## _**THAME MUSEUM TRUST**_
## _**TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT AND STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS For year ending 31 March 2025**_
1
## **TABLE OF CONTENTS**
|**Reference and Administrative Details**|**Page 3**|
|---|---|
|**Chair of Trustees Report**|**Page 4**|
|**Structure, Governance and Management**|**Page 6**|
|**Objectives and Activities**|**Page 7**|
|**Visitor Attendance Figures**|**Page 7**|
|**Trustees**|**Page 8**|
|**Financial Review**|**Page 10**|
|**Annual Accounts**|**Page 11**|
|**Minutes of AGM of Thame Museum Trust (25 June 2022)**|**Page 21**|
|**Declaration**|**Page 23**|
2
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
Charity Commission Registered Charity 1174795
An Arts Council Accredited Museum
## **Museum Address**
79 High Street, Thame OX9 3AE
## **Trustees**
Mr Adrian Dite Chair of Trustees Mr Michael Parsons Treasurer Miss Petrova Caldecourt Mr Michael L Dyer Mrs Lisa Stevens Dr Trevor Watkins Mrs Lindsey Weimers Mr Philip Williams
Town Council Nominees
Councillor Paul Cowell Councillor Linda Emery
Thame Historical Society Nominees
Mr Maurice Kirtland Mr Paul Earley Resigned 3 December 2024 Mr Philip Glover Appointed 3 December 2024
## **Secretary**
Mr David McBrien
## **Accounts Independent Examiner**
Mrs Ann Green, 32 Holliers Close, Thame OX9 2EN
## **Bankers**
Barclays Bank PLC, 1 Churchill Place, London E14 5HP
## **Insurers**
Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc, Benefact House, 2000 Pioneer Avenue, Gloucester Business Park, Brockworth, Gloucester GL3 4AW
3
## **ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND INDEPENDENTLY EXAMINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2025**
The Trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ending 31 March 2025. The Trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) ’Accounting and Reporting by Charities’ issued in March 2015.
## **CHAIR OF TRUSTEES REPORT**
This year I have structured my report to reflect the way in which the Museum teams operate, i.e., “Activities”, “Collections” and “Enabling”.
However, I will start this report with a heartfelt thanks to all our volunteers.
As a totally volunteer-run organisation, all that happens only happens because a volunteer makes it happen. The success of the museum is only possible due to the dedication of the teams either front of house opening up and greeting our visitors, or the working groups pulling the exhibitions together, and looking after the collection. Also, those running the daily life of the museum make invaluable contributions. On behalf of the Trustees, I offer a sincere “Thank You” to every one of you.
## Activities
The Museum has had another startling year with many wonderful highlights and I’ll start with a mention of the Robin Gibb weekend which was fantastically supported. It was a truly international event. As well as many visitors coming to the Museum there was a series of events over three days which included a music and verse evening in St. Mary's Church and a special viewing of the “Saturday Night Fever” film at The Thame Players theatre, all of which added up to very enjoyable weekend. Many thanks to Dwina Gibb, a wonderful patron to the Museum, for both taking part and supporting the weekend.
We had a strong programme of short term exhibitions this year including:
- The town’s emergency services, including a very well supported visit from the fire station crew who brought along a fire engine;
- Active Thame exhibition, which was supported by nearly all of the sports clubs in the area;
- The history of Rycote Park, and talk by the current owner, Sara Taylor;
- The life of Johnny Smythe, together with a talk from his son, Eddie. The exhibition items have now become part of the main permanent exhibition in the main gallery thanks to Eddie’s generous donation of artefacts, in addition to some financial support; and
- I’m glad to say that the Museum was able to support the Thame History Fair again this year, which was a very well attended event in the Town Hall.
We continue our work with local schools, hosting talks and activities with the primary schools. We continue to be involved with Lord Williams’ secondary school, hosting their annual art show, the year 7 “community engagement week”, offering work experience, as well as the ongoing support of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme.
4
We are also allowing third party groups to use our museum as a community hub, which not only ensures the community uses the spaces but also brings in valuable income.
