**Registered Charity Number: 1185086**
## **THE WEARDALE MUSEUM**
**ACCOUNTS**
**FOR THE YEAR ENDED**
**28 FEBRUARY 2021**
## **THE WEARDALE MUSEUM**
## **Charity Details**
## **Charitable Incorporated Organisation**
## **Registered Charity Number: 1185086**
## **Charity Trustees**
Mrs Philippa Rowe (Finance Director) Ms Zelda Heney (Secretary) Mrs Katharine Heatherington (Treasurer) Mrs Jean Heatherington Mrs Kathleen Gill Mrs Rachel Swaffield Mr John Norman Mr Norman O’Riley (Resigned October 2020) Mr Kenneth Heatherington Mr Allan Percival Mrs Anita Atkinson Mr Andrew Pidd Rev Eion Buchanon
## **Address**
The Weardale Museum The Hotts Ireshopeburn Weardale Co Durham DL13 1HD
## **Bankers**
Unity Trust Bank PO Box 7193 Planetary Road Willenhall WV1 9DG
## **Accountants**
Allen Sykes Chartered Accountants Unit B4 The Dales Centre Stanhope Co Durham DL13 2FJ
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## **THE WEARDALE MUSEUM**
## **TRUSTEES REPORT**
## **Structure, governance and management**
The Weardale Museum is governed by a CIO-Association dated 29[th] August 2019. Charitable status was granted on 29[th] August 2019 to continue the objectives of the previous charity.
The Trustees are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the charity including deciding on how the funds of The Weardale Museum are to be spent.
## **Aims and purposes**
We are a small independent folk museum run by volunteers for the past 35 years and located at the High House Methodist Chapel. We provide a sense of place for those who live in and visit Weardale by telling the stories of its history and heritage. We provide a family history service using our 70,000 database of Weardale families and we hold extensive collections of Weardale photographs and artefacts.
## **Objectives and Activities**
The advancement of public education by the provision of a museum comprising any items or exhibits which may from time to time be purchased on behalf of or donated to the museum which may be deemed worthy of public display (which items or exhibits are hereinafter called “the collection”.
## **Achievements and Performance**
As 2019 progressed the Trustees and their Task Teams added more flesh to the bones of the Development Project; potential funders were identified and some applications submitted.
External funding made possible the engagement of four Consultants to assist in further progressing our work. One focuses on Community Development, particularly in the Heritage sector; another has introduced IT and management systems plus two websites; the third was a Design Consultant with conservation and planning experience who lives just five minutes from the Chapel and the fourth is the Head Broderer at Durham Cathedral who acts as Technical Adviser for the “Methodist Tapestry” project. for which we have also engaged a Coordinator. They have all proved invaluable and continuing funding streams make it possible to continue their engagement.
Purchasing the Chapel proved, as expected, a slow process but across most of the areas we were making good progress, until Covid-19 made its presence known and from late March, “lockdowns” were imposed and any progress became laborious.
Potential funders cancelled their routine grants, focussing all attention (and monies) on Covid-19 emergency measures. Many of the professionals, contractors, Local Authority officers were furloughed, including solicitors handling the sale and our purchase of the Chapel
As the majority of our Stewards are vulnerable through age or were identified as “shielded”, this led the Trustees to determine the Museum would not open in 2020. Plans for our exciting and extended programmes and activities ceased overnight.
Purchase of the Chapel was eventually completed on 30[th] June, primarily through the efforts of our Patron. Embracing digital technology became imperative, not least for museums, and we have worked to create a virtual museum.
Despite the challenges, we did raise some Heritage Emergency, Cultural Recovery and other funds which permitted some internal exploration and restoration works. The pandemic has made our work more difficult but we continue to
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make positive progress and having gained Listed Building Consent and we now hope to achieve Planning Approval in the coming weeks (eventually May 2021).
We benefit greatly from the skills and enthusiasm of the Trustees, members of our Task Teams, our growing team of professionals and many Members and Friends of the Museum
## **Our Visitors**
Detailed plans for an exciting 2020 programme were made. In a collaboration with Beamish and the North East Land Sea & Air Museums we had planned a weekend of activities to commemorate VJ Day. Our “Heritage in the Dale” visits to Village Halls were to be expanded and we planned to exhibit at each of the Weardale Agricultural Shows and so much more.
