Winchcombe Archive Collection Trust Trustees Annual Report for the year 2 April 2023 to 1 April 2024
Exhibitions
As reported last year the death of our founder, John Edgeler, has curtailed activities however we trialled some openings in the year. These included two successful weekends with a special exhibition celebrating John’s legacy.
The first opening was for three days, 23-25 June, for Winchcombe Arts Trail linking in to the Trail’s publicity and marketing and we were delighted to have 116 visitors. There were a further two days, 17 and 18 November, for Winchcombe’s Christmas Festival, attracting 51 visitors. We also tried Monday openings on three Mondays in December, not as successful, with 15 visitors.
The exhibition showed highlights from the collection of historic Winchcombe Pottery and rural art and craft, and featured some of John’s projects and the potters he supported, including work by Clive Bowen, Margaret Brampton, Kevin de Choisy, John Hudson and Nigel Lambert. There was some pottery and pictures for sale, and John’s publications. The sale of old stock included pottery generously donated by Andrew McGarva, Philip Wood, and one of our Trustees.
Other activities
Our website was updated to reflect John’s death and to promote our current activities which saw an increase in website visitors. A buffet lunch was held on 19 November for Friends, who had signed up to our Friends scheme before John’s death, and other supporters, to update them on our activity and plans for the future. We are beginning to welcome groups and individuals to look at the collection when not open for an exhibition, including pottery in the study collection, and had two such visits in February and March 2024.
In July 2023 we took on Guy Warner, local gallery owner and artist, as a tenant, to live on the upper floors of the building and initially to act in a caretaker role. In February we agreed to offer Guy a freelance fee to curate the summer exhibition and to pay him an hourly rate for admin work for us (on the volunteer rota, mailing list, marketing including social media, and sales of work by invited potters). This was followed by training sessions for him on the Trust, collections and Trustees role.
Planning a sustainable future
Over the year we took advice from a range of people about the long-term viability of our plans. We were keen to see how John’s vision of a live-in curator might work, but were also concerned about the long-term sustainability of running the house/gallery (especially the financial viability given the potential high cost of maintaining a period property). We were also unsure how viable the venture was in terms of visitor numbers/visitor pull. Advice received included from Lucy McCall, a freelance arts and culture consultant and Richard Paice and John Evetts, who have experience in running museums and heritage buildings. We concluded that we needed to test out gallery opening, in particular our expectations of visitor numbers and the viability of running openings stewarded by volunteers. We will report results in next year’s return but these are looking promising and we have reached 61 days opening by the end of December. We also commissioned a building survey in February which has given us the information we need about the future priorities and likely costs for maintaining our building.
Trustees
Andrew Davies, who joined the Trust in February 2022 sadly died on 15 July 2023. We are immensely grateful for Andrew's creative and passionate contributions; he also made a series of films for us capturing beautifully John's knowledge and deep passion for all things pots. We intend to edit and show these in future openings.
Winchcombe Archive Collection Trust, Queen Anne House, High Street, Winchcombe GL54 5LJ A Charitable Incorporated Organisation, registered charity number: 1186295
1
A Charitable Incorporated organisation, Registered charity no: 1186295
Winchcombe Archive Collection Trust Queen Anne House High Street Winchcombe Gloucestershire GL54 5LJ T : 01242 602 319 W : www.winchcombearchivecollection.wordpress.com
A Museum of Rural Art & Crafts
Winchcombe Archive Collection Trust
Income and Expenditure for the period 2nd April 2023 to 1[st] April 2024
In this reporting period, the trustees’ main efforts continued to focus on assessing the items in the collection to identify those that would form the core of the collection and disposing of those not required, primarily by auction. Following a structural survey of the property, work was begun to renovate and improve the premises for public use.
The major elements of Income and Expenditure are shown below. The large surplus in this FY year is exceptional and unlikely to be repeated as disposals reduce. The intention is to hold this as a fund for capital works on the property.
| Total Income | £41,869.19 |
|---|---|
| Auctionsales | £32,445.34 |
| Individualsales | £2,144.00 |
| Rental Income | £5,200.00 |
| Other | £2,079.85 |
| Total Expenditure | £10,104.09 |
|---|---|
| BuildingMaintenance | £3,461.70 |
| Insurance | £2,773.55 |
| Utilities | £1,487.89 |
| Minor repairs andcleaning | £761.47 |
| Other | £1,619.48 |
| Surplus Income/Expenditure |
£31,765.10 |
Independent examlnerfs report to the truste of Wlnchcombe Archlve Collectlon Trust. (Charlty numb8r 1186295). I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year end1 Ilt April 2024, which are set out c the attached accounts. Respective responsibilities of trustees and examlner The charity's trustees are rèsponsiblè for the pr8paralion of th8 accounts. The charity's trustees consider thal an audil is not required for this year under section 144{2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independenl examination is needed. It is my responsibility to.. examine the accounts under Secti 145 of the 2011 Act., to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directhjns givèn by the Chaiity Commission under section 145{5)(b) of the 2011 Act.. and to state whether particular matters hav8 come lo my attention. Basls of Independent oxamlnerfs report My examinati1 was carried out in acc¢ydance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commisyon. An examin8tion includes 8 review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presénted with thosè r8c¢xds. It also includ8S consideration of any unusual items or di10$UreS in the acc¢wnts, and seeking explanations from you as Irustees conceming any such matters. The procedures undertaken do nol provide all the evidènce that would be required in an audtt and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'lrue and fair view, arKI the report is limited to thos8 matters sel ¢JJt in th8 Stat8m8nt b8lcw. Independent examlnerfs Statement In conneclion with my 8x8minats'on, no matter has com8 to my attention: 111 which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the r8quirem8nls.' to keep accounting récords in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act. and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of th8 2011 Act have not been met., or 12) to which, in my opinion, attenticm shwld be drawn in order to enable a proper understsnding of the accounts to reached. Name: James L Page Relevant professional qualificati Accountants r body: Chartered Institute of Management Address: J L P Servlces Llmtted, 53 Basepoint Buslness Centre, Oakfield Close, Tewkesbury Buslness Park, Tewkesbury. GL 20 8SD Date: 301h January 2025