Trustees Annual Report
for period 1[st] April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025
Woodbridge Museum registered charity number 1194042.
Address:
Whisstock’s Place,
Tide Mill Way,
Woodbridge,
Suffolk
IP12 1FP
The Charity is now a CIO having been entered on Charity Register 9[th] April 2021. The charity was previously an unincorporated charity called Woodbridge Museum Trust. In accordance with Arts Council recommended best practice the trustees took the decision to become a CIO. The original charity opened the museum in 1982 in its previous location on the Market Hill, Woodbridge. The museum has a 99-year lease of its building on a peppercorn rent. Our landlord is Woodbridge Town Council. The ground floor houses our permanent display which is open to the public. It had been intended to utilise the first floor as exhibition space, office and storage area. Unfortunately, the difficulty in obtaining insurance cover and health & safety issues have made the use of the area for exhibition space nonviable. The area is now used for storage and office space which we plan to open to local and family historians on an appointment basis. The Collections Team work in the office usually at least two days a week so a large, dedicated space where 5 or 6 people can work together has proved very successful.
Our visitors’ numbers have continued to be good since we moved to Whisstock’s Place. In the current year we had 24,348 visitors to the museum.
Our aims are set out in our CIO constitution and our main aim is “To advance the education of the public by the provision and maintenance of a museum in or near Woodbridge for the exhibition to the public of specimens of fine and useful arts, ethnology, archaeology, geology, botany and natural history with particular reference to Woodbridge and the surrounding area”.
We are fully accredited by The Arts Council, achieving reaccreditation on 22[nd] July 2022.
The Charity is now managed by its eleven trustees who meet regularly to discuss museum business and where we receive reports from sub-committees including Front of House and The Collections Team both of whom include trustees and other volunteers. None of our volunteers, including trustees, receives any remuneration although we offer stewards reimbursement of parking fees.
It is our policy to not charge for admission to the museum, so we are reliant on donations and profit from our shop to cover annual running costs. We have introduced a card terminal for donations as well as ability to make donations through the till on the Front Desk. We can accept card and cash payments and encourage donors to complete a gift aid form. We are entirely reliant on volunteer stewards to open the museum which we do seven days a week
through the summer period and at weekends during the Winter. On some occasions we have had to close through lack of stewards, but this is infrequent. Without the support of our volunteer stewards the museum could not function. Many of our stewards are drawn from The Friends of Woodbridge Museum which is itself a charity run to support the aims of Woodbridge Museum. We are pleased to be able to report that merging the “Friends” Charity with Woodbridge Museum has now been completed. The “Friends” activities, particularly monthly talks and social events for volunteers will continue as before but the administration, particularly financial matters, will be easier now the two charities are to be run as one organisation.
During this financial period Woodbridge Museum has arranged for the conservation of a manuscript map of the military encampment at Bromeswell dated 1782, thanks to funding from a private donor. In addition, thanks to a very generous gift from another private donor, we have been able to purchase new display boards and cabinets, replacing some of the old cabinets which were no longer fit for purpose. Although expensive, the new cabinets improve the visual appearance of the museum. A wheelchair user has commented that she was pleased to be able to view the cabinets with ease. We have moved other cabinets and overall have increased items on display, including a new cabinet displaying World War Two artefacts.
The museum continues to receive objects donated by the public and in particular has received a gift of paintings and drawings by Thomas Churchyard and his family. The Collections Team also monitor local auction websites and social media and have purchased some items for the museum. The Collections Team have now completed the inventory of the permanent Collections. Now this has been completed most items held within the collection are photographed and complete details of all items are catalogued on our digital system. The completion of the inventory has enabled the Collections Team to identify items that need conservation and require further research. We have also located some items that were thought to be lost. Four of the Collections Team are trustees. The need for an inventory was prompted by a Collections Care Audit for which a grant from AIM was obtained. This audit also helped us address other issues that affect the Collections such as light levels and humidity. We have taken steps to mitigate the risk where we can. It now seems all accredited museums are to be required to carry out an inventory or have a plan in place to carry one out so completion of this huge undertaking should assist with reaccreditation in the future.
Our largest expenditure is the cost of energy particularly as we must keep dehumidifiers running most of the time. We need to heat the building throughout the Winter months, even when we are closed to the public, to ensure the air temperature stays within the recommended level of not less than 14 degrees. When our volunteers are in the building the temperature needs to be higher for their comfort. In 2024 the Trustees decided to install solar panels on the southeastern side of the roof together with batteries/inverters within the building to store electricity. We now sell surplus electricity back to the grid particularly during the summer months. This is now offsetting the cost of energy in the Winter and overall, substantially reducing our annual energy costs. There are environmental benefits to this installation as well which improves the museum’s environmental footprint. We were fortunate to be able to fund the installation from our capital reserves and we are sure reducing our energy costs now and into the future will be of great benefit, not least to the museum’s financial viability.