Visitor numbers to the museum were considerably down on previous years. This may be partly down to uncertainty about the current status of the museum and chapel, the general perception being that the whole property was closed. Changes within the organisation have also impacted upon our operation.
## **Trustees**
The Museum’s Friends elect from their membership Trustees who are prepared to give up a little of their time to help manage the Museum and make decisions on behalf of the members. Trustees play a valuable role and we thank them for making the commitment.
## **Interpretation and Display**
## Outreach Exhibition in Rookhope, Wolsingham and Stanhope
Following on from successful outreach projects in 2018 the Museum participated in exhibitions of old photographs in Wolsingham (May), Rookhope (June) and Stanhope Church (August).
## Digital Voices
In September the Museum took part in a project with Digital Voices to record people’s memories of Weardale before 1970. Using old photographs from the museum’s collection, people were brought together in Stanhope Community Centre to relate their memories and experiences. Later, pupils from Stanhope Barrington School were trained to film and interview some of the participants with the project culminating in a 20-minute film to be launched in March 2020. The Museum hopes to take this project further in the near future.
## Methodist Tapestry
The concept of creating a series of embroidered panels to tell the story of Methodism arose from the need to have a flagship feature to attract a wide audience which would sustain the overall project. Fifteen drawings telling the story of High House Chapel have been created to explain the concept, in the first case, and later the project will be rolled out to interested parties across the country and beyond to create up to 100 panels. (see our Facebook pages “Weardale Museum” and “Methodist Tapestries Collection”)
## Genealogy
The Museum continues to develop its genealogy resources which have resulted in many visits both to the Museum and to the website. We again wish to acknowledge and thank Mr John Backhouse whose research of the census for Stanhope Parish has enabled the rest of this work to be undertaken. The Trustees also wish to thank Ken Heatherington and Eric Draper whose enthusiasm and hard work have built a superb genealogy resource to enable many family history researchers from around the world to trace their ancestors. Ken and Eric’s work has profited the Museum with many
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donations. Helping to deliver our Family History service are Kate Gill and Les Blackett and we have recently welcomed Aaron Cowen who will be transcribing documents.
## **Resilience & Continuity**
As we drew near to the end of our financial year (28[th] February) it became clear that the Corvid-19 virus demanded drastic actions. This proved an abrupt end to some exciting plans, resulting in the decisions such as not to open the Museum for the foreseeable future; to abandon various special events planned for 2020 and that meetings of Trustees and Task Teams would be online only. To maintain a “museum presence” we will increase our use of social media to offer a virtual museum experience plus an online shop. Planning for our future development will continue, including the Methodist Tapestry.
## **Financial review**
During the period total unrestricted receipts were £28,768 (2020: £9,565). For the year ended 29 February 2021 we had an unrestricted surplus of £3,453 (2020: surplus of £3,770) leaving unrestricted reserves at the year-end of £39,004 (2020: £35,551).
## **Reserves Policy**
It is the Management Committee’s policy to maintain a balance on unrestricted funds which equates to at least six months unrestricted payments, equivalent to £10,000, to cover emergency situations that arise from time to time. Reserves held in excess of this requirement will be used for community projects.
