## **Palestine Museum and Cultural Centre**
**Trustees Report and Financial Statements for the year to 31[st] December 2024**
Charity number: 1190148
[1]
## **Palestine Museum and Cultural Centre Trustees' Annual Report for the year to 31[st] December 2024**
## **CONTENTS**
Page
2. Reference and Administrative Information
2. Structure, Governance and Management
3. Objects and Activities
3. Achievements and Performance
4. Financial Review
5. Statement of Responsibilities of Trustees
6. Independent Examiner's Report
7. Statement of Financial Activities
8. Balance Sheet
9. Notes to the Accounts
##
##
Charity name: Palestine Museum and Cultural Centre Charity registration number: 1190148 Registered Office and Operational Address: 27 Broad Street, Bristol BS1 2HG
## **Trustees 2024**
Peace Handovsky Angus MacPherson Dr Helen Watts Safia Malik
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
The organisation is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, incorporated and registered as a charity on 29[th] June 2020. Its governing document is the Constitution dated 16[th] November 2017.
## **Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees**
Trustees are appointed by a resolution passed at Trustees' Meetings. In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.
[2]
## **Objects and Activities**
## **Charitable Objects**
The object of the CIO is to establish and maintain a museum to increase knowledge of the history, heritage, culture and daily life of Palestine and its people.
## **Public Benefit**
We run a museum which is open to the public every Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 6pm, with occasional openings on weekday afternoons. We open for group visits at other times by arrangement and run events such as film nights, poetry, musical evenings and talks. We display a variety of Palestinian products for sale, with information about their origins and the communities who produce them.
The specific activities during the year that facilitated this are described below. The Trustees have read and had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
## **Achievements and Performance**
The PMCC Trustees and Committee were active between 1[st] January 2024 to 31[st] December 2024. We welcomed over **8095** visitors in **2024** , an increase of **41.82%** on visitor numbers from the 2023 total of 5708.
We ran events throughout the year and welcomed small groups of visitors on request. We hosted **36** events with over **900+** attendees in total: **5** group visits, including scout groups and youth organisations, **9** requests for external stalls, including at Wake the Tiger and The Big Sing. We attended two festivals, Glastonbury and the Green Gathering. We collaborated with a number of local organisations including 2 films with the Bristol Palestine Film Festival, as well as a Bristol Palestinian Community Group, Bath Friends of Palestine, the Amos Trust, University of Bristol, University of the West of England and the inaugural Awraq Festival.
We continued to actively recruit volunteers online and in person. We increased the range, both type and price, of Palestinian products for sale.
Below is a snapshot of comments collected from our visitor feedback records:
- “The multimedia approach [stood out] - songs, clothes, pictures, products from Palestine as well as wall displays.”
- “The high quality and range of products to purchase and the detail of information provided.”
- “I liked reading about the culture of Palestinian peoples. Board summaries are also very helpful!”
- “Independent, educational, resourceful, well thought-out”
- “It was a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere.”
- “It’s a small place but full of valuable information.”
- “What you are doing really helped educate me.”
- “The exhibition is very detailed! Covers a wide range of things in an easy to understand format.”
[3]
## **Financial Review**
The accounts for the period show a surplus of £12,523 (2023 surplus of £6,681). This was due to substantial increases in the number of visitors and sales of Palestinian related products. Budgeted expenditure is determined by the income available, and the charity has no significant liabilities or financial commitments. Therefore the Trustees are satisfied that the charity remains a going concern.
## **Reserves Policy**
To guard against any unforeseen substantial drop in income, the trustees have established a policy whereby the unrestricted cash funds should be enough to cover at least six months of expenditure on essential running costs, which equates to around £6,000. At the balance sheet date free reserves amounted to £29,565 (2023 £17,042), therefore the charity’s level of reserves is in excess of the target figure, and the trustees have set aside £6,000 in a Contingency Reserve fund.
[4]
## **Palestine Museum and Cultural Centre Statement of Responsibilities of the Trustees**
Trustees are required to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and the incoming resources and application of resources, including the net income or expenditure, of the charitable company for the year. In preparing those financial statements the trustees are required to:
- Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- Observe the methods and principles in the applicable Charities SORP;
- Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- State whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011 and the applicable Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations.
The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The trustees confirm that to the best of their knowledge there is no information relevant to the Independent Examination of which the Examiner is unaware.
The trustees also confirm that they have taken all necessary steps to ensure that they themselves are aware of all relevant financial information and that this information has been communicated to the Examiner.
The trustees are members of the charity but this entitles them only to voting rights. The trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity.
Approved by the trustees on 21[st] October 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
………………………………………………………… Helen Watts, Trustee
………………………………………………………… Angus Macpherson, Trustee
[5]
## **Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Palestine Museum and Cultural Centre**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ending 31[st] December 2024, which are set out on pages 7 to 12.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act).