We are pleased to now be supported by our new museum mentor Claire Wallace, Curator of Suffolk & Cambridgeshire Regiments Museum.
The coming ye8rwiLI. we hope. 8ee fvrther Changes to our displays. We ai80 plon to enbst professional help to create ? new website. Our shop continues to be a substantial Source of income. and we are gratelul to ourvolunteerwho has put in many ttours of work to source new stock and display it. We plan to coniinue to support her in wideningthe choice of goods on sale. We are also grotefulto ourvolunteer stewards as without theirwork we could not function. We hope to increase our number of volunteers during the coming year. The Tru8tees declare that they have approved the Trustees, report 8bove. Signed behalf of e charlty's trustegs Martin Sylvester, Chair dayof.. .. .. ............2025
Woodbrldge Museum Charity No. 1194042 Balance Sheet- Year endin8 3110312025 31103124 Funds & Non Ilquld assets General lund Reserve BIF Exce5s/Deficit Reserve CIF Frlends fvnd Xfrrl from Frlends Resérv• CIF Oevelopm•ntfund Reserve BIF Xfr from Gnerdl Fund Xfr to Genernl Fd Reserve CIF M•lntenance lund R•ser¥e BIF Xfr from G•n•Fal Furyl Ae5erye cfr N Ilquld •Mets Valu• BIF New ajsets L•$5 depr•clatlon CIF Sum of all fvnds & fixed •s%ets 46,161.59 3,350.05 49.511.641 49,511.64 7.401.621 56.913.26 4.324.31 | 4,324.31 New items & display changes 64.047.65 0.00 I 45,150.56 18,897.09 18,897.09 25,500.00 .13.517.61 30J79.48 Tini-lenced slnknni fund 13,400.001 6,500.001 19.900.00 I9.9. 6,5Q).Th) I S•• Tabl• 3 26,4Q).LXI 11,340.20 474.65 -2.260.30 9,554.55 9763.28 9.554.55 12.772.91 .1.872.87 18% pj on value IIOO% If wrltt•n om 20.454.S9 138.971.64 Assets Llquld •sMts Lloyds ¢urr•nt •c¢t Lloyds swinis acct CAF c•sh acct CAF gold acct Suffolk 85 acrt Pttty cash Accr15 L•ss Sub Pr•payTh•nts Less Event Preptyments. S,S88.S4 135.471 26,022.771 6.(K)I 14.001 83,599.231 231.051 o.wi -160.1 o.(KJi 0% Int•r•st rnt• I.IYA Int•r•5t rJt• 0.2% Int•r•st rnt•. £5 monthly f•• 2.0% Internst rate 2.7% Interest rat• 0.001 80,976.78 89.85 -135.00 435.00 86,520.17 109W.52 Non15quld *sets Ngn liquid assets valu• Shop stock @ cost 9,554.55 8,542.871 18,097.421 101,862.621 Sum al all assets 8.668.53 29,123.121 138971.641 Independent Exomlner. Rklwd Hqnlry Mlke Culllnqton
Woodbrldge Museum Charity No. 1194(M2 Proht & L055acrount. Ye4rendlry 3110¥20 31103124 QJFrtrt Nt1 Inwme shop Intome IT Miscele0sS•les Sdd eneryy Is.9.11 | 17.39U 1.52 I,C61.61 See Table I IS,.31 10,614.441 o.(K)I 2.316.321 l.os0.1 2,381.881 12,102.95 18.574.19 iQ8B8 05, 20.(m.LD.. 7.27Oa5' 1.4C8.(Q. Z.645.22. D#ntitsonJltEner•l Dcnallons rordffl1ebwTrt I G¥tA Gtsrrt5 Itt•d b•kn Interest IS¢e Xfrto Dé¥ below 5% xdonffts+ svbs GA BS p•ysott 30111 j6ffj71Lni EKp•ra 4,152.671 223.CQl 413.TrJl 654.221 1,038.641 1,069.81 315.W S68.40 Z52.C(I aS?.g0 346.58 1,234.19 218.do 3,239.93 6.5W. 20J•3.74 Ener W•ter Communthons wrc seNlce char¥e Bulldlni rnElntenMct 1,147.53 Other mtte. Mcentes, lees | L155.28: 27% 517.86 rLU> 5 434.99. X3.92 1.386.76., 5¢c¥rtyllffliNder& lel 1 180.C•J. Prwervinon ICwitoFIDII 12.389.93 Xfrto M•knteMnte FwdlT3I' 6.