## Collections
We continue to follow our Forward Plan, and with storage space an ever present issue, we have an ongoing programme to review our collection, appraising what we currently hold, and the de-accessioning of items which do not help us tell “The Story of Thame”.
We are also looking at the best way to display our collection items, including the layout of the main gallery.
We have launched a sponsorship programme with local businesses to support the costs of new display boards and have had support from the South East Museum Development Team in the creation of a new style guide to be used for future exhibitions.
## Enabling
The Museum has been able to invest in a few areas:
- Installing a new and more modern sales system for in-house and online sales;
- Introducing a new website, which has attracted many more hits; and
- Adding an electronic donation station to take card donations.
All these have been well received and with the new till providing dynamic stock control we are able to deliver a better on-line shop service internationally.
We received a significant donation again this year from the Midsomer Murder Tour group. This is an independent team who take visitors to the town on a guided tour of film locations used in the TV programme. The tour ends in the Museum (a film location in its own right) and we are always pleased to see them.
After many attempts, the leaks from the roof have been fixed! Now that rain water egress has been stopped, we can work with the Town Council (who own the building) to address the internal damage done.
We have also initiated a process to review and change our constitution to a more widely used and modern offering.
I end where I started with the volunteers that make this a true community museum. We finished the year with around 75 volunteers, 14 of whom had joined us in the last six months, hence bucking the trend of a declining volunteer team being suffered by many similar charities across the country. This has been achieved by organising very focused recruitment events. We have also directly recruited Trustees for the first time this year to fill some skills gap within our Trustee group.
To conclude, I believe, the actions we have taken together with our agreed Forward Plan, will improve our visitor experience and support of the wider community. The Trustees are looking forward to next year with the Museum already having an exciting programme in place.
It's been a fantastic year, and I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of the Museum team and having the honour to be chair of the Trustees.
5
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
## **Governing Document**
The charity was established by constitution signed on 06 February 2004 as a Charitable Unincorporated Association and is governed under its Constitution that delineates the objects and powers of the Charitable Trust. The Charitable Trust was registered with the Charity Commission number 1125432. It has now been dissolved and was removed from the Charity Commission register in July 2019.
On 22 September 2017 a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) was registered with the Charity Commission number 1174795 in the name of Thame Museum Trust. The Objects and Aims of the CIO are identical with the Objects and Aims of the previous charity. The CIO took overall responsibility for the Trust from 01 April 2018.
The financial statements are prepared in accordance with the Trust’s constitution and the Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP FRS102).
## **Reserves Policy and Risk Management**
The Trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error. The Trustees reviewed its financial controls on 12 February 2025.
The Trustees have approved holding reserves which equate roughly to 1.5 years overheads, being £15,000, to guard against unexpected costs.
The Trust leases a building for the purposes of running the Museum. This is held on a 25year lease from Thame Town Council at the rate of £1 per annum.
The Trust does not have access to any overdraft or loan facility.
## **Arts Council Accreditation**
In 2007 the Trustees were pleased to announce that the Museum was the first museum of its style to directly achieve the Accreditation Standard set for Museums. The Museum’s Arts Council accreditation was renewed in 2013 and again in 2017; a reapplication for accreditation is being planned for 2026/2027.
## **Operating Group**
The day to day running of the Museum has been delegated by the Trustees to an Operating Group which is constituted as:
- Chair, Secretary and Treasurer;
- Members representing the functions of the Museum:
- Activities Team, incorporating activities relating to Exhibitions and Events, Children and Families, and Publicity and Marketing
- Collections Team
- Enabling Team, incorporating support for Volunteers, Finance, IT and the Building
6
This Operations Group and its supporting structure facilitates the natural collaborative style of team working within the Museum.
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
## **Objectives and Aims**
The principal object of the Trust is:
_To advance education by the establishment and maintenance of a museum in local history and in particular, but not exclusively, to Thame and the surrounding area._
In planning our activities, we have kept in mind the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
The primary public benefits to the community are:
- Operation of a local history Museum which collects and conserves artefacts relating to life in the Thame area in accordance with the Collections Policy;
- Providing a facility for members of the public to carry out local history research;
- Holding regular public talks with a historical theme and temporary exhibitions and displays on historical and artistic themes; and
- Collaborative working with local children’s groups, local businesses and schools to improve access to the Museum and its collections and enhance its operations.
