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2022-03-31-accounts

SENHOUSE MUSEUM TRUST

Charitable Incorporated Organisation Charity No. 1175131

ANNUAL REPORT

to

31 March 2022

Charity no. 1175131

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ANNUAL REPORT for the year ending 31 March 2022

A. LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

THE SENHOUSE MUSEUM TRUST was constituted as a charity on 12[th] April 1985 by Declaration of Trust and converted to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 12 October 2017

Trustees at 31[st] March 2022 Dr. Peter Richard Wilson - Chairman of the Trustees Professor Maureen Fordham William Bernard Griffiths Roderick Grimshaw Eleanor Kingston Dr. Peter Messenger Rachel Margaret Newman Linda Radcliffe

Treasurer: N. Randall Clerk to Trustees: M.A. Lancaster

The Trust Deed provides that the Trustees can appoint new Trustees and officers and establish committees.

Principal Office Senhouse Roman Museum, The Battery, Sea Brows, Maryport, Cumbria, CA15 6JD

The Trustees have appointed professional service providers and advisers, as below:

Bank HSBC Bank plc, 3 Pow Street, Workington, Cumbria, CA14 3AH Solicitor Cartmell Shepherd, Solicitors, Montgomery Way, Rosehill, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA1 2RW Independent Examiner Tattersall Bailey Chartered Accountants, 3 Fisher Street, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 8RR Investment adviser Alington Ruthin Stockbrokers & Investment Management, Clwyd House, 3c Clwyd Street, Ruthin, Denbighshire LL15 1HF

The Trust Deed empowers the Trustees to receive and apply funds, to purchase articles for re-sale and to hold property as a Museum, to invest Trust funds and to acquire land for archaeological purposes. In particular, the Trustees may set apart as an endowment fund part of the Trust Funds and apply the income for Trust purposes.

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VAT Registration no. 531 4021 02

Objects of the Trust

The Charity's objects (the "Objects") as set out in the Articles are:

Organisation and history of the CIO and its predecessor Trust

The Trust opened the Senhouse Roman Museum in a Grade 2 listed building on the sea cliffs overlooking Maryport Harbour in April 1990. The Museum houses the Netherhall Collection, on loan from Mr J Scott Plummer. This is the finest collection of Roman sculpture and inscriptions from a single site in Britain. Mr Scott Plummer is a lineal descendant of John Senhouse, who established the collection at Netherhall before 1599.

The Museum is located next to the site of the Roman fort, which forms part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage Site (WHS), a trans-national World Heritage Site containing Hadrian’s Wall, the Antonine Wall and the upper German frontier, the Limes .

The Trust works closely with a number of organisations with related objectives, including Historic England, Cultura Trust, Museums Development North West, Arts Council England, Cumbria Tourism, Cumbria Cultural Learning Network, Cumbria CVS, the Cumbria Museum Directors Group, Cumbria Museums Consortium, the Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Grampus Heritage and Training, the Hadrian’s Wall Learning and Interpretation Group, Maryport Cultural Consortium, Cumbria Arts and Culture Network and the cultural services of Allerdale Borough and Cumbria County Councils.

Risk management

The major risks to which the Trust is exposed, as identified by the Trustees, have been reviewed and systems have been established to mitigate these risks.

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Responsibilities of the Trustees for the Annual Report and Accounts

The Trustees’ duty of public accountability and stewardship requires that they:

keep proper accounting records of the transactions in each fund within the charity

present Annual Accounts which disclose a proper appreciation of the charity’s financial transactions during the year, and which give a true and fair view of the charity’s funds at the end of the year

provide the Annual Report which contains information on the objects and constitution of the charity and which describes its activities and future plans.

B. GOVERNANCE 2021-22

Trustees met virtually on 10 May, and 19 November 2021 by Zoom and on 24 August 2021 in person and by Zoom. Meetings have continued in either a Zoom format or a hybrid of in-person and Zoom for those unable to attend in person.

