Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
from 1[st] January 2024 to 31[st] December 2024
Charity name: BATH MEDICAL MUSEUM
Charity registration number: 1176084
Objectives and Activities
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
The stated object of the CIO is: For the benefit of the public, to establish and maintain a museum of the history of medicine in the City of Bath from the Medieval to the Modern. |
|---|---|
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
The museum engages and educates diverse audiences through a variety of traditional and modern methods such as exhibitions, digital content and events. We have an active wellbeing group which involves a range of people in creative and developmental activities. The museum tells the story of how the spa infuenced the development of medical practice in Bath, particularly during the last 500 years, including the history of one of the frst specialist hospitals in the country, the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (RNHRD) founded in 1742, and medical practice achievements across the city. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have |
The trustees’ consideration and decision making has had regard to the guidance issued by the |
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Charity Commission on public benefit.
had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit
Additional information
Volunteers’ contributions have been key to the functioning of the Museum, including the Contribution made by following activities: volunteers in 2024 Planning and organising temporary displays and activities open to the public. Organising and contributing to events. Greeting public visitors and guiding them around displays. Organising and promoting wellbeing activities. Liaising with other bodies including heritage organisations. PR and Marketing including significant website development, substantial expansion of social media activity and the production of a digital Newsletter. Accountancy and Financial Review. Volunteer activity included Trustee’s roles and the contribution of students from the Bath Spa and Bath Universities, also Loughborough University and Southampton University.
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Achievements and Performance
In summary: Special displays in the Hetling Room have included the themes of Bishop John of Tours/Adelard of Bath, Inventors Trail and Medical Inventions and a pop-up portable display Summary of the main on Medicine in the Past. Talks have included the achievements of the charity, 3D model of the ‘Min’ in 1842 and Taking the identifying the difference the Waters in the Regency period(in conjunction with charity’s work has made to the Jane Austen Festival). We designed the circumstances of its numerous walking trails on topics including beneficiaries and any wider historic pharmacies in the city, notable women benefits to society as a medics in Bath and a popular shop window trail whole. organised jointly with Bath BID. Related articles have been published on our website, including a history of the Hetling Room. These activities have generally been arranged in the school holiday periods. Two display cases suitable for museum exhibits were commissioned and supplied to the Hetling Room to improve display capacity and external boards were provided to indicate to the public that the premises was open. A Wellbeing group met regularly in the Hetling Room under the auspices of the Bath Medical Museum, from early Spring 2023. The group’s aims included the offer of their members as volunteers for BMM. Feedback from visitors has been very positive, showing that visitors have wide ranging interests regarding the medical history of Bath. More specifically, awareness has been raised of the history of the Hetling Room as a lesser-known Pump Room. Some activities such as the talks on Taking the Waters in the Georgian period were over booked and we learned from patterns of demand in our forward planning. BMM has had effective and helpful partnerships with Bath University, involving PhD students who presented their work in the Hetling Room, in addition to academic staff and Bath Spa University who have arranged several post
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graduate project placements. We have also worked with the Museum of Bath At Work, the Roman Baths, the Jane Austen Festival, Bathscape and the Little Theatre. We have taken our portable display to the Odd Down Fun Day and the Foxhill Hub, in order to engage local communities. Regular opening has been arranged on Saturdays from 12.00 noon until 4,00 p.m. This provides an opportunity for drop in visits including overseas visitors or people visiting from elsewhere in the UK who have often called in to view the Hetling Room and to enquire about the spa waters/ A Wellbeing group met under the auspices of BMM. There were up to ten participants who have long term physical or psychological conditions. They have a focussed activity each week such as drawing and painting, learning the basics of Tai Chi or other exercise and Zen gardening. Some group members have become BMM volunteers. Governance was reviewed and improved in November 2024 with the approval of Vision, Mission and Core Values statements for the Museum, approval of core trustee roles and development of specific trustee roles.
Financial Review
| Financial Review | |
|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Unrestricted cash funds as at 31/12/2024 were £6882. Liabilities at 31/12/2024 were £100. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
The Trustees have examined the charity’s requirements for reserves considering the main risks to the organisation. Regular financial reviews are conducted, and expenditure is only approved by the Trustees when funds are available. |
| Amount of reserves held | Funds are held to cover committed expenditure such as collection insurance, public liability |
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insurance and website maintenance. The Trust has a policy of earmarking a sum of £5000 as a reserve.
