of the Museum’, which is proving very beneficial to the Museum. The Friends of WMHM was originally set up in 2018 with 6 paid up members, today in October 2021 we are 36 fully paid up members, sadly in the last 12 months we have lost Ron Jaffray, Friend and volunteer and more recently Ivor Smith has passed away. Income from the Friends campaign now totals £1073.00 with costs not exceeding £200.00. Many thanks to Clive Hill who by emailing application forms to his many 514 contacts, has helped to make the campaign a success. Finally we would like to give a mention to Edward Humes, our most recent, and oldest Friend aged 99, Eddie is100 years old on 01 January 2022. For those of you who don't know, Eddie was the sole survivor of Lancaster LL 639 of 514 Sqn. which was lost on an operation to Aachen on the 11 April 1944. Whilst the Museum is normally open from March to October on the first Wednesday and Sunday of those months, individuals from around the UK and the world are welcomed at other times. Several groups have managed visited the Museum. The Museum is looking towards Accreditation through the Arts council which would help attract funding and expertise. This could take up to three years to achieve. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the legislative requirements of the Charities Act 2011 as applicable to smaller charities in England and Wales. The Trustees have taken the option available to them to prepare the accounts on a receipts and payments basis because the gross income of the charity is less than £250,000. ## **Reserves Policy** The Trustees are satisfied that the level of cash funds is currently adequate to meet the objects of the Charity. **Page 6** ## **Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities** The Trustees are responsible for preparing the annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice); Law applicable to Charities in England and Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the Charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees should follow best practice and: - Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently. - Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; - Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy the financial position of the Charity and which enable them to ascertain the financial position of the charity and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, supporting regulations and the Trust Deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. **Page 7** ## **Approved by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:** **Signed Trustee ………………………………………………. Adrian Wright (Chairman) Date 26[[th]]** **Date 26[[th]] October 2023** Page 8 **Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum Statement of Assets and Liabilities Year Ended 31 March 2023** ## **1. Assets** The Museum collection, furniture equipment and fittings not belonging to U&C. Computer equipment, display screens and cabinets, camera and photo booth with lights, dehumidifier.3 Flag Poles, notice boards. Mannequins and stands COVID-19 Screens and PPE equipment Sale items of books, cards, pin badges and miscellaneous other items. ## **Liabilities** There are no liabilities. ## **Notes to the Financial Statements** ## **1 Accounting Policies** The financial statements have been prepared under Section 42(3) of the Charities Act 2011 and the Statement of Recommended Practice on “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” issued March 2005. Particular accounting policies adopted by the Trustees are described below. ## **Income and Expenditure** Income and expenditure are accounted for on a receipts and payments basis. ## **2 Trustees’ Remuneration** None of the Trustees received remuneration or expenses during the current or previous period, only reimbursement for Museum purchases. ## **3 Restricted funds** There are no restricted funds at this time. Page.. 9