There were no retirements from the Trust and no new Trustees were appointed.

The Trustees carried out an open and transparent recruitment process for the role of Clerk to the Trustees and Mary Ann Lancaster was appointed to the role in time for the meeting on 10 August.

Arts Council England Museum Accreditation (Full) continues to be maintained. The Learning Policy and the Research Policy were reviewed and approved at the meeting on 24 August. the Privacy Policy was reviewed and approved at the meeting on 19 November.

The Manager continues to report weekly by telephone to the Chairman of Trustees as her line manager. A written report is circulated to all Trustees monthly.

C. REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES

Due to the Covid-19 national lockdown from the beginning of January 2021 the museum was closed to the public until 21 May 2021. The museum reopened to the public and reinstated its events programme in a rolling process, taking into account the Covid-19 restrictions at that time. Although all national restrictions were removed on 21 June 2021, a number of social-distancing measured were retained for the remainder of the year.

During the national lockdown the Manager worked from home with the exception of essential work required to maintain the security and condition of the collection and the building. The Manager's duties were focused on preparing the museum to

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reopen when the on-going lockdown allowed.

There were 6,523 visits to the Museum during the year (2020-21: 1,540). The Museum continues to offer free entry to residents within the CA15 postcode area. Taking into account the reduction in the number of days open to the public due to the national lockdown covering April to mid-May visitor numbers returned to prepandemic levels.

Trustees continued to liaise with the North of England Civic Trust (now Cultura Trust) about the development of Camp Farm in line with the Memorandum of Understanding . Cultura Trust continues to grant the Trust permission to use the fort field for volunteer-led tours and group visits.

The Forward Plan for 2021-22 onwards was significantly revised to take account of the impact to the museum's activities due to the pandemic and its aftermath.

The VAQAS accreditation continues to be maintained by annual ‘mystery shops’ by Visit England assessors. The assessment scheduled in May 2021 resulted in a slight increase on the overall score. The Manager represents the museum on the Hadrian’s Wall Marketing and Transport Group and with Cumbria Tourism. Meetings of these groups continue to be virtual.

Whilst the museum was closed temporarily (April to mid-May) due to the Covid-19 restrictions two members of staff were furloughed under the Government’s Job Retention Scheme.

Permanent Collection and Displays

Whilst the museum was closed during the national lockdown a number of changes were instigated in the Main Gallery displays. The 'Spanish' roof tile and the 'Shadow God' were returned to the gallery and installed in secure display cases. The small finds display case was completely revised with more small objects on display.

Negotiations were initiated with Tullie House Museum and Mr. Scott Plummer to convert the loan of RIB 2030 to a permanent transfer of ownership to Tullie House. This is an appropriate move considering that the object was recovered from the churchyard at Stanwix, near Carlisle.

The museum continues to offer an identification service for archaeological material found by the local community. The Portable Antiquities Scheme’s Finds Liaison Officer for North Lancashire and Cumbria resumed his finds identification days. He visited the museum to identify and record finds brought in by members of the public in June, August, October and December.

A small group of volunteers continued to work through the collection documentation backlog when Covid-19 restrictions allowed. Full accessioning of the finds from the 1990 excavation of Milefortlet 21 continued. Finds from the 2011 - 2015 excavation

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carried out in partnership with Newcastle University was completed. The finds from the 2013 - 2014 excavation of the civilian settlement directed by Oxford Archaeology North commenced, this project will continue in the winter months of 2022-23.

The Manager represents the museum on the Hadrian's Wall Curators Group. Meetings of this group and the Hadrian's Wall Learning and Interpretation Delivery Group continued throughout the year virtually.

The Battery

Outstanding remedial works identified in the quinquennial survey were put on hold due to the contractor's difficulties in sourcing materials.

In July a sink hole appeared in the museum car park. This caused the tarmac surface to break up revealing a metre-square cavity. The car park was immediately closed off to traffic and visitors pending investigation and repairs. This work was achieved within a week and without affecting the underlying archaeology. The sink hole was caused by a damaged land drain, which the contractors cleaned out and repaired.