$0).C 1 2.YCty127, 260.. 441.17, IDC rnpbAwTr•ni eqpt 2.SCO.C(J Admln Voluntert¥Fr Cord fws BuilthniiTrJur4rK• its).c Sot r•std¢t•d ¥r•T Tab 3 .527.59 OEh•r E¥p•r Acqulsttlons MIKekneous 5P OutynIS (Tll OOTrBOn Xfrio D¢¥ Fur Y•4tyXfrto D# Fusvj 187.961 254.251 7,954.951 329I 267.79 8.760,65 '.15.{.? 5••T•ble I Indudlw GA on É20k Annu•lly, th4n8es 5(QQ) 8.197.16 490.99 43,271.57 N•wAs5•ts Ihfr•sivuclure Web 110,334,14' .' 2,%0,53 iO.(W.L)J 622.91, 1.380. InrpOOni Frlends Totsl del0prnenI Costs Xfrlroffj I I..r 45,150.56 45,150.56 13.517_6l 13.517kn11 Tot•1 exp1nde 2&980.901 Il•t R•wlcwd & Don•5 Arnort Itx).O) kq¥is Mix15 30108ft4 621. C¥ratorfal MW6 06109f24 58&CO C¥ratoiiil MrJ)8 0¥12124 20,0.C Vknus (Dev Fun0 $PlaY cabk•2ts& Ybstte MOIO 03102n5 20J.C¢) Curalowlal Grani DEt•i1 Grant MDSE IP TrÈosuret.' Mike CulKftqto
Table 1: Shop Profit & Loss - Year ending 31/03/25
| 31/03/24 | £ | £ | £ | £ | Notes | |
| Income | ||||||
| 15,714.89 | Turnover | 17,265.40 | ||||
| Opening stock @ cost | 8,542.87 | |||||
| 8,542.87 | Closing stock @ cost | 8,668.53 | Database stock @ 31/03/25 | |||
| Stock increase/decrease @ cost | 125.66 | |||||
| 17,391.06 | ||||||
| Outgoings | ||||||
| 7,733.44 | New stock purchases | 8,675.21 | ||||
| 126.27 | Replacement of stock losses | 44.39 | ||||
| 0.00 | Design work | 0.00 | ||||
| 95.24 | Sundries | 41.05 | ||||
| 8,760.65 | ||||||
| 7,985.36 | Proft | 8,630.41 |
Table 3: Maintenance Sinking Fund
| This Year*: | 2024 | 132.9 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Item | Installed Year | CPIH Index | Cost | Current Cost | Lifespan** | Replace | Annual Cost | Sinking Fund rqd | |
| Cladding | 2018 | 106.0 | 60,000 | 75,226 | 20 | 2038 | 3,761 | 22,568 | |
| iPad | 2020 | 108.9 | 509 | 621 | 7 | 2027 | 89 | 355 | |
| Laptop |
2020 | 108.9 | 779 | 951 | 7 | 2027 | 136 | 543 | |
| Ofce Computers | 2021 | 111.6 | 2,700 | 3,215 | 7 | 2028 | 459 | 1,378 | |
| Solar panels | 2023 | 128.6 | 5,929 | 6,127 | 25 | 2048 | 245 | 245 | |
| Solar Inverters | 2023 | 128.6 | 3,808 | 3,935 | 15 | 2038 | 262 | 262 | |
| Solar BaXeries | 2023 | 128.6 | 14,603 | 15,091 | 15 | 2038 | 1,006 | 1,006 | |
| Solar subtotal | 1,513 | ||||||||
| Total Sinking Fund required: | 26,400 | ||||||||
| Sinking Fund C/F: | 19,900 | ||||||||
| Xfr to Sinking Fund: | 6,500 |
Notes:
-
The year in which these accounts commence.
-
** Anticipated lifespan. Reassess accordingly.
-
*** CPIH Source: https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/timeseries/l522/mm23
| Period | CPIH INDEX*** | Released mid January |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 100.0 | |
| 2016 | 101.0 | |
| 2017 | 103.6 | |
| 2018 | 106.0 | |
| 2019 | 107.8 | |
| 2020 | 108.9 | |
| 2021 | 111.6 | |
| 2022 | 120.5 | |
| 2023 | 128.6 | |
| 2024 | 132.9 | |
| 2025 |