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under section 144 of the Charities Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the Charities Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by the Charities Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act 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; or
4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)].
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
………………............................................................................ 22[nd] October 2025
Rupert Taylor 5 Mount Pleasant, Millbrook Torpoint Cornwall PL10 1BH
[6]
## **Palestine Museum and Cultural Centre Statement of Financial Activities**
## **(incorporating Income & Expenditure Account) Year to 31st December 2024**
|||**Year to**|**Year to**|
|---|---|---|---|
|||**31/12/24**|**31/12/23**|
|||Total funds|Total funds|
|||_[all unrestricted]_|_[all unrestricted]_|
||Notes|**£**|**£**|
|**Income:**||||
|Grants and donations|[2]|12,745|4,035|
|Charitable activities|[3]|75,469|35,573|
|||---------------|---------------|
|**Total Income**||**88,214**|**39,608**|
|**Expenditure:**||||
|Fundraising costs|[4]|839|363|
|Charitable activities|[5]|74,851|32,564|
|||---------------|---------------|
|**Total Expenditure**||**75,691**|**32,927**|
|||---------------|---------------|
|**Net Income / (Expenditure)**||**12,523**|**6,681**|
|Transfers between funds|[9]|-|-|
|||---------------|---------------|
|**Net Movement in Funds**||**12,523**|**6,681**|
|Total funds brought forward||17,042|10,361|
|||---------------|---------------|
|**Total funds carried forward**||**29,565**|**17,042**|
[7]
## **Palestine Museum and Cultural Centre Balance Sheet As at 31st December 2024**
**Charity registration number: 1190148**
|||**2024**|**2023**|
|---|---|---|---|
||Notes|**£**|**£**|
|**Fixed Assets**|[6]|-|-|
|**Current Assets**||||
|Debtors and prepayments|[7]|643|728|
|Cash at bank and on hand||25,889|13,942|
|Stock on hand||3,272|2,750|
|||---------------|---------------|
|||29,803|17,420|
|**Current Liabilities**||||
|Creditors and accruals|[8]|238|378|
|||---------------|---------------|
|**Net Current Assets**||29,565|17,042|
|||---------------|---------------|
|**Net Assets**||**29,565**|**17,042**|
|**The funds of the charity:**||||
|**Unrestricted funds:**||||
|General funds|[9]|23,565|11,042|
|Designated funds|[9]|6,000|6,000|
|||---------------|---------------|
|||**29,565**|**17,042**|
Approved by the trustees on 21st October 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
…………………………………………… Helen Watts Trustee
…………………………………………… Angus Macpherson Trustee
[8]
## **Palestine Museum and Cultural Centre Notes to the Accounts Year to 31st December 2024**
## [1] **Principal Accounting Policies**
The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below.
|(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)|Basis of preparation
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Accounting and Reporting by Charities:
Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the
Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015),
as amended by Update Bulletin 1 issued on 2nd February 2016, and the Charities Act 2011.
Palestine Museum and Cultural Centre meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and
liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant
accounting policy note(s).
Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis
The charity's balance sheet at 31st December 2024 is in surplus, and expenditure is only incurred from funds
already received. Therefore the trustees are satisfied that the charity is a going concern on an ongoing basis.
Income
Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the
items of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured
reliably.
Income from grants is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions
attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be
measured reliably and is not deferred.
Income received in advance of activities is deferred until the criteria for income recognition have been met.
Donated services and facilities
Donated professional services and facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item,
any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by
the charity is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. There were no such donations during
the year in question. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), the general volunteer time of trustees and
volunteers is not recognised with any monetary value.
Interest receivable
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the
charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the Bank.
Fund Accounting
[i] Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives
of the charity.
[ii] Designated funds are unrestricted funds set aside by the Management Committee for particular purposes.
[iii] Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms
of an appeal.
Expenditure
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is
probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. As the charity
is not registered for VAT, all VAT on expenditure is charged as a cost against the activity for which the
expenditure was incurred. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:
[i] Fundraising costs comprise the costs associated with attracting voluntary income and the costs of trading
for fundraising purposes.
[ii] Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and
services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities, and those
costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
[iii] Other expenditure represents those items not falling into any other heading. There were no such costs during
the year in question.
Allocation of support costs
Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable
activities. These include office costs, finance, personnel, payroll and governance costs which support the
charity's charitable activities.
Taxation
The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section
252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.
Fixed Assets
Tangible fixed assets are written off over the expected useful life of the asset, at 25% per annum on the reducing
balance method. Individual items costing less than £500 are not treated as fixed assets.|
|---|---|
[9]
## **Palestine Museum and Cultural Centre Notes to the Accounts (continued) Year to 31st December 2024**
- (k) Debtors
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered.
