The Edgeler Collection Trustees Annual Report for the year 2 April 2024 to 1 April 2025
Exhibitions
2024 saw our first full opening (for the 59 days agreed with the Charity Commission) since our founder, John Edgeler’s death in 2022.
This was with two exhibitions, a 13-week summer exhibition and 6-week Christmas selling show.
The Summer exhibition was An Ancient Tradition, the country roots of Winchcombe pottery, open from 22 June to 14 September, three days a week. This looked at the country pottery of North Devon and elsewhere and its inspiration for Michael Cardew who founded the pottery in 1926. It gave a valuable opportunity to look again at the country pots in the collection made by rural potteries such as Becketts at Winchcombe, and many others from Devon and further afield, from flagons to washing and milk bowls. It also enabled us to market through social media to attract the audience for country pottery as well as existing audiences. The exhibition had 1264 visitors. It was the first exhibition curated by Guy Warner for us. The exhibition was supplemented by pots from local potters and with the Trust’s publications also for sale and made a gross profit of £2420.
A Christmas selling exhibition was also held, from 15 November to 21 December, an ambitious project featuring 14 potters which attracted 556 visitors in the 21 days it was open (the last three weeks with a 4-day opening). We were able to link with the Winchcombe Christmas Festival event opening for their Christmas evening and attracting over 100 visitors.
This year was the first to test how opening after our founder’s death might work and if we could operate with reasonable visitor numbers and, particularly, with enough support from volunteers to run the exhibitions. We were delighted that visitor numbers exceeded expectations and that we successfully recruited enough volunteers to steward the gallery.
Events
In June we had a stall at the new Winchcombe Arts Centre, Isbourne Arts, open day. Here we showed a small selection of items from the collection, had books for sale, and a small craft activity. Many visitors who engaged with us went on to see the summer exhibition at the Collection which is next door.
We held a talk at the Collection on 21[st] July by Matt Grimmit, former lead potter/manager at Winchcombe Pottery, linking to the country pottery theme, he talked about pots in the exhibition. This was followed by tea. 24 people attended.
Other activities
We lent a selection of our pots by Michael Cardew, fifteen in total, to Winchcombe Museum where they were displayed in a case featuring The Edgeler Collection, from the beginning of December 2023 to the end of October 2024. The museum is currently attracting increasing visitor numbers, around 7,000 a year.
We arranged training sessions for our volunteers before the exhibition opening in June and held a thank you tea for them at the gallery on 9[th] September.
An Instagram account for the Trust was created in autumn 2024, and our exhibitions were also all advertised by printed flyers and by the direct mail of a newsletter to our mailing list. The mailing list continues to grow with 475 contacts by November 2024 (up from 385 in 2022).
We have also set up a new Web Domain edgelercollecton.com in line with new branding, and redirected the old website url to this new domain. The website has been refreshed to reflect changes to the brand. A new Google Workspace and Gmail account have been created linked to new domain.
Building maintenance
Work began on upgrading the building and its appearance. A partial ceiling collapse in part of the main gallery delayed the summer opening but provided an opportunity to repaint this with an attractive dark green providing a welcome makeover. We have updated gas and electrical certificates, and our EPC, installed new Wi-Fi and added wireless security cameras. The library space has been decorated and book cases installed.
Trust matters
After a period of internal and external consultation the trustees made a Resolution on 6 February 2025 to change the name of the Trust from the Winchcombe Archive Collection Trust to The Edgeler Collection , with a sub-title to be used when appropriate Historic Winchcombe Pottery, with rural art and craft in a domestic setting. This was seen to more accurately reflect the nature of the Trust and to work better in creating recognition. Merfyn Lloyd joined us a new Trustee in May 2024 and subsequently agreed to act as Treasurer.