## **VISITOR ATTENDANCE FIGURES**
Visitor attendance for the past five years is:
|Year|2024/25|2023/24|2022/23|2021/22|2020/21|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Total visitors|5,486|5,850|6,782|2,530|492|
|Days open|189|185|178|*104|*28|
|Average visitors per
open day|29|32|38|24|18|
* During the year we opened when it was legal to do so within relevant covid regulations, and when there were sufficient Volunteers available to ensure public safety. We were pleased to note that the average visitor numbers were largely maintained during this unprecedented period.
7
## **TRUSTEES**
As requested at the 2018 AGM, members asked for the Annual Report to include the length of the current term served by each Trustee.
|AGM|Jun-22|Jun-22|Jun-22|Jun-23|Jun-23|Jun-23||Jul-24|Jul-24|Jun-25|Jun-25|Jun-25|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Trustee|Stood down|Elected
|Complete
years|Stood down|Elected
|Complete
years|Stood down|Elected
|Complete
years|Stood down|Elected
|Complete
years|
|**Petrova Caldecourt**
Co-opted Dec-23|||||||√|√||||1|
|**Adrian Dite**
First elected Jun-17|||1|||2|√|√|3|||1|
|**Michael Dyer**
First elected Jun-17|||2|√|√|0|||1|||2|
|**Michael Parsons**
Co-opted Feb-24|||||||√|√||||1|
|**Lisa Stevens**
Co-opted Dec-23|||||||√|√||||1|
|**Trevor Watkins**
Co-opted Dec-23|||||||√|√||||1|
|**Lindsey Weimers**
First elected Jul-23|||||√|0|||1|||2|
|**Philip Williams**
First elected Jun-16|||1|||2|√|√|3|||1|
|**Paul Cowell**(Thame Town
Council)
First elected Jun-19|||3|||4|||5|||6|
|**Linda Emery**(Thame Town
Council)
First elected Jun-17|||5|||6|||7|||8|
|**Philip Glover**(Historical
Society)
First elected Dec-24||||||||||||0.5|
|**Maurice Kirtland**(Historical
Society)
First elected Jun-17|||4|||5|||6|||7|
As per the Trust’s Constitution one-third of the elected Trustees shall retire from office, retiring by rotation based on those who have been longest in office since their last appointment or reappointment. At this time, Michael Dyer and Lindsey Weimers retire for this reason. Both are seeking re-election at the 2025 AGM.
8
The Chairman and Trustees would like to take this opportunity to thank Paul Earley for his excellent support and contributions to the Museum over the last number of years as a Trustee, and looks forward to continue to work with Paul as a highly valued member of the Volunteer team.
## **ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES**
Adrian Dite
Mr A Dite, Chair of Trustees Dated: 7 June 2025
9
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2025**
The Trustees acknowledge their responsibility for preparation of financial statements and consider that under Section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) a formal audit is not required and that an independent examination is required for the year ending 31 March 2025.
