Mountsorrel Museum and Heritage Trust
Report of Trustees for 2025
1. Objectives and aims
Mountsorrel Museum and Heritage Trust ("Mountsorrel Heritage Group" or “MHG”) has referred to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit when reviewing its aims and objectives and in planning its future activities. In particular, the Trustees have considered how MHG's activities have and will continue to deliver the aims and objectives they have set. The objectives and aims of MHG are as follows:
“To advance the education of the public by the establishment and maintenance of a museum and educational facility for items of historical and archaeological interest, archives, photographs, flora and fauna and arts and crafts especially those relating to the village of Mountsorrel and the surrounding area”.
The trustees are satisfied that MHG's aim and objectives continue to be met; the provision of a museum facility, the continuing development of an archive of local materials to support local history studies have been promoted and maintained, as has work in the further development of the Navins Wildflower Meadow and general support of other wildlife related initiatives within the village.
The results of research have been disseminated widely through open access to the Museum and Archive, talks and publications. The use of the website and social media has led to a wider engagement locally and even internationally.
2. Risk management statement
The Group is a very small charity with gross income well below the statutory audit threshold (£1,000,000) but does recognise the encouragement by the Charities Commission to make a Risk Management Statement as a matter of good practice.
We have no staff, pay no remuneration, and do not require a suite of employment policies. Our investment policy is set out in our reserves policy, below. Rules concerning payments to trustees or connected persons, and rules concerning conflicts of interest, are set out in paragraphs six and seven of our Constitution, respectively.
We do not work with children or vulnerable adults; we are not providing social services or support to any identified group at risk, although we may come into contact with them. The Group has a suite of policies and a code of conduct for volunteers which are reviewed annually and together with a copy of our Constitution, are available for inspection at the Museum.
3. Achievement and Performance
3.1 Talks Series
The Group holds a series of Talks at Mountsorrel Memorial Centre with a minimal admission fee for both Members and members of the public to cover room hire and speaker costs. Charges for Members are discounted. Attendance at talks averaged out at 41 per meeting.
Talks series from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025:
14[th] January 2025 – Abolition of Slavery.
11[th] February 2025 – Lost Windmills of Leicestershire
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11[th] March 2025 – Florence Nightingale
8[th] April 2025 – Allied Airpower in Support of D Day.
20[th] May 2025 – Lady Jane Grey’s House
10[th] June 2025 – Noel Wakeling Memorial Talk – Mountsorrel Slide Show
9[th] September 2025 – Jarrow Crusade
14[th] October 2025 – Mindblowing Facts about the Universe we live in
11[th] November 2025 – Mountsorrel Castle and it’s place in history
9[th] December 2025 – Members’ Quiz Night & Social
3.2 Museum Exhibitions and Other Displays
Following on from our “Blast from the Past” quarrying history exhibition that closed at the end of 2024 we have held a series of smaller displays looking at various aspects of the village history. Alongside our own displays we have hosted displays by the Charnwood Forest Geopark Project looking at the geology of the area, and in particular, that of our own village area. This latter display was followed by a display of local tiles which linked to a loan of floor and roof tile fragments from Mountsorrel Castle loaned by the County Museum Service.
Throughout the period we have been preparing a new series of displays which will be installed during the Christmas 2025/New Year 2026 period ready for re-opening around the end of January 2026.
The Group has also supported commemorative events in village by the production of short-term single subject displays used in the village library and in the Mountsorrel Memorial Centre.
| Visitor numbers 2025 | Visitor numbers 2025 | Visitor numbers 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Month | Visitors | Opening Sessions |
| January | 26 | 11 |
| February | 28 | 12 |
| March | 14 | 13 |
| April | 15 | 10 |
| May | 27 | 12 |
| June | 22 | 13 |
| July | 26 | 13 |
| August | 67 | 15 |
| September | 22 | 13 |
| October | 27 | 14 |
| November | 23 | 13 |
| December | 12 | 6 |
| Totals | 309 | 142 |
Museum opening sessions are dependent upon volunteer availability with a minimum of two present but often with three. Regular opening sessions are advertised and are routinely scheduled as; Thursdays and Fridays 2pm – 4pm and Saturdays 09:30am – noon. On request and subject to volunteer availability we will also open at other hours.
