Report of the Trustees of Minehead Museum for the year ended 30th November 2023
Introduction
Minehead Museum is a registered charity (Charitable Incorporated Organisation or CIO, Registration number 1169355).
2023 Was another successful season with visitor figures and door donations up by 10%. Although this was still short of pre-pandemic levels, the trustees consider this a very impressive achievement given the economic issues which have affected our immediate neighbours. The West Somerset Railway no longer running trains on a Friday and the Tourist Information Centre adjoining the museum being forced to close on most Thursdays and Fridays this year being unable to meet staff costs. This severely impacted on the number of visitors in the vicinity of the museum and reduced the number of impulse visitors.
The Premises Appeal continues to gather support including a sizeable individual donation and a grant from Minehead Town Council. The lack of a suitable site has slowed the proposed move to larger premises.
Reference & Administration Information
Charity Name: Minehead Museum Charity Registration Number: 1169355
Operational Address: Minehead Museum, Beach Hotel Complex, The Avenue, Minehead, Somerset TA24 5AP Registered Office; 12 Dene Gardens, Minehead, Somerset TA24 6BU
Trustees
Mr Julian Luke (Chair) Mrs Janet Styles (Vice-Chair) Miss Caroline Giddens Mrs Heather Yendole Mr Timothy Hedgecock
Bankers - Nat West Bank PLC, The Parade, Minehead, Somerset TA24 5NL
Independent Examiner: Mrs J. Armin, Mews End Cottage, Quay Lane, Mineheaed, Somerset TA24 5QU
Management
The trustees are appointed for three years and are eligible for reappointment. The trustees are responsible for the recruitment of any new trustees, having regard to the skills, knowledge and experience required for the effective management of the CIO. The trustees remain actively involved in the running of the museum with dayto-day management delegated to a management committee which also contains trustees.
Our Aims and Objectives
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To establish, maintain and enhance a museum to promote the history of Minehead, Alcombe and surrounding area for the benefit of the public.
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To increase public awareness , appreciation and understanding of Minehead’s historic, cultural and natural heritage through the acquisition, preservation, interpretation and display of a unique collection of items that are particularly relevant to the area.
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To extend, conserve and maintain the items in the museum’s collection.
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To encourage and promote research and educational use of the museum’s collection for the benefit if all sectors of the public.
Review of 2022/23
The season saw an encouraging increase in volunteers and visitors. Full opening hours were maintained throughout the season. This required extra volunteer hours as we needed to move to double staffing on the days when the Tourist Information Centre was closed (most Thursdays and Fridays for the year) but were rewarded by a final visitor total of 9967. Class visits and talks continued and two charity quizzes attracted full houses on both evenings, raising over £800 towards the Premises Appeal.
The museum remains an active participant in the regional Museums in Somerset Group with the Chair of Trustees continuing to serve on the organising committee. The museum has also engaged with the local u3a on a Shared Learning Project to support the 2024 displays.
The museum has been instrumental in highlighting the threat to the Seventeenth Century cannons, removed from the harbour wall in October 2023 and with getting South West Heritage Trust and Historic England involved in discussion with Somerset Council over the future of these guns.
The search for new premises continues with our original target no longer on the market. New properties are reviewed on a regular basis as to their suitability in terms of size, location and sustainability.
Finance
The trustees remain committed to free entry to the museum, to make sure the displays are accessible to all. Visitor numbers and door donations were encouraging and it is hoped that visitor numbers will return to pre-pandemic levels in the coming year.
The Premises Appeal continues to grow and to maximise the return funds have been transferred to a deposit account until suitable premises can be secured. Donations and grants received so far are in excess of £121,000 and there are additional pledges that will be claimable once we have reached our target. Fundraising continues through quizzes, book sales and grants. The challenge remains to find a suitable sustainable long term home for the collection. In the meantime we remain deeply indebted to the generosity of the YMCA (Owners of the Beach Hotel) for providing our existing premises at a peppercorn rent. This has underpinned the security and growth of the museum and we are grateful that this will continue in 2024.
We continue to hope that the potential for the museum to be a major asset to the town is finally recognised. Helping with economic regeneration of the town centre,
as an attraction for heritage tourism, reinforcing a sense of community and community involvement in volunteering and will continue to be of educational value to local schools and groups.