**THE WEARDALE MUSEUM THE HOTTS IRESHOPEBURN BISHOP AUCKLAND CO DURHAM DL13 1HD**
## **Signed By:**
**Ms Z Heney Secretary**
**Dated: 7[th] July 2021**
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## **THE WEARDALE MUSEUM**
## **Financial Statements for the Year Ended 28 February 2021**
|**Unrestricted**
Notes
**Funds**
**RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
**£**
**Receipts**
Transfer of Funds from unincorporated charity
-
Voluntary receipts
Donations
4,884
Grants: Sir James Knott Trust
-
Covid business grants
20,542
AH Cultural Recovery Fund
-
NE LEP Kick Start Fund
-
The Willan Trust
-
The Radcliffe Trust
-
The People’s Postcode
-
The Priestman Trust
-
Heritage Emergency Fund
-
O N Organ Trust
-
The Barbour Foundation
-
Durham Digital
-
Activities for generating funds
Admissions
-
Family history donations
1,125
Book sales
1,580
Interest received
120
Sundry income
517
28,768|**Unrestricted**
Notes
**Funds**
**RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
**£**
**Receipts**
Transfer of Funds from unincorporated charity
-
Voluntary receipts
Donations
4,884
Grants: Sir James Knott Trust
-
Covid business grants
20,542
AH Cultural Recovery Fund
-
NE LEP Kick Start Fund
-
The Willan Trust
-
The Radcliffe Trust
-
The People’s Postcode
-
The Priestman Trust
-
Heritage Emergency Fund
-
O N Organ Trust
-
The Barbour Foundation
-
Durham Digital
-
Activities for generating funds
Admissions
-
Family history donations
1,125
Book sales
1,580
Interest received
120
Sundry income
517
28,768|**Restricted**
**Total**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
**£**
-
-
36,501
3,921
8,805
7,134
-
-
2,000
-
20,542
-
9,450
9,450
-
2,920
2,920
-
8,050
8,050
-
2,000
2,000
-
15,785
15,785
-
8,000
8,000
-
45,000
45,000
-
1,200
1,200
-
2,000
2,000
-
1,500
1,500
-
-
-
627
-
1,125
1,054
-
1,580
-
-
120
76
-
517
674
99,826 128,594
48,066|
|---|---|---|
||28,768||
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## **THE WEARDALE MUSEUM**
## **Financial Statements for the Year Ended 28 February 2021**
|Notes
**Brought forward**
**Payments**
Costs of generating funds
3a
Costs of charitable activities
3b
Building improvements
Fixtures and equipment
**Net Receipts/Payments before transfers**
**Transfers**
Bank accounts as at 29 February 2020
Bank accounts as at 28 February 2021|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
28,768
(2,316)
(10,986)
(8,953)
(3,060)
(25,315)
3,453
-
35,551
39,004|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
28,768
(2,316)
(10,986)
(8,953)
(3,060)
(25,315)
3,453
-
35,551
39,004|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
28,768
(2,316)
(10,986)
(8,953)
(3,060)
(25,315)
3,453
-
35,551
39,004|**Restricted**
**Total**
**Total**
**2021**
**2020**
99,826 128,594
48,066
(216) (2,532) (4,186)
(39,631) (50,617) (3,818)
(26,250) (35,203) -
-(3,060)-
(66,097) (91,412)
(8,004)
33,729 37,182
40,062
-
-
-
4,511
40,062
-
38,240
77,244
40,062|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||
||||
|||
(25,315)
3,453
-
35,551
39,004|||
||||35,551
39,004||
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## **THE WEARDALE MUSEUM**
## **Financial Statements for the Period Ended 28 February 2021**
|**STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES**
Cash Funds
National Savings
Unity Trust Bank
Unity Trust Bank A/c 2
Assets retained for charitable use
Leasehold improvement (Cost)
Fixtures and equipment|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
10,465
28,539
-
39,004
8,953
3,060
12,013|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
10,465
28,539
-
39,004
8,953
3,060
12,013|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
10,465
28,539
-
39,004
8,953
3,060
12,013|**Restricted**
**Total**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
**£**
-
10,465
15,345
10,251
38,790
24,717
27,989
27,989
-
38,240
77,244
40,062
26,250
35,203
-
-
3,060
-
26,250
38,263
-|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||
||||
|||
|39,004
8,953
3,060||
||||12,013||
Assets retained for charitable use include a collection of gemstones acquired for £7,500 payable in two instalments. The first instalment of £3,750 was paid for during the year to February 2020 and the second instalment of £3,750 is payable in February 2022.
The attached notes form part of these financial statements
Approved by the Management Committee on 7[th] July 2021 and signed on their behalf by
Mr A Percival
Mrs P Rowe
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## **THE WEARDALE MUSEUM**
## **Financial Statements for the Year Ended 28 February 2021**
## NOTES
- **1** The financial statements have been prepared in accordance the Charities Act 2011 using the receipts and payments basis.