Additional information
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
The principal source of funds in 2024 were small scale donations and grants. Specific funding was received from the Ray Harris Trust, the Stone King Foundation, the Wessex Water Community Fund and the Renishaw Trust. |
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| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
The over - riding risk facing the charity in 2024 was the risk arising from the reliance on small grants and donations – an unpredictable income flow. Other risks were generic to small museums, namely issues of volunteer capacity and continuity. |
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Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
|
|---|---|
| Type of governing document | CIO Constitution |
| How is the charity constituted? |
Charitable Incorporated Organisation |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Trustees are selected on the basis of having relevant knowledge, skills and experience to contribute to the operation of the Museum. Individual trustees may be appointed after identification of a need for specific expertise to be contributed to the Board’s decision making. |
| Additional information | |
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Bath Medical Museum is a small charity with a simple structure where the Trustee Board oversees the management of forward planning and activities. For this purpose, the majority of trustee meetings have become Management meetings, with two meetings a year dedicated to Governance. All roles are voluntary.The Museum Director, Accountant and the paid Fund Raiser reported directly to trustees in 2024. |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Royal United Hospital (Bath) Foundation Trust –a Collection Loan Agreement had been in place in conjunction with the RUH Trust. The Pulteney Practice had continued to display some of BMM collection items including paintings, at their premises at 35 Great Pulteney St, Bath. In late 2024, the process of returning these valuable items to the RUH (Bath) Foundation Trust was initiated by BMM. Bath Thermae Spa - the Bath Medical Museum has a partnership with the Bath Thermae Spa in relation to the 5 year Licence for use of the |
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| Thermae Spa Visitor Centre at the Hetling Room, a historic ex – pump room at 1 Hetling Court, Bath. Bath Spa University and Bath University – several students including Heritage Management MA students have undertaken placements and project working with the Museum. |
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| Valuation and Insurance of the Museum Collection |
A valuer from the Bristol Auction Rooms assessed the collection in July 2019 and provided a report to trustees. The valuation report was the basis of the application for insurance cover to the Ecclesiastical Insurance company. A policy in relation to the collection was agreed with that company in October 2019 and remained in place throughout 2024.Trustees agreed that insurance costs should be reduced by the transfer of a range of valuable items to the RUH (Bath) Foundation Trust for storage or display elsewhere. |
| Banking | The Museum completed the process to achieve a change of bank in 2024 in order to significantly improve customer service to the charity. |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Bath Medical Museum |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | None |
| Registered charity number | 1176084 |
| Charity’s principal address | c/o 2 Southbourne Gardens, BATH BA1 6LZ |
| Premises address | 1, Hetling Court, Bath BA1 1SJ |
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Names of the charity trustees who managed the charity in 2024
| Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Roger Rolls | Chair | The Trustee Board appoints all trustees. |
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| Dr Bruno Bubna - Kasteliz |
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| Kate Lane | Resigned as a trustee with effect from 9th October 2024. |
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| Karen Espinosa | Appointed as a trustee with effect from 30th November 2024. |
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| James Hunt | Appointed as a trustee with effect from 30th November 2024. |
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| Cheryl Cecilia Lui | |||
| Richard Meunier | Resigned as a trustee with effect from 9th October 2024. |
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| Irene Prentice | |||
| Paul Thomas | |||
| Dr Linda Watts | Secretary |
Corporate trustees – names of the directors at the date on which this Annual Report was approved
| Director name | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Lewis Rolls | Chair | ||
| Linda Anne Watts | Secretary | ||
| Bruno Bubna – Kasteliz | |||
| Karen Espinosa | |||
| James Hunt | |||
| Cheryl Cecilia Lui | |||
| Irene Prentice | |||
| Paul Thomas |
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Additional information
Names of advisers
| Type of adviser |
Name Address |
Name Address |
|---|---|---|
| Fund Raiser | Kate Lane | Kate Lane resigned as a paid fund raiser for BMM with effect from 31stJanuary 2024. |
| Financial Adviser/ Accountant |
Kylie Doell | Unpaid professional adviser. |
| Web Design | Lee Scott | Paid professional adviser whose role was subject to review in late 2024. |
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members
Not applicable.
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s) Linda Watts
Full name(s) Dr Linda Anne Watts
Position (eg Secretary to the Trustee Board Secretary, Chair, etc)
Date 6[th] September 2025
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Charity Name No (if any) Bath Medical Museum 1176084 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a Period start Period end date For the period from d t To 01-Jan-24 31-Dec-24 Note 1
Section A Receipts and payments
----- Start of picture text -----
Restricted Endowment
Unrestricted funds Total funds Last year
funds funds
to the
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
nearest £
A1 Receipts
Donations, legacies and grants 3,236 - - 3,236 738
Members’ subscriptions - - - - -
Fundraising activities 9 - - 9 49
Activities for generating funds (trading) 15 - - 15 54
HMRC Gift Aid receipt - - - - -
Lectures 210 - - 210 175
Lloyds account - - - 8,000
- - - - -
3,470 - - 3,470 9,016
Sub total (Gross income for AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 3,470 - - 3,470 9,016
A3 Payments
Printing, postage, stationery and computer
supplies - - - - 20
Fundraising costs (trading activities) 300 - - 300 2,148
Membership & Associations 71 - - 71 150
Exhibition Expenses 2,169 - - 2,169 -
3D Min Model - -
Operating Costs 550 - - 550 4,470
E-mail/Internet 464 - - 464 382
Insurance 653 - - 653 320
Other - - - 646
Trustee Meeting Expenses 125 - - 125 125
Restoration costs - - - - 140
Lloyds account - 8,000
Sub total [ 4,332 ] - - 4,332 16,401
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
Total payments 4,332 - - 4,332 16,401
Net of receipts/(payments) - 862 - - - 862 - 7,385
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 7,744 - - 7,744 15,129
Cash funds this year end 6,882 - - 6,882 7,744
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| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - OK Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - - - - - When due (optional) Note 3 Date of approval |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B3 Investment assets B5 Liabilities |
Bank Account - Lloyds BMM Bank Account - Barclays Bank Account - Lloyds (Roger) Petty cash float Details (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Total cash funds Details Details Display cabinets Display boards (22/1/2024) Exhibition plinths (9/5/2024) Chairs (23/9/2024) Details Website Maintenance Nov/Dec 2024 Signature |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - 6,882 - - 6,882 - OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - 296 1,718 110 - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) 100 - Print Name |
Restricted funds to nearest £ - - - |
|
| - | ||||
| OK |
Notes to the accounts
Note 1
Bath Medical Museum is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered with the Charities
Note 2
The accounts have been prepared on a Receipts and payments basis using a template provided by the Charities Commission. This is a recommended template and not a reporting requirement.
Note 3
Liabilities consist of costs incurred during the financial year for which payment was not made prior to 31 Dec 2024