Monitoring of the intruder and fire alarm was transferred to radio signalling to mitigate the ongoing issues caused by the signal drop-out and to allow for the transfer of the telephone to a digital connection.

Exhibitions, events and visits

Due to the continuing Covid restrictions events and activities were reduced or amended to take into account the safety of staff, volunteers and visitors.

In November the museum hosted the launch of the refurbished shelter on the lower promenade. The project involved contributions from Allerdale Borough Council, Maryport Town Council and the Maryporters community group. The launch included a group of Maryport veterans who were based at the Battery.

The postponed 30th anniversary conference is expected to be rescheduled for April 2022. Planning for the event continued throughout 2021-22.

Temporary exhibitions included ‘A Cabinet of Curiosities’ and ‘Out and About with Percy Kelly’. These exhibitions were produced in-house and were supported by a series of public engagement events and activities. During the October half-term volunteers led a series of Big Draw family art activities, ‘Paint with Percy’ , inspired by the art of local artist Percy Kelly.

Every weekend from August to October visitors benefited from volunteer-led tours of the fort. The museum also offered tours of the fort to pre-booked groups, including evening visits. 106 people benefited from the tours.

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On the weekend of 14 - 15 August staff and volunteers manned a stall at Maryport's inaugural Taste of the Sea Festival. This enabled the museum to promote the museum and its services and expand its learning outreach programme.

The annual Literary Festival scheduled for November was postponed to November 2022 or March 2023.

The Museum was open to the public for additional days between Christmas and New Year (27 - 30 December).

January saw the launch of HW1900, the wall-wide festival celebrating 1900 years of Hadrian’s Wall and border heritage. In March the museum hosted the Legio VIII living history group with an event that celebrated the heritage of Maryport from the Romans to the Victorians. This launch event was supported by the Solway Business Forum.

Education

School visits resumed with enhanced Covid-secure procedures in place. A total of 689 school pupils visited from 19 schools. These included a whole year group from Netherhall School (the only secondary school in Maryport). Covid-secure procedures included restricting visits to a half day only, working in well ventilated areas and outside wherever possible.

The museum continues to maintain its Arts Award Centre registration with four Arts Award advisers. The advisors support young people to carry out Arts Award projects from Discover to Gold.

The Museum was visited by a small group from Andante Tours led by Tony Wilmott of Historic England. the group also visited the site of the 2011-15 excavations. A small group from Higham Hall visited the museum as part of their tour of Roman and Early Medieval religious sites.

A group of trainee Blue Badge Guide visited the museum as part of their training.

Meetings of Maryport & District Archaeological Society, Maryport & District Natural History Society, The Sociable Reading Group and the Young Archaeologists’ Club were reinstated.

The Young Archaeologists’ Club structured their meetings around working towards an Arts Award at Discover level. They are expected to complete this in July 2022.

During March the museum hosted a group of young adults taking part in a drama project led by Prism Arts. Learning volunteers supported the group to develop a performance inspired by Roman life in Maryport. The group created a promenade performance based at the museum, which progressed along the lower promenade.

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Work placements were reinstated with a continuation of the partnership with Netherhall School. One 6[th] form student spent a week in the museum finding out about the careers available in museums and contributing to the schools service and collection management.

The outreach service returned with a visit to Crosby Women’s group, when the Manager and the Learning Co-ordinator led an interactive session about women in Roman Maryport. West Cumbria U3A benefited from a lecture about the Romans in West Cumbria at their base in Whitehaven.

The Manager represented the museum in meetings with the Hadrian’s Wall Education Forum, Hadrian’s Wall Learning and Interpretation Group, Cumbria Cultural Learning Network and Cumbria Arts and Culture Network. All meetings were conducted virtually.

Research

The Trustees reviewed the Research Policy in light of the recent work carried out on the site as directed by Newcastle University and Oxford Archaeology North.