The financial statements were examined and approved by the Board of Trustees on 30 April 2025 and signed on behalf of the Trustees by: Adrian Dite
## **INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTS EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THAME**
## **MUSEUM TRUST**
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Thame Museum Trust (the Trust) for the year ending 31 March 2025.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity’s Trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which give me cause to believe that, in any material respect:
- the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
- the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
- the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed: Ann Green _(original on file)_
Name: Mrs Ann Green
Relevant professional qualification or membership of professional bodies: ACA
Address: 32 Holliers Close, Thame OX9 2EN
Date: 12 May 2025
10
## **ANNUAL ACCOUNTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2025**
## **THAME MUSEUM TRUST**
## **CHARITY NO: 1174795**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
|**Notes**
**Incoming resources**
3
Donations
Grants
4
Fundraising
Membership
Talks, room hire &
other income
**Total**
**Resources expended**
5
Cost of raising funds
Building expenses
Office expenses
**Total**
**Net income /**
**(expenditure)**
Transfers between
funds
**Net movement in funds**
**Reconciliation of funds**
Total funds brought
forward
**Total funds carried**
**forward**|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Income**
**Funds**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Prior**
**Year**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|---|---|
||5,226
-
5,226
5,379
-
-
-
5,654
12,578
-
12,578
17,615
1,687
-
1,687
1,864
2,244
-
2,244
214|
||**21.735**
**-**
**21.735**
**30.726**|
||13,655
-
13,655
12,287
10,814
-
10,814
14,426
5,531
-
5,531
11,366|
||**30,000**
**-**
**30,000**
**38,079**|
||**(8,265)**
**-**
**(8,265) (7,353)**
3,000
(3,000)
-
-|
||(5,265)
(3,000)
(8,265)
(7,353)
53,800
3,000
56,800
64,153|
||**48,535**
**-**
**48,535**
**56,800**|
11
## **BALANCE SHEET**
||||**Restricted**||**Prior**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**Unrestricted**|**Income**|**Total**|**Year**|
||**Notes**|**Funds**|**Funds**|**Funds**|**Funds**|
|||**£**|**£**|**£**|**£**|
|**Current assets**||||||
|Stocks|6|3,812|-|3,812|4,372|
|Debtors|7|5,316|-|5,316|589|
|Cash at bank and in||43,493|-|43,493|53,737|
|hand||||||
|**Total current assets**||**52,621**|**-**|**52,621**|**58,698**|
|**Creditors: amounts**|8|**(4,086)**|**-**|**(4,086)**|**(1,898)**|
|**falling due within one**||||||
|**year**||||||
|**Total net assets**||**48,535**|**-**|**48,535**|**56,800**|
|**Funds**||||||
|Restricted income||-|(3,000)|(3,000)|3,000|
|funds||||||
|Unrestricted funds||48,535|-|48,535|53,800|
|**Total funds**|9|**48,535**|**-**|**48,535**|**56,800**|
12
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **1. Basis of preparation**
## **1.1. Basis of accounting**
The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014 and with the Charities Act 2011.
## 1.2. **Going concern**
The accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis.
## **2. Accounting policies**
## 2.1. **Income**
**Recognition of income** : income is included in the SoFA when the Trust becomes entitled to the resources, it is more likely than not that the Trustees will receive the resources and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.
**Offsetting** : there has been no offsetting of assets and liabilities, or income and expenditure, unless required or permitted by the FRS 102 SORP.
**Grants and donations** : are only included in the SoFA when the general income recognition criteria are met.
**Tax reclaims on donations** : Gift Aid receivable is included in income when there is a valid declaration from the donor. Any Gift Aid amount recovered on a donation is considered to be part of that gift and is treated as an addition to the same fund as the initial donation unless the donor or the terms of the appeal have specified otherwise.
**Volunteer help** : The value of any voluntary help received is not included in the accounts but is described in the Trustees’ annual report.
13
## 2.2. **Expenditure and liabilities**
**Liability recognition:** Liabilities are recognised where it is more likely than not that there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the Trust to pay out resources and the amount of the obligation can be measured with reasonable certainty.
**Creditors** : The Trust has creditors which are measured at settlement amounts less any trade discounts.
**Stocks** : Goods or services provided as part of a charitable activity are measured at net realisable value based on the service potential provided by items of stock.
**Debtors** : Debtors (including trade debtors) are measured on initial recognition at settlement amount after any trade discounts or amount advanced by the Trust. Subsequently, they are measured at the cash or other consideration expected to be received.