- **2** The movements in restricted funds during the year were:
|Durham County Council
Sir James Knott Trust
Organ Appeal
AH Cultural Recovery Fund
NE LEP Kick Start Fund
The Willan Trust
The Radcliffe Trust
The People’s Postcode
The Priestman Trust
Heritage Emergency Fund
O N Organ Trust
The Barbour Foundation
Durham Digital|**Bal**
**B/fwd**
4,070
441
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4,511|**Receipts**
-
-
3,921
9,450
2,920
8,050
2,000
15,785
8,000
45,000
1,200
2,000
1,500|**Payments**
(4,070)
(441)
(716)
(9,450)
(2,920)
-
-
-
-
(45,000)
-
(2,000)
(1,500)|**Bal**
**Transfers**
**C/fwd**
-
-
-
-
-
3,205
-
-
-
-
-
8,050
-
2,000
-
15,785
-
8,000
-
-
-
1,200
-
-
-
-
-
38,240|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||
99,826|
(66,097)||
The Co Durham Community Foundation grant is to provide website and IT capability, marketing and branding and to fund a new tapestry project which will be exhibited in the museum. This grant was transferred from the unincorporated charity.
The Sir James Knott Charitable Trust grant is to provide the professional services of a design technician and civil engineer in the conversion of the chapel into a museum.
The Organ Appeal was a crowd funding appeal for costs towards the restoration of the organ.
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The AHT Cultural Recovery Fund funded the engagement of Consultants and a major Community Consultation Survey in partnership with The Audience Agency.
The NE LEP Kick Start Fund enabled the commissioning of the Museum & Heritage Centre Design proposals.
The Willan Trust supported both the cost of materials and salaries for the Methodist Tapestries project.
The Radcliffe Trust supported the purchase of materials for the Methodist Tapestries project.
The People’s postcode provided funds for the installation of a solar voltaic system.
The Priestman Trust contributed 50% towards the cost of the Vincent Organ restoration.
The Heritage Emergency Fund funded urgent works to the South West corner of the Chapel and exploration works throughout the Chapel to ascertain the extent of dampness along with costs of new websites and the production of three films.
O N Organ Trust contributed towards the cost of the Vincent Organ restoration project.
The Barbour Foundation contributed towards the engagement of Consultants.
Durham Digital provided in kind support for the “Digital Durham” project.
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## **THE WEARDALE MUSEUM**
## **Financial Statements for the Year Ended 28 February 2021**
|**3 Receipts and Payments analysis**
**a**Costs of generating funds
Museum expenses
**b**Charitable activities
Office expenses and telephone
Insurance
Rent
Light and heat
Training and sundry expenses
Professional fees
Repairs, maintenance and consumables|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
2,316
2,316
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
950
6,647
-
2,900
191
-
298
10,986|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
2,316
2,316
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
950
6,647
-
2,900
191
-
298
10,986|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
216
|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
216
|**Total**
**2021**
**£**
2,532
|**Total**
**2020**
**£**
4,186
4,186
**Total**
**2020**
**£**
278
-
-
1,153
126
1,890
371
3,818|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||||
|||||216
|2,532
||
||||**Restricted**
**Total**
**Funds**
**2021**
**£**
**£**
-
950
-
6,647
-
-
-
2,900
-
191
39,070
39,070
561
859||||
||||||||
|||10,986|39,631
50,617
||||
## **4 Trustees Expenses**
The Trustees have not received any remuneration or expenses during the year.
## **5 Liability of Members**
If the CIO is wound up, the members of the CIO have no liability to contribute to its assets and no personal responsibility for settling its debts and liabilities.
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## **THE WEARDALE MUSEUM**
## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of The Weardale Museum**
## **YEAR ENDED 28 FEBRUARY 2021**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity for the year ended 28 February 2021 which are set out on pages 4 to 10.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity 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 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 gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
- Accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
- The accounts do not accord with the accounting records
- 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 order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Mr Philip Lamb FCA Allen Sykes Limited Unit B4 The Dales Centre Castle Gardens Stanhope Bishop Auckland Co Durham
Dated 7[th] July 2021
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