The museum contributed towards a publication covering the interpretation of Hadrian’s Wall and the associated Roman sites and museums.

D. MANAGEMENT AND FINANCE

Management and Staffing

Jane Laskey continues as Museum Manager, assisted by Museum Assistants Tim Okins and Vanessa O’Donnell, and a group of enthusiastic and committed volunteers. The Museum Assistants were furloughed under the Government's Job Retention Scheme while the museum was closed to the public April – mid-May. Volunteer activities were reinstated when restrictions allowed. The volunteers focused on providing the guided tours of the fort, supporting events, leading school visits and continuing the documentation back-log.

All training for staff and volunteers was suspended with the exception of in-house and online training. In March all three staff and two volunteers renewed their first aid certificates following a day’s training.

The Manager attended virtual training workshops provided by a number of organisations including the Association for Independent Museums, Museums Development North-West, Cumbria CVS and the Association for Heritage Interpretation. Training covered: Marketing and business planning, volunteer management, governance in small museums, interpretation planning and working with freelancers.

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The Museum has a group of 15 volunteers. The number of volunteers and the hours they contributed are somewhat reduced in comparison to previous years due to the Covid-19 lockdowns. The volunteers contributed 745 hours of their time to the Museum’s activities and they continue to be co-ordinated by Judy Wagg.

Finance to year end 31 March 2022

Operations and Development

Operating costs for the museum were higher than the previous year because the Covid restrictions were lifted. These amounted to £83,409 (£70,595) for Museum Operations and Publications. Management and administration costs were £47,262 (£14,876). Total resources expended were £129,551 (£85,471) before taking into account the development provision write off (see below).

Museum revenues

The total receipts at the museum were £18,685 (£5,083), Commercial Fundraising produced £9,120 (£2,929), donations and grants £45,185 (£58,644); additionally, investment income amounted to £56,561 (£57,582) providing a total income of £129,551 (£124,437).

Museum costs

Staff costs were slightly higher at £51,721 (£49,235) for the Museum operations.

Development expenditure

The final publication and report costs for excavation work carried out regarding the Roman settlement on Camp Farm was completed. These accounts contain a provision of £31,639 set aside as part of the five-year £250,000 excavation work sponsored by the Senhouse Museum Trust and carried out by Newcastle University. This final provision of £31,639 was not required plus £952 was refunded.

Donations and grants

Total grants and donations of £45,185 were received, including £2,750 from the Mainhouse Charitable Trust, £10,667 from Allerdale BC:, £24,655 from Richard Beleson and £3,930 from HMRC in relation to the furlough scheme.

Investments and Reserves

Investment income received was slightly lower at £56,561 (£57,782). At the year end the Trust’s total net assets were valued at £1,776,841 (£1,680,061).

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PATRONS

The Trust enjoys the support of Lord Inglewood and Professor David Breeze.

Peter Richard Wilson Chairman of Trustees

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THE SENHOUSE IIIUSEUM TRUST FINANfciAL STATF_MENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 st MARCH 20?2 TNDEPENDINT LXA,MINIER'% RLI)ORT STATEMLN'I" 01- FIN'ANCIAL ACTIVII"IF. 13ALANCE SIIF.F.T N()TF.S 'I"O"1'14L ACC OIJN-rs SCIII-.DLlI.r. or tNN'ESI-ME.'NTS IIELD