## (l) Cash at bank and in hand Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the account.
## (m) Creditors
Creditors are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
|[2]
[3]|Income from grants and donations
2024
2023
Total
Total
_[all unrestricted]_
_[all unrestricted]_
£
£
Individual donations
12,745
4,035
---------------
---------------
12,745
4,035
Income from charitable activities
2024
2023
Total
Total
_[all unrestricted]_
_[all unrestricted]_
£
£
Sales of merchandise
71,501
35,289
Income from events
3,968
284
---------------
---------------
75,469
35,573|
|---|---|
The charity received no government grants during the year (2023 nil).
## [4] Analysis of expenditure on fundraising
||2024|2023|
|---|---|---|
||Total|Total|
||£|£|
|Fees to payment platforms|839|363|
||---------------|---------------|
||839|363|
[10]
## **Palestine Museum and Cultural Centre Notes to the Accounts (continued) Year to 31st December 2024**
## [5] Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities
|Analysis of expenditure on charitable|activities||
|---|---|---|
||Total|Total|
||2024|2023|
||£|£|
|Direct costs:|||
|Event costs|3,483|1,146|
|Costs of merchandise|53,987|20,072|
|Display equipment and fittings|-|1,075|
|Marketing and publicity|2,307|-|
|Website and IT costs|788|581|
|Volunteer expenses|360|374|
||---------------|---------------|
||60,926|23,248|
|Support costs:|||
|Premises costs|2,601|4,676|
|Utilities|8,447|2,807|
|Cleaning and refuse|-|24|
|Telephone and internet|692|756|
|Bank charges|16|15|
|Insurance|1,242|500|
|Postage and stationery|10|9|
|Accountancy|56|304|
|Fee for independent examination|224|224|
|Sundry expenses|637|-|
||---------------|---------------|
|Total Support Costs|13,926|9,316|
||---------------|---------------|
|Total Charitable Expenditure|74,851|32,564|
As the charity only undertook one area of activity during the period, support costs have not been apportioned.
|[6]
[7]|Tangible Fixed Assets
2024
2023
Equipment
Equipment
Cost
£
£
Opening balance
-
-
Additions during the year
-
-
---------------
---------------
-
-
Depreciation
Opening balance
-
-
Charge for the year
-
-
---------------
---------------
-
-
---------------
---------------
Net Book Value:
-
-
Debtors and prepayments
2024
2023
£
£
Prepayments
643
666
Sundry debtors
-
62
---------------
---------------
643
728|
|---|---|
[11]
## **Palestine Museum and Cultural Centre Notes to the Accounts (continued) Year to 31st December 2024**
|[8]
[9]|Creditors
2024
2023
Amounts due within 12 months:
£
£
Accruals
238
378
---------------
---------------
238
378
Movements in funds
Balance at
Transfers
Balance at
01/01/2024
Income Expenditure
between 31/12/2024
funds
Unrestricted Funds:
Designated funds:
Contingency reserve
6,000
-
-
-
6,000
---------------
---------------
---------------
---------------
---------------
Total Designated Funds:
6,000
-
-
-
6,000
General Funds
11,042
88,214
(75,691)
-
23,565
---------------
---------------
---------------
---------------
---------------
Total Unrestricted Funds:
17,042
88,214
(75,691)
-
29,565
---------------
---------------
---------------
---------------
---------------
Total Funds:
17,042
88,214
(75,691)
-
29,565
Movements in funds
Balance at
Transfers
Balance at
_Previous year comparison_
01/01/2023
Income Expenditure
between 31/12/2023
funds
Unrestricted Funds:
Designated funds:
Contingency reserve
-
-
-
6,000
6,000
---------------
---------------
---------------
---------------
---------------
Total Designated Funds:
-
-
-
6,000
6,000
General Funds
10,361
39,608
(32,927)
(6,000)
11,042
---------------
---------------
---------------
---------------
---------------
Total Unrestricted Funds:
10,361
39,608
(32,927)
-
17,042
---------------
---------------
---------------
---------------
---------------
Total Funds:
10,361
39,608
(32,927)
-
17,042|
|---|---|
## [10] Payments to trustees and related party transactions
No trustees received remuneration during the year (2023 nil).
Two trustees received payments totalling £8,080 (2023 £3,310 to two trustees). These were all reimbursements of costs incurred in fulfilment of the charity's objects.
There were no other related party transactions during the year.
## [11] Staff costs
The charity employed no staff during the year. All activities are carried out by volunteers. The key management personnel of the charity are the trustees.
No employee benefits were paid to the key management personnel during the year.
[12]