The Edgeler Collection, Queen Anne House, High Street, Winchcombe GL54 5LJ A Charitable Incorporated Organisation, registered charity number: 1186295
8450
| 8450 | |
|---|---|
| Charity Number 1186295 | |
| Statement of Financial Activities | |
| for the year ended 1st April 2025 | |
| Note | |
| Incoming resources from | |
| generated funds | |
| Voluntary Income | 1 |
| (from donations and fundraising activities) | |
| Grants | |
| Rental Income | |
| Total incoming resources | |
| Resources expended: | |
| Charitable activities | 2 |
| Net incoming/ (-) outgoing resources before transfers | |
| Net movement of funds in year | |
| Reconciliation of funds | |
| Total funds brought forward | |
| Total funds carried forward | 3 |
WINCHCOMBE ARCHIVE COLLECTION TRUST Charity Number 1186295 Notes to the Financial Statements
| WINCHCOMBE ARCHIVE COLLECTION TRUST Charity Number 1186295 Notes to the Financial Statements |
||
|---|---|---|
| Note 1 | ||
| £ | ||
| Income: | 2025 | |
| Sales £ | 13,101 | |
| Other £ | 1,850 | |
| Bequests £ | 25,823 | |
| £ | 40,774 | |
| Resources expended on charitable activities | Note 3 | |
| £ | ||
| 2025 | ||
| Building | Maintenance £ | 11,004 |
| Exhibition/Auction £ | 10,305 | |
| Insurance £ | 1,810 | |
| Utilities £ | 2,843 | |
| Other £ | 2,436 | |
| 28,398 | ||
| Cash at Bank and in hand | Note 3 | |
| £ | ||
| 2025 | ||
| CAF Bank Account | £ | 52,038 |
| Cash in hand | £ | - |
| £ | 52,038 |
| Unrestricted Funds £ £ 40,774 £ - £ 8,450 £ 49,224 £ 28,398 £ 28,398 £ 20,826 £ 20,826 31,212 52,038 |
Restricted Funds £ £ - £ - £- £- £ - £ - - - |
Total 2025 £ £ 40,774 £ - £ 8,450 |
|---|---|---|
| £ 49,224 | ||
| £ 28,398 £ - |
||
| £ 28,398 | ||
| £ 20,826 | ||
| £ 20,826 31,212 |
||
| 52,038 |
£ 2024 £ 34,589 £ 2,080 £ - £ 36,669
£ 2024 £ 6,966 £ - £ 2,774 £ 1,488 £ 1,619 12,847
£ 2024 £ 31,212 £ - £ 31,212
Total 2024
£ 36,669 £ - £ 5,200 £ 41,869 £ 12,847 £ - £ 12,847 £ 29,022 £ 29,022
2,190
31,212
Independent examiner's report to the trustees of The Edgeler Collectlon (Charity number 1186295). I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 1 April 2025, which are set out on the attached accounts. Respectlve responslblllties of trustees and examlner The charity's truslees are respx)nsible for the preparation of the account5. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 14412) of the Charib'es Act 2011 (the 2011 Acl) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to= examine the aCcjnts under section 145 of the 2011 Act.. to follow the procedures laid down in the general Direclions given by th8 Charity Commission under section 145(5)(bl of the 2011 Act., and to state whether parliGular matters have c(xne to my attention. Basls of Independent examlnerf$ report My examination was carried out in aCcCdan¢e with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. 11 also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the account5, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequenlly no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view, and the report is limited to those matters set out in the ststement beh)w. Independent 8xamlner's statement In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attentton.. (11 which gives me reasonable cause to b81iev8 that in any material respect Ihe requirements.. to keep accounting 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 the 2011 Act have nol been met., or (2) to which, in my opinic, attention should be drawn in to enable a proFer understsnding of the accounts to be reached. Name: James L Page Relevant professlonal quallflcatlon o Accountsnts dy: Chartered Instltute of Management Address: J L P Servlces Llmlted, $3 Basepoint Business Centre, Oakfield Close, Tewkesbury Business Park, Tewkesbury, GL 20 8SD Date: 22nd January 2026