14
## **3. Analysis of incoming resources**
|**Donations**
Donations
Gift Aid
**Total**
**Grants**
South Oxfordshire DC
Haddenham Beer
Festival
Thame Town Council
**Total**
**Fundraising**
Exhibitions and events
100 Club
Shop sales
**Total**
**Membership**
Subscriptions
Gift Aid
**Total**
**Talks, room hire & other**
**income**
Talks *
Room Hire
School visits & Arts
Award
Other income
**Total**
**Total income**|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Income**
**Funds**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Prior**
**Year**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|---|---|
||4,355
-
4,355
4,228
871
-
871
1,151|
||**5,226**
**-**
**5,226**
**5,379**|
||-
-
-
3,000
-
-
-
2,000
-
-
-
654|
||**-**
**-**
**-**
**5,654**|
||5,550
-
5,550
6,846
-
-
-
682
7,028
-
7,028
10,087|
||**12,578**
**-**
**12,578**
**17,615**|
||1,418
-
1,418
1,598
269
-
269
266|
||**1,687**
**-**
**1,687**
**1,864**|
||651
-
651
(819)
396
-
396
-
390
-
390
486
807
-
807
547|
||**2,244**
**-**
**2,244**
**214**|
||**21,735**
**-**
**21,735**
**30,726**|
* Talks income is net of subscriptions to the online shop provider through which tickets are sold, and the subscription to the live-stream platform provider.
15
## 4. **Analysis of receipts of government grants**
No grants were received in the current year. In the prior year the grants totalling £5,000 from South Oxfordshire District Council and Haddenham Beer Festival were received to support the creation of a permanent display following the highly successful exhibition Last Stop Thame about the history of Thame’s railway. £454 was received from Thame Town Council for 3 Amazon Fire tablets. The remaining £200 was received again from Thame Town Council as general support as part of celebrations for the King’s Coronation.
## **5. Analysis of resources expended**
|**Cost of raising funds**
Exhibitions and events
Shop purchases
Collections management
Advertising
Other expenses
**Total**
**Building expenses**
Utilities
Maintenance contracts
Repairs and renewals
Cleaning
Insurance
**Total**
**Office expenses**
Stationery and postage
Printing
Subscriptions **
Training
Computers and software
Other expenses ***
**Total**
**Total expenditure**|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Restricted**
**Income**
**Funds**
**Total**
**Funds**
**Prior**
**Year**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|---|---|
||7,607
-
7,607
1,541
3,121
-
3,121
5,660
903
-
903
3,560
1,718
-
1,718
806
306
-
306
720|
||**13,655**
**-**
**13,655**
**12,287**|
||7,106
-
7,106
7,268
1,200
-
1,200
1,265
1,395
-
1,395
4,436
535
-
535
879
578
-
578
578|
||**10,814**
**-**
**10,814**
**14,426**|
||595
-
595
537
104
-
104
695
816
-
816
490
-
-
-
-
3,998
-
3,998
6,739
18
-
18
2,905|
||**5,531**
**-**
**5,531**
**11,366**|
||**30,000**
**-**
**30,000**
**38,079**|
16
** Subscriptions were paid for memberships including the Museums Association, Oxfordshire Museums Council and Association of Independent Museums.
*** In the prior year expenditure of £2,875 related to an external consultancy service to propose a development plan for the Museum.
## 6. **Stocks**
Stocks represents finished goods held for sale in the shop within the Museum and online.
## **7. Debtors**
|**. Debtors**||
|---|---|
|Trade debtors
Owed by a supplier
Prepayments|**2025**
**2024**
**£**
**£**|
||47
253
173
336
5,096
-|
||5,316
589|
## **8. Creditors – amounts falling due within one year**
|Trade creditors
Prepaid talks tickets
Other creditors
Accruals|**2025**
**2024**
**£**
**£**|
|---|---|
||41
387
-
128
3,184
672
861
711|
||4,086
1,898|
17
## 9. **Trust’s funds**
Details of funds held and movements during the CURRENT reporting period:
|**Fund name**
**Unrestricted**
General fund
**Restricted**
Last Stop Thame
case
**Total**
**Total funds**|**Balance**
**brought**
**forward**
**Income Expenditure Transfers Balance**
**carried**
**forward**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|---|---|
||53,800 21,735
(30,000)
3,000
48,535|
||3,000
-
-
(3,000)
-|
||**3,000**
**-**
**-**
**(3,000)**
**-**|
||**56,800 21,735**
**(30,000)**
**-**
**48,535**|
Funds are held under two headings:
- (1) Unrestricted funds, including designated funds, can be used in accordance with the Trust’s charitable objectives at the discretion of the Trustees.