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3.3 Publications
An illustrated Newsletter is published monthly and emailed to the Membership together with other interested parties. For those members who are not IT users a printed copy is provided.
Whilst no new publications have been produced in this period, sales of our previous publications relating to the village in WW1 and Quarrying continue to be purchased by visitors.
We have regularly provided articles and news items to local publications, notably Village Life and Mountsorrel Post. These articles provide a successful engagement opportunity with the wider community in the Charnwood area.
3.4 Website and Social Media
The Group website is widely accessed and generates questions on a wide range of subjects including, understandably, many family history research queries. Website usage numbers for 2025 were 4,700 visitors and 9,500 views. We continue to restructure and update the site however, as we are reliant upon internal resources, progress is slow.
Our social media presence is limited to a Facebook page which in addition to Group News, updates details of upcoming talks etc is used for a “Fortnightly Photo” article. This has proved particularly popular both locally and with many followers who have Mountsorrel roots but are now spread across the globe. Followers and general readership of our postings vary in numbers very much depending on the subject matter with the average about 1000 but that in one case hit 2700. It is particularly pleasing to see these postings generate on-line discussions amongst members and the general public that add information not previously recorded and, in some instances, furnish photographic and other artefacts to add to the Collections and Archive.
In addition, the Museum is marked on GoogleMaps with regularly updated information regarding opening hours.
3.5 Other Engagement
The Group has supported the history curriculum of our village Primary School in the provision of archival material for lesson content. Additionally, we arranged and part hosted a site visit for pupils to St Peter’s Church, the oldest extant building in the village.
Through winter 2025/6 we mounted a display at Charnwood Museum, Loughborough, utilising their Community Showcase facility which resulted in a variety of contacts, enquiries and visitors to our Mountsorrel facility.
4. Membership
There were the usual small fluctuations in memberships over the year following new memberships, members leaving (resigned, deceased or simply departed the village) with 44 members at the year end.
5. Committee
The Trustees fill the roles of Officers of the Group and form, with a Co-opted Member the Management Committee. Details are set out below.
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6. Financial position – Balance Sheet 01 01 2025 – 31 12 2025
NB: A signed copy of the balance sheet is available for inspection at the AGM.
7. Reserves policy
The trustees have reviewed the need for a formal reserves policy for the charity but in the light of present known current or future likely financial requirements feel this is not currently necessary.
8. Future Plans
The intention of the Trustees is to continue to deliver the aims and objectives of the Society through encouraging the active interest in all aspects of the heritage of Mountsorrel by:
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Further developing the Museum facility sited at Mountsorrel Library,
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Further developing the Village Archive, consisting of photographic, textual and historic artefacts relative to the village.
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Carrying out Archaeological Test Pit Digs on an opportunity basis and making the results known both to Members and the general public,
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Maintaining Membership engagement through provision of Newsletters, encouraging their recording of village history, events and personalities and valuing their input
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Engaging with the public on village heritage matters using social media and our website,
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Providing single subject information displays on an opportunity basis,
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Continuing our well-established programme of talks,
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Maintaining the Navins Wildflower Meadow and enhancement work in the Peace Garden,
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Providing village related family history support to enquirers within our capacity,
9. Structure, Governance and Management
9.1 Governing document
The Society is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation ("CIO") operating under a Constitution dated 5[th] September 2017.
9.2 Organisational structure
The Management Committee (the "Committee") comprises not less than seven and not more than nine persons and consist of the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer of the Society and other committee members as appointed at the Annual General Meeting.
All members of the Committee are Trustees, three of whom retire on a rolling basis with effect from the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting but are eligible for re-election at that meeting. In addition to the Trustee members, we co-opt members willing to assist in the running of the Trust.
The Committee meets on a regular basis and is responsible for the overall policy of the charity, and matters relating to finance and the delivery of the charitable objects.
10. Reference and Administrative Details
10.1 Registered Charity number
1174559
10.2 Principal address
C/o Mountsorrel Library, Church House, The Green, Mountsorrel, LE12 7AF
10.3 Trustees and Management Committee
Chairman: John Doyle
Secretary: Chris Lyon
Treasurer: Pat Neal
Trustee: Linda Tyman
Trustee: Mary Geary
Trustee: Trish Stones
Trustee: Eric Makin
Trustee: Keith Foster
Trustee: Craig Boon
Co-opted Member: Leanne Boon
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