Julian Luke, Chair of Trustees
22.1.24
CHARITY COMMISSION F012 ENGLAND AND WALES Receipts and payments accounts CC16a Fty IhE PVK 01I12r2022 11r3)23 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted fuThJs Restricted EndtswmÈRt fvnd$ Total funds Last year A1 Recelpts GT3n15 11.870 7,051 2,118 t.675 143 Friends SubsCrirlKS& f[IK 51237 $3,1¢M 1418 IA7Z 164 1418 BwkSa & Commis Tdlks 101 QUeS & R Other FUnd[8r¥3 GrfiAd 171x1 Bank Interest ross incom8 AR) 7.1 70.105 2S,847 A2 Asset and Investment sales, (see tstAel. to 7.195 70.1ts3 25,847 Art8facts& A[chiryI $8[¥t Cthrts 8tc 214 Rep3irs Publitrty ComputEr Printing PUblt 314 110 71 514 1.007 314 413 $07 Volunieer 113 VolunteerTraining IrPSeel Examitsatr PPE eic Refreshtnenis RODM Hire & cnir Sub total 7,102 A4 Asset and investsnont urchases, see talt Sub total 787 1.794 7,102 Net ofreeelptrfpaymj 61.11 SY,5 1&74 A6 Cash funds kst year end Cash funds thls year end 19.728 26,136 53.391 11¢, 73.119 140.641 54.374 73.119
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unre5triGted 1$ RÈstrfficted funds Endowment funds to ne&rest£ Categorles B1 Cash lunds 6,136 111255 Total cash funds 26.1 114.gJ5 funds IODe4¥Èst£ Dets115 toYxest£ B2 Other monetary assets Signed by one 1tte*sOn behalf of au thetru5t Date of approY41
MINEHEAD MUSEUM Ind ndent Examination s document Daily bookkeeping has been undertaken by the named Treasurer Mr Tim Hedgecock reporting to the Managing Trustees of Minehead Museum. Monthly meetings of the Tnlstees have resumed in this year. The Annual General Meeting is due to tske place on 22. January 2024. inde ndent examination has indicated that." The Museun]'s accounts are recorded on a spreadsheeL with a delailed analysis of expenditure. Multiple pages of the spreadsheet are linked to PTovide an ongoing record of balances and to nmke entries into the Charity Commission CC16 forni. There is evidence that the c&sh Ix)ok is kept up to date and has been correctly reconciled to the bank statements. Payments are made by Debit Card or online. Receipts for payments made using the Debit Card. held by the Chair of the Trustees. are passed to the Treasurer. Likewise, reimbursements made to volunteers for expenses incurred on behalf of the Museum are accompanied by evidence of costs incurred. Paymenls made tslly with invoices and with bank statement entries. Vlhere applicable. VAT has been correctly calculated on invoices received. All the receipts and payments undertaken by the Museum have been prop¢rly recorded in the accounting records. Museum income is from membership. donations {and subsequent Gift Aid claims), sales of books and other items. Cash received at th¢ d(x)r or for book sales has Ixen banked at intervals. Other receipts bave been by bank transfers. A Sum Up payment machine is in use, with the percentsge fee shown as expenditure on the accounts. Funding has also been obtained through charitable grants. The grants. and some of the donation4 aTe restrllcted. A bequest for £50.000 w&$ received in OCtOr. Money restricted foT specÉfic purposes h&s been used for those purwses &s indicated on the Schedule of Grants and Specific Donations, with a balance of £114.505 held for ongoing projects. including the fund for new premises. Income during the year has exceeded expenditure by over £67.000, enabling £131,000 to be transferred to a 35 day Liquidity Account. Gift Aid has been claimed and recorded throughout the year, with £696.03 recekved April 2023. The draft Trustees. Annual Rew)rt 2023 was n]ade available, which summarised the present level of activity and future aspirdtions regarding new premises and ongoing projects. The Managing Trustees appear to have lfilled their responsibilities in accordance with their aims stated in the Annual Report. A statement of the finaD¢ial balance 15 now available at each Trustee meeting. The insurance policy PrniUM had been paid in March 2023 and the policy document was available for reference. The Trustees should carry out an annual review of th¢ charity's internal fllWAcial controls at the Annual General Meeting. Report issued: 3 January 2024 Completed by .../.... ..........