Recelpts and Payments
Accounts ending 31 December.
HIGHER MILL MUSEUM TRUST
Re8iStered Charity no.1179086
IPreviously no.2546601
Year
alances BIF l January 2023
Natwest Bank Current Account
BusinÈs5 ReseTve Aaccount
Skipton Buildlng Society Charities Account145 days notice)
Cash in Hand
Total galances BIF
Re
ank Interest
5klpton Buildin8 Society Interest
Stall at Summer fayre
Stall at Christmas Fayre
Visitor Guide 8¢)oks purchased by LCC Museums Service
Social Enterprise Academy Awards Isustainability projertl
Total General RÈceipts
2023
2022
2454.72
12109.78
17473.55
0.00
32038.05
14802.83
5.26
17327.99
0.00
32136.08
255.84
438.59
75.00
185.00
300.00
11200.00
12454.43
2.16
145.56
10
12
137.36
14
0.00
285.08
16
17
18
Payments
Associa￿On of British Transport &En¥lneerln8 Museurns-mombershlp
British Associafjon for Local History- Membership & Insurance 2024
A.l.M. Membershlp Subscriptions 12023120241
Freeola Igèt dotted) Domain renewal - 2 years to 2510112025
2 members attending Soclal Enterprise Acaderny Awards Conference
CMason- New Web Site design-lsustainability Project)
Printin8 Vi51tor ISO Guide5-lattributablè to Sustainability Project)
Printing Promorional Products- Notelets (Sustainability proijectl
total expenditurefor year
12.00
75.00
68.00
0.00
loo.00
2000.00
155.00
132.00
2542.00
150.00
65.00
13.11
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
0.00
155.00
383.11
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
Surplus/DeAlclt- Recepts/Poymentsftir the yeur
9912.43
-98.03
Total A$sets as at 31 December 2023
41950.48
32038.05
Total Assets Répresented by Funds held at Banks and Cash In hand:
Natwest Bank Current Account
Business Reserve Account
Skipton Building Soclety Charities Account 145 dèvs notice)
Cash in Hand
Total A5sets- as at 31 De¢ember 2023.
Induded infvnds held ure urJ5pent Grunt monles..
Cotton Industry Wt7rMgmorit71 Trust
41950.48
0.00
2454.72
12109.78
17473.55
o.oo
32038.05
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
419SO.48
5902.65
5902.65
Accounts prepared
y &.W. Essex l Hon Treasurer)
AudFted 8nd fo
A. Marriott
orrert:
45
46
47
48
49
Date

CHARITY COMM15510N
FOR ENGLAND AND WAIES
Independent examinorfs report on the
accounts
Section A
Independent Examlner's Report
Reportto thè trustee$
Ch£llty Name
1-11&14iR rtILL
L)Siu
RKJST
On aoeounts Igr the y•ar
ended
3I.11.LoL3
Set out on pao•S
CharFty no
111 any)
IreThembei 10 In(atsdE Iho paue numberg 018dditsDn¥l sketsl
I report lo the tru8lee8 on my 8xamination oftha accounts ol the abova
tharity lyhe TTUSVI lorthè year ended DD I MM IYYYY.
II IL LOL3
the ¢harity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the
account8 in 8ccordance wlh the requiremgnl8 oflhe Charities 2011
l.the Acri.
Rèsponslbilitles #nd basls
of report
I report in resp8c* of my examination ol the Trust's accounts earried out
undar 8e¢tFon 145 01 the 2011 Act and in Gqrrylng out my examlnation, I
havè followed all the applieable Directions given by th& Charity
Commi$8ion under section 14515llbl of the ACL
Indep•nd•nt •xamln•rfs
sl•t•m•nt
me
Qlapth￿Yjl. D￿018 I l ifnot applicablo.
I have complÈted my examinafjon. I confimi that no material matters
have come to my attention in conn8Ction wbth tha èxamination lolher
than that disd08ed below l ￿[Ch gives ma to believe that in,
any material respect..
• the accounting records wer6 not kept in aceordance wlh sectton
130 ofthe char￿86 Act or
• the accounts dKI not a¢cord wth thg accounting recor¢J8.' or
the accounts did not comply with tha 8pplicable requirgments
Concerning the form and conlenl ol accounts set oui in thè
Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 othèr than
any requirement that the accounts giva a 'lrue and fair, view
which is not a mattér considered 88 part of an indepgndernt
examination.
I have no concerns and have come acmss no other matters In
connection wf(h th8 examination to which attention should be draw
in this report in order to enable a proper understandlng Of the
account8 to be reached.
in tha br8¢k&is rfthey do not epply.
' Pl&as8 delete thg wor
81gn•d.'
Datè:
Name:
(LLIG
Relevant professlonol
quaiificatlonlsl or body Ilf
any):

Addr055:
(Live
8ectlon B
Ois¢losure
Only complete rf the examiner naeds to highlight material matters of
concem (see CC32, Independèrt ￿arnination ol charity accounts..
dlrèctlon8 and guidance for examinèr$l.
GFvè here brief detalls ol
any It•ms that the
•xamlngr wishes to

