Winchcombe Archive Collection Trust Queen Anne House High Street Winchcombe Gloucestershire GL54 5LJ T : 01242 602 319 W : www.winchcombearchivecollection.wordpress.com E : johnedgeler@gmail.com
A Charitable Incorporated organisation, Registered charity no: 1186295
A Museum of Rural Art & Crafts
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR PERIOD TO 1[ST] APRIL 2021
Background summary
Following the granting of our charitable status in November 2019, we had plans for one major Summer 2020 show for May and June, and a smaller exhibition in the Autumn. In practice, with the imposition of Covid lockdown early in 2020, our activities were severely curtailed, with visitor numbers around 50% down for our Summer event. Our subsequent Autumn exhibition, planned to run for approximately six weeks, had to close after a fortnight. Aside from pre-booked visits outside of these exhibitions, we were formally open to the public for 72 days in the period concerned.
Mid Century Romanticism
This exhibition of post WW2 art, ceramics, textiles and mid-century modern furniture and artefacts, was primarily a loan exhibition as the material concerned was outside the established scope of our Trust collections.
It opened to the public some two months later than we had planned on Saturday 4[th] July 2020 and then ran until Saturday 12[th] September 2020. Visitor numbers were materially down on expectations, totalling 150. We in particular noted that few of our supporters living outside the Cotswolds area chose to travel to see us in Winchcombe, we presume showing a reticence based on concerns regarding longer distance trips in the light of the continuing risk of Covid transmission. This may in part also reflect the relatively older age range of our regulars.
Romantic Landscapes
This smaller show of Romantic art, comprising primarily of etchings and engravings together with some watercolours and oil paintings was based primarily around our permanent collection, complemented by some items on long term loan from a local private source. We normally hold our Autumn event here for approximately 6 weeks, from late October through to the end of November, but had to postpone the opening until Saturday 5[th] December, then being obliged to close in the run up to Christmas due to the subsequent reimposition of Covid lockdowns after the festive season.
Other issues affecting the Trust
New bank account: The Covid lockdown had a very material effect in 2020 on the ability of all Charities to open new bank accounts with the national Clearers. We initially applied for an account with Natwest, but our online application ultimately became lost in their systems. When we discovered what had happened and re-applied, we were then declined the opportunity, and by that stage all the other clearers had similarly placed a moratorium on all such accounts. We did ultimately manage to locate the Charities Aid Foundation bank (CAF Bank) who remained willing to open such accounts, although this was after the current year end.
Gift Aid status: we could only apply for this once we had established banking for the Trust, so this was also further delayed, being granted in Summer 2021 by HMRC.
Friends of our Trust: similarly, since Gift Aid qualification is a material consideration in launching such a structure, this was similarly delayed.
Closing remarks:
2020-2021 proved a very challenging time for our new Charitable Trust, with our plans and ambitions materially affected by the same issues that applied nationally across the board. In addition, due to our small size and specialised regional remit, we fell outside the parameters for national grant support. We hope for a more promising year in 2022, when a substantial ceramics exhibition is planned.
Winchcombe Archive Collection Trust Queen Anne House High Street Winchcombe Gloucestershire GL54 5LJ T : 01242 602 319 W : www.winchcombearchivecollection.wordpress.com E : johnedgeler@gmail.com
A Charitable Incorporated organisation, Registered charity no: 1186295
A Museum of Rural Art & Crafts
Winchcombe Archive Collection Trust
Receipts and Payments for the period to 1[st] April 2021
On the receipts side, our Trust was only open for short periods due to the restrictions caused by Covid lockdowns and we do not charge for entry to shows and exhibitions. In addition, due to delays in opening bank accounts for our Trust (see Annual Report), we were not able to launch our Friends organisation until later in 2021, so no annual or life subscriptions were received. We were however given generous voluntary donations from visitors to our Summer 2020 Mid Century Romanticism exhibition.
On the payments side, due to our internal agreement with the owner of Queen Anne House where our permanent collections and temporary exhibitions are housed, no payments were due either for the use of the premises or the time and related costs entailed in the curation of events.
Receipts
Mid Century Romanticism Exhibition donations £400
Payments
£NIL
Net Income for the Trust
£400