Inde￿ndent Examl¥¥erfs prOV￿lO￿al Report lo th& Trvstees of The Senhouse Museum Trust I report on the accounts ofthe charity for the yearend&d 31 March 2022, ¥thich are sel tyi on the fc41owTng P8ges. Respective responslbllities of trustses and examinpr Th8 charity's tru5lees are responsible for the prep3talion of the accnunts. The tharty's trustees Consider that an audit 15 not required for thi5 year under section 744121 of the Ch3rilies Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and thai an independeni examination is needed. It is my ￿spon%￿l￿ lo.. exarnine the accounts ut¥ler section 145 of Ihe 2011 Art follow Ihe procedures laid éown in the general Dtrections given by the Chaisty Commission under $$¢tion 145{S11bl of Ihe 2011 Act.. and state knrt)elher particularmatters hav¢ Gorne to my altention. Basis of independent examinerfs ￿pOrt y e¥4niinabOll was ctrried out in a¢cordance ¥Yith the general Oireclicn8 given by the Charity Comfnission. An examination includes a review of the accounbng records kept by Ihe (tharily and 8 ¢Otnparison of th& accounts pEsented wilh thosè records. It 3150 include$ consideration of any untssual ilems or disdosu￿s in #¢¢ounts and seeking explanations from you 85 Iruslees conceming ary such matter5. pr(tdu￿S undertaken do not provKle all the eviden￿ that would be ￿qUired in an audit and consequently rK> Dpinion is given as lo wh8therihe accounts pre$ent 8'1rLt2 and fair view- 3nd the ￿POrt is limited to Ihose matter5 sel out in the slatemeni below. Indepondènt examinerfs statement In conne¢tion with my examinaiion, no matter has come to my attention". which 9ives me reasonable rAuse tc believè that, in any material resped, r8quiremenl5'. to keep accounting records tn accordance with section 130 01 the 2011 Act.. and lo prepare accounts whica accord with the a¢¢ounting records and comply the accounting requirements of the 2011 Ad, havè ol bfr￿ met.. or lo which, in my oplnioft. 8uenlion should be drawn in order b enable a proper underslatbdingofthe account$ to bo reathe(S. Paul 88iley Tatt8ts8118817ey Charts￿(￿AcCollnl&rtts 3 Fisher st@et Cart￿le CA3 8RR 25Januery 2023

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Independent Examinerfs provisional Report to the T￿￿tee$ ofThe Senhouse Museum Trnst I report on the aoxjunls ofthe charrty for the year ended 31 Marth 2022. whth a￿ set wt on the followng pages. ReSp￿t￿e responsibilities of trustees and examiner The charity's trustees a￿ responsthle for the weparation of the ac£oLmts. The thatty's trustees consdei that an audrf( is not required for this year under section 144{2) of the Charibes Acl 2011 {the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is rEeded. It is My responwtm.lty to". examine the amints under se(Xion 145 of the 2011 A(t follow the procedures laid dry￿ in general DJ"rections given by Charity Commissh)n under section 14S{5llbl of the 2011 Act-, and state whett￿r partioJlar matters have come to my attention. Basis of indtpendent èxaminerfs report My examination was carried out in aerAJrdance wrth the gereral Dire(lions given by the Charity CotHmission. An examination includes a review of the actounting recofds kept by the charity and a o)mparison of the accounts presented wrth those records. It also indudes consideration of any unusual items or disdosures in the accounts. and S￿n9 explanations frorn you as trustees COn￿mIng any swh matters. The Pro￿dureS undertaken do not provide all the eviden￿ that would be required in an audrt arKI cnnsequènty ry) opinK>n is given as tts whether the accounts present a ￿ue and fair Vie￿ and the le￿rt is limited to those matters set out in the stat&nent below. Independent examinerfs ststement In connection my examination, no matter has come to my altenlion.. whith gNes me reasonable cause to believe that. in any material respecL reqU1￿mentS.. lo keep a(r£>unting iecords in awrdanct wrth sethon of the 2011 A￿.. and to prepare accotlnts whKth accoril ￿ the 4)untit)g reo)rds and cOm￿Y the aC￿unting requirements of the 2011 ￿￿. have not been met". or to which. in my opinion. attentK)n should drawn in order toenable a prO￿r urKlerstanding ofthe awunts to be reached. PaulBailey Tatt•￿all Bailèy CharteredAccountants 3 Fisher st￿et Cartisle CA3 8RR 25 January 2023