Higher Mill Museum Trust
Annual General Meeting 21" Feb 2024
Annual Report for year ending 31st December 2023
November 2022 brought significant news, it stated that the proposals put forward by NT, would not
be taken up. Instead, County Museums would continue to be operated by the LCC Museum Service.
with some of NT'S best proposals being acted upon, a5 far as funding will permit.
This meant that we are no longer in limbo, marking time, and waiting for the future to be clarified. It
is now time to look ahead, planning and working towards the improvement of Higher Mill. The state
of the mill and its water wheel has continued to cause serious concern. It 15 now more essential than
ever that co-operation between Trust and Museum Service should be strengthened. Hopefully, by
working together we will see the waterwheel operating again and re-create more guided tours.
To this end, the formation of a Joint Planning Group was finalised in November this year, and the
formal Memorandum of Understanding has recently been signed and is in place.
In February, the year started with an invitation to the Friends Annual Lunch. This is always a special
occasion. It provides an opportunity to share time with like-minded colleagues and we thank the
Friends for their hospitality.
Although the Trustees support the Alternative Energy Project, it is sadly outside the immediate scope
of the Trust. Whi15t the long-term future of the Trust was in doubt, progress was on hold, but
hopefully a partner organisation can be found, to take on the lead role in the future.
The Lineshaft Project involves the reinstatement of the fulling room line5haft, and its reconnection
to a repaired waterwheel. We received three proposals, for the repair and replacement work. And
we are in discussions with Nigel Spender. a nationally recognised expert on waterwheels. This
restoration must be the priority for the future. Returning the mill to a working museum cannot
proceed without this essential power source.
Restoration and improvement of the educational waterwheel model was placed in the hands of a
skilled model engineer. When he retired and moved away our Treasurer acted swiftly to secure its
safe return. However, this mean5 that the model's upgrading is again 'back to square one,.
Our Secretary, achieved success in his dealings with The Land Registry. The exact perimeter of Trust
land across the fresh water ponds has now been clarified. However legal access to the railway arches
is proving much more difficult to finalise.
The Trust ha5 never enjoyed its own revenue stream l Running and administration costs are funded
from our own diminishing reserves. Work to rectify this omission, through the establishment of a
simple sustainability fund is underway. Initially we are retailing prints, notelets and guide books. To
kick start our fund, we took part in the Friend's Annual Summer and Christmas Fairs and made small
profits. The 'startup' costs being met by a grant received from Peter and lan's success in the "Steps
to Sustainabilitrf, training course. It is also proposed to include reproductions of the "2 dimensional" in-
house exhibits in the project and a few samples have been selected for further investigation.

lan and Peter are to be congratulated on completing the "Steps to Sustainability" training course,
and gaining the full grant of £10,000
The principal object of the grant IS to create a new high grade interactive website with portals for
news, future plans, events and fund raising. The website will publicise major improvements to Higher
Mill and create greater public interest. It will, we trust, attract financial support through donations
etc. The award was suppSemented by a small additional grant of £1200, towards the cost of temporary repairs
to the wateNheel support 'spiderf - so that it could be used during filmin8 of the website. Work has been
carried out with a website designer, copy writer and a specialist static and drone photographer.
Thanks to these steps we are close to completion of the website and on our way to greater security.
We continue to enjoy full Accredited Museum Status, and the Trust retains contact with the outside
world through its membership of the British Association for Local History, Assoc. of British
Engineering and Transport Museums and the Association of Independent Museums. We also
continue to enjoy the valued c105e co-operation with Friends of Helm5hore Textile Museums and
with the Industrial Archeology Network (through our Honorary Curatorl also continues.
As we enter a new year, positive steps are being taken to recruit additional trustees. Hilary Barnard,
an AIM Consultant, has helped to create a comprehensive recruitment pack. He is now working with
us to successfully place it before a wider range of potential candidates than we alone could achieve.
I cannot finish this Annual Report without mentioning Mr Ronald Howell who in September
announced his retirement as our Honorary Treasurer. Ron's health has not been good in recent years
and he has wisely decided to move nearer to his daughter in Nottingham. He has not only been our
dedicated, meticulous Treasurer for more than 35 years but has been a deeply loyal trustee. He is
held in great affection by all his colleagues who wish him great happiness in his new home.
We are pleased to announce that Mr Brian Essex has voluntarily taken on this all-important role. Not
only has he already Buided us through the traumatic, time consuming and excruciatingly frustrating
task of opening two new business bank accounts (due to our changed status as a Charitable
Incorporated Origination) but also closing our ordinary accounts with Skipton and Natwest banks.
Finally, l offer my personal special thanks for the patience, constant support and friendship of the
Trust officers and committee. To me, it has been deeply moving. My sincere thanks for their help and
guidance are also extended to the staff of the LCC Museum Service. Thank you all.
In closing I must add that this is my last Annual Report. At the forthcoming Annual General Meeting
I shall step down from my role as Chairman of Trustees. I have been a supporter of the Helmshore
Museums for over thirty years and a Higher Mill Trustee for twenty-one of them. It has been
enormously enjoyable. Of course, there have been disappointments and frustrations but there have
also been some good times. It has been a wonderful privilege to have the help and support of such a
warm-hearted dedicated team. My only sadness is that our dear old mill is now in sad decline and its
condition deteriorates more each passing year, but I shall continue to support it, in any way I can, for
as long as I can.
Bernard R05tron
th
5 February 2024