(2) Restricted funds can only be used for particular purposes within the objects of the Trust. Restrictions arise when donations or grants are made for a particular purpose or project and restrictions are applied by the grant maker or donor.
The restricted grant of £3,000 from South Oxfordshire District Council for the Last Stop Thame case was repurposed to Active Thame, the museum’s summer sports exhibition and events programme, during the year. The cost of the Active Thame programme totalled £3,468 and is included in the cost of exhibitions and events in the current year.
18
Details of funds held and movements during the PREVIOUS reporting period:
|**Fund name**
**Unrestricted**
General fund
**Designated**
100 Club
RH&L grant
Capital projects
**Total**
**Restricted**
Handling objects
Rycotewood
pictures
Last Stop Thame
case
Tablets
**Total**
**Total funds**|**Balance**
**brought**
**forward**
**Income Expenditure Transfers Balance**
**carried**
**forward**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**|
|---|---|
||44,748 25,272
(34,959)
18,739
53,800
-
-
-
-
-
4,040
-
-
(4,040)
-
15,000
-
-
(15,000)
-|
||**63,788 25,272**
**(34,957)**
**(301)**
**53,800**|
||153
-
(170)
17
-
212
-
-
(212)
-
-
5,000
(2,016)
16
3,000
-
454
(934)
480
-|
||**365**
**5,454**
**(3,120)**
**301**
**3,000**|
||**64,153 30,726**
**(38,079)**
**-**
**56,800**|
## **10.Transactions with Trustees and related parties**
|**10.1.**
**Trustees’ expenses**
**Type of expense reimbursed**
Building maintenance
Collections, exhibitions and advertising
Stationery, postage, training, subsistence and
IT consumables
Volunteer events|**2025**
**2024**
**£**
**£**|
|---|---|
||75
54
496
206
219
746
-
290|
||790
1,296|
5 trustees were reimbursed during 2024 (6 in 2024).
19
## 10.2. **Transactions with related parties**
There have been no material transactions with related parties in the reporting period other than expenses reimbursed to Trustees as reported above.
## **11.0. Post Balance Sheet Event**
In April 2025 the museum submitted an insurance claim for £14,500 relating to an insurable event which occurred in the first quarter of 2025. Insurers will reimburse the museum for this with the exception of a £250 excess which has been provided for in the accounts.
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## **MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THAME MUSEUM TRUST (CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION NO. 1174795) HELD ON 29 JUNE 2024 AT 10.30AM**
|**AGM (at Thame Museum)**|**AGM (at Thame Museum)**|**Date:**
**29 June 2024 (10:30)**|
|---|---|---|
|**Chairman:**|The meeting was chaired by Adrian Dite.||
|**Members present:**|The number of members present was 24 which was above the quorum of
the Museum membership (currently 157) required to hold the meeting.||
|**Apologies:**|Apologies were received from 7 members.||
|**Item**|**Discussion**||
|**1. 2023 AGM Minutes**
**Review**|The Chairman welcomed the Members present at the meeting.
There were no matters arising from the review of the AGM minutes from the
previous year and these were approved by the Members present.||
|**2. Trustees Annual**
**Report for 2023/24**
**Review**|The annual report had been issued in advance in draft form to all Members
for pre-reading.
The Chairman explained the success of the temporary exhibitions during the
year and also that the Midsomer Murder tours brought in £1.4k. He
explained that the Volunteers make it happen and thanked them for all their
continued excellent work and support for the Museum throughout the year.
The Museum has around 60 Volunteers and is always looking for more
recruits to help out.
During the year four new Trustees were co-opted into the Museum, bringing
in some excellent experience. There was also a change in Treasurer, with
the Chairman thanking Alex (outgoing Treasurer) for all her efforts and
support over the years. The Chairman also thanked Lin Wylie for her many
years of excellent work at the Museum as she has decided to step down as
a Trustee at the AGM.
The Chairman explained that there has been a lot of co-operative work with
various organisations in the local community including Thame Shed, U3A,
Thame Players as well as a number of local businesses.
