Trustees' Annual Report for the period
Period start date Period end date 01 06 2020 31 05 2021
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Section A Reference and administration details
Charity name Warrington Museum of Freemasonry Other names charity is known by 1165077 Registered charity number (if any) HMRC Ref: EW57308; Accreditation No 2387 Charity's principal address Winmarleigh House, Winmarleigh Street, Warrington,
Postcode: WA1 1NB
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
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Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole **year ** |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BarryJameson | Chair | |||
| Bob Timmis | Secretary | |||
| Jim Cartledge | Treasurer | |||
| Mike Williams | Member Trustee | |||
| John McIntyre | Member Trustee | |||
| Vic Charlesworth | Curator | |||
| Caroline Crook | Archivist, non-Mason | |||
Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
Name Dates acted if not for whole year
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Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
| Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) |
|---|---|---|
| Type of adviser Name Address |
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| Mentor | Michelle Hill | Curator, Museums and Galleries Operations and Neighbourhoods, Tameside Museums & Galleries Portland Basin Museum 1, Portland Place Ashton-under-Lyne OL7 0QA |
| Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information) | ||
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Constitution Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) ) Trust How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company) Appointed by Board who would advertise the post Trustee selection methods (eg. appointed by, elected by)
Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) ) How the charity is constituted
- (eg. trust, association, company)
(eg. appointed by, elected by)
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:
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policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
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the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
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relationship with any related parties;
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trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
The Warrington Museum of Freemasonry (“the museum”) was established under a Charitable Incorporated Constitution in June 2014, the board of trustees, having been formed in February 2014. The museum has:
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➢ Obtained charitable status in January 2016.
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➢ Registered as a Charity with HMRC to utilise Gift Aid benefit on donations – Registration confirmed September 2016, effective from July 2015
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➢ Obtained Full Accreditation under the Arts Council England September 2018 No2387
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It is also a member of the Masonic Museums and Libraries Group, the Association of Independent Museums, Museums Cheshire and works closely with Museums Development North West. It also has close links with the Warrington Museum and Art Gallery and another independent museum in Warrington.
The museum operates from Winmarleigh Street, Warrington which is the meeting place for the Warrington Masonic Group. Its activities are supported by the Group, which has a membership of around 300 Freemasons. The Hall is run by the Warrington Masonic Hall Company Limited, which has its own board of directors. The individual Lodges meeting at Warrington are the Halls shareholders.
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The Group and the Hall Company Limited have supported the development of the museum and both have representatives on the board of trustees.
John McIntyre is the Warrington Masonic Group Secretary and Mike Williams is a director of the Hall Company Limited.
The trustees have also entered into a formal Mentoring agreement with a museum professional who is now the Curator, Museums & Art Galleries, Tameside.
Section C Objectives and activities
The trustees updated their Forward Plan for the period 2021 - 24, in May 2021 and this will be reviewed by the board in August 2021. The museum has been closed since March 2020, as the masonic hall has also been substantially closed since that date. The key priorities have been stripped back to reflect the task and the trustees intent to get the museum back to business by the end of September 2021 as part of a “Project Restart”. This is to ensure that the museum’s sound organisation and structure is maintained as a platform for its future development. This is consistent with the museum’s original objectives, contained in its governing document:
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
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➢ to underpin the museum’s future by the development of succession plans as part of the Accreditation process
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➢ to review its policies and plans, updating these to reflect the current practice and ay related changes
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➢ to continue to promote the museum as an integral part of the Warrington Cultural scene with a special focus on the Warrington Masonic Group and its place in the local community
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➢ To continue to collect and preserve records, ephemera, and artefacts from Masonic and associated fraternal societies
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➢ To support the funding requirements of the museum, by progressively growing and broadening the Friends of the Museum base, utilising Gift Aid relief to enhance their annual donations
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These have been expanded into 5 Aims which form part of the Forward Plan and are in turn, supported by 5 Organisational Objectives.
The museum is in Warrington’s Cultural Quarter where two other museums are located, including a similar independent, volunteer run museum. It has close links with these and additionally participates in events organised by Museums Development North West. The museum is open to the public and hosts visits from organised groups such as historical societies, U3A and other non-Masonic organisations. Each September the museum is part of a planned Heritage event, which generally involves 11 town centre venues. It is additionally planning a Summary of the main high-profile event for May 2022 as part of its Project Restart, which will activities undertaken for the run until September 2022. public benefit in relation to these objects (include within This report is based on the template from the Commissions website. The this section the statutory trustees have all signed the Eligibility form using the Charity declaration that trustees have Commissions template and are directed to its website in their trustee had regard to the guidance agreement and receive copies of the commission’s quarterly review. issued by the Charity Commission on public The period from the date of this report (July 2021) will be one of benefit) considerable challenge for the trustees. The museum needs to be reopened and brought back to its normal operating standard. There also needs to be managed change in some of the key positions on the trustee board. The pandemic has arrested any meaningful progress on this important item and for the immediate term, it remains the focus of considerable attention. Similarly, a project to develop the footprint of the museum has eliminated most of the suggested options with one exception. This will also need to be progressed as part of the short-term actions intended to re-establish the museum to full operational viability.
Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
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The museum is run by the trustees; none of whom is paid for their services.
The trustees have a broad range of financial, educational, management, trusteeship, and practical capability.
You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:
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policy on grantmaking;
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policy programme related investment;
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contribution made by volunteers.
They or also supported by a small group of volunteers covering web development, electrical work, decorating, photographing exhibits, labelling, and identifying, cleaning, woodworking, photographic cataloguing, and general maintenance.
A website has been developed for the museum and this will also require attention as the museum gets back to business.
As part of its further development intentions, the museum worked with a feasibility group, to consider the potential to increase its footprint in the Warrington Masonic Hall. The options under consideration have been effectively narrowed down or dismissed on grounds of cost / benefit. One remains and is under active consideration.
Section D Achievements and performance
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Section D Achievements and erformance p The museum and the trustees continue to benefit from its accreditation Summary of the main by ACE. A process of learning by doing it” has improved the trustees’ achievements of the charity knowledge and ability in most areas of the museum. The result is a during the year stronger capability around the trustee board and a sharper perspective on the next stages of the museum’s development. Achievements and performance for the past year are of a somewhat academic nature, given the Covid-19 constraints. Up to that point the following, highlighted in the 2020 Trustees Report were integral parts of the museum’s direction of travel and development. Relationship with the Lady Lever exhibition, which in turn is part of the Liverpool museums organisation, with several valuable artefacts on regular display in the museum. The internationally famous Masonic Library and Museum at Great Queen Street also released over 30 items under long term loan arrangements for display outside London. Securing accreditation assisted considerably in this development. The museum provided a secure home for many valuable items held previously in the Leyland Masonic Hall, which had been sold for development. There appears to be a considerable opportunity to acquire items for display either on loan or directly hence the pressure on the physical size of the museum. The Friends of the Museum support group has reduced slightly and opportunity to further develop this important group has been limited. It now numbers around 50. The museum’s Friends evening unfortunately had to be cancelled for February 2021 but should return in February 2022. New acquisitions for the museum include several items released by the Masonic Museum at Great Queen Street, illustrating a tangible benefit of the museum’s accredited status. The trustees are justly proud of their achievements in taking the museum to its accredited status. They now face the challenge of getting the museum back to full operating status as a prerequisite to working on the key objectives identified in the Forward plan. The earliest realistic date for any footfall through the building is September and that of course is subject to no further changes in national or local guidelines for multi-purpose community buildings. For the museum any meaningful visitors will not be seen until the beginning of 2022.
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Section E Financial review
The trustees operate with a cash reserve since it does not hold any Brief statement of the others, and this is reflected in its closing bank balance. It operates on an charity’s policy on reserves income and expenditure basis and does not have any accruals or prepayments.
This cash balance has been built up with the specific intent of application for the museum’s further development. The project to increase the footprint of the museum would need the some of the current cash reserve and some major equipment needs have also been identified. Details of any funds materially none in deficit Further financial review details (Optional information)
Total Income in the year was £4,181 and included the benefit of £2,470 You may choose to include from the museum’s successful plant sales initiative. £850 plus £132 was additional information, where received from the Friends group, £500 grant for art work relating to the relevant about: 2022 heritage project, £170 of other donations, and £38 of regalia sales • the charity’s principal provided the main elements of a total income. sources of funds (including any fundraising); Expenditure in the year more directly reflected the lack of activity, at • how expenditure has £1,992. The cost of bedding plants was £1,646 and was the main item of expense, with £338 of subscriptions and £8 of incidentals supported the key objectives of the charity;
In an unusual year, the result was a surplus of £2,189.
- investment policy and objectives including any The closing cash and bank balance was £6,564, so a heathy situation in ethical investment policy an uncertain world. It underpins the trustees’ position that the museum is adopted. well established and viable.
Section F Other optional information
The Museum is fortunate in the support it receives from the Warrington Masonic Group and the Warrington Masonic Hall Company Limited. Both have entered long term commitments for occupancy of the space the Museum has in the Hall.
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Barry Jameson
Full name(s) Barry Jameson Position (eg Secretary, Chair, Chair of Trustees etc) Date 27/05/2021
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