The Chairman thanked Lindsey Weimers for her excellent work with the
local schools, resulting in a close relationship with all the schools and
including visits from the whole of year 7 from Lord Williams’s School. Also
two Lord Williams’s students performed their work experience at the
Museum.
The Chairman explained that a new Forward Plan has been developed with
the focus on the Museum telling the story of Thame, and incorporating the
activities required to secure the next accreditation (currently expected to be
2025).
The Chairman closed by thanking Emily Toettcher, the Museum’s mentor
and Sarah Menary from South East Museum Development for their help
during the year, as well as the Town Council for their ongoing support.
Alex Perry (outgoing Treasurer) provided an overview of the financials for
the year. She explained that the museum had benefitted from the
government’s covid grant scheme in prior years, and the Trustees have
continued to invest some of those monies. The year began with nearly £64k
in reserves, up from £55k the year before, and after income of £31k and
expenditure of £38k, finished at the end of March 2024 with £57k in||
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||reserves. £10k of the income came from shop sales, following an
unprecedented £20k in the year before, with the remaining income of £21k
resulting from a hugely successful Robin Gibb event, as well as generous
donations and grants received for specific items. During the year
approximately a third of the £38k expenditure went on raising funds (£12k),
with £14k spent maintaining the building, including higher energy costs and
recarpeting the community room and library. Office expenses were higher
than normal as the Museum benefitted from external advice on future plans.
Alex finished by thanking all the Volunteers who support what is done at the
Museum, and is hoping that her successor, Michael Parsons, enjoys
volunteering at the Museum as much as she has over the past few years.
There was a question regarding who would pay for the internal decoration
for areas affected by the building leaks. The Chairman explained that the
Trustees hope to work with the Town Council to see if their insurance policy
will cover these costs.
The Annual Report and Accounts were approved by the Members.|
|---|---|
|**3. Election of Trustees**|David McBrien (Secretary) chaired this item on the agenda.
In accordance with the constitution, one third of elected Trustees are
required to stand down on a longest served basis. Adrian Dite and Philip
Williams are the Trustees standing down this year. Both are seeking re-
election at the 2024 AGM.
Lin Wylie has announced her intention to retire as a Trustee at the 2024
AGM and is not currently seeking re-election.
Alex Perry stood down as a Trustee and is not seeking re-election.
Petrova Caldecourt, Lisa Stevens, Trevor Watkins and Michael Parsons, the
four Trustees co-opted during the year, shall retire at the 2024 AGM and are
all seeking re-election at the 2024 AGM.
With the retirements and standing down outlined above there are seven
Trustee vacancies.
Trustee nominations have been received from Adrian Dite, Philip Williams,
Petrova Caldecourt, Lisa Stevens, Trevor Watkins and Michael Parsons,
each being proposed by Mike Dyer and seconded by Paul Cowell. As these
six nominations are less than the seven vacancies all six members are
elected to be Trustees without the need for a vote by the Members present.
The Trust has received the following nominations for Trustees from Thame
Historical Society - Maurice Kirtland and Paul Earley.
The Trust has received the following nominations for Trustees from Thame
Town Council - Paul Cowell and Linda Emery.|
|**4. Membership Fees**
**for 2025/26**|The Chairman stated that the proposal was to keep the annual membership
fee at £12.50. The proposal was approved by Members at the meeting.|
|**5. Appointment of**
**Accounts**
**Independent**
**Examiner**|The Chairman thanked Mrs Ann Green on behalf of the Museum for the very
professional work that she provided as independent examiner of the
accounts. The proposal that Mrs Ann Green do the same task again for the
next year was approved by the Members at the meeting.|
|**6. Members Questions**|No questions were raised prior to the meeting.|
|**7. Closing of the AGM**|The Chairman formally closed the AGM at 10:58am, thanking Members for
their continued support for the Museum.|
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## **DECLARATION**
The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s Trustees:
Signature(s): _______________________________________________ Full name(s): _______________________________________________ Position: _______________________________________________ Date: _______________________________________________
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