## Tenterden & District Museum Association Report and Accounts 2024 

Compiled: January 2025 



## Highlights from the Curator by Robin Wilkins/Naomi Dickins 

This year hit we new heights again – with paying visitor numbers higher than last year, our volunteer team expanded to record levels, and a sound financial performance including a significant investment in our programme to improve facilities for the disabled.  These are directly attributable to the hard work by the team - on the special exhibition, members evenings, tours, experience nights, publicity, outreach and activity in schools, including the Tenterden Tapestry anniversary event. Our major activities included: 

- The winter project in the Entrance Room.  All wall displays were re-worked to better explain the early history and development of the Town.  A ‘talking heads’ display was introduced featuring Robert and Alice Brekynden, explaining the lives of a ship-builder and his homemaker wife.  Two mannequins were clothed as the characters in period costumes specially made for the display by Sue Hatt & Hilary Wilkins. 

- The Special Exhibition which was created by Sue Hatt and members of the U3A, addressing aspects of life in Tenterden in the period 1400-1600.  A special presentation evening was delivered by the team and 120 copies of a book to complement the event were donated, all proceeds going to Museum funds. 

- Members Evening talks, which proved even more popular than last year with most sessions delivered to capacity audiences.  We are grateful to Mike O’Neill for organising and all who presented their subjects. 

- - Conducting more guided tours and delivering an expanded range of Museum Experiences.  A Georgianperiod Murder Mystery, by the writers’ group, puzzled the packed audiences who attended. 

- Celebrating the 50[th] Anniversary of the Tenterden Tapestry by inviting pupils at the Junior School to create a new panel showing changes over the last 50 years.  This was unveiled in July by the Mayor, Sue Ferguson, Margaret Maisie – inspiration behind the original work, and the children. 

- More local history lessons for pupils in Rolvenden, St Michaels, Wittersham and Tenterden schools. 

- Taking part in Spirit of Tenterden. Despite the atrocious weather, we met over 200 visitors. 

- Local Authors Day - featuring even more authors whose books we sell in the Museum. 

- Hosting the Mayors Benefit Evening in April and the new Lord Warden on his visit in November. 

- Providing a venue for 6 Folk Festival sessions. Over 170 visitors attended these events. 

- Supporting the Local History Society Coffee Morning in October with a selection of autumnal artefacts. 

- An Egg Hunt and a Halloween Scavenger Hunt, with support from Tesco, delighted children and families. 

- - Taking 20[th] century artefacts to residents at Halden Heights, Acacia House and The Spires who would otherwise not be able to visit the Museum.  Talks were also given to St Michaels WI, Headcorn History Society and Northiam History Society.  We also featured in Kent Life magazine with an article about the Tenterden Tapestry. 

We held in-person events at the Museum for our AGM in May, Patrons & Guests Evening to coincide with the opening of the Special Exhibition and Steward training events. 

We also supported James Matthews’ work experience.  He typed up results from some of our Enquiries in exchange for information from the whole management team, learning all about how we run the Museum. 

## **Strengthening our Organisation** 

We appointed Naomi Dickins as Deputy Curator in March.  She has gradually taken on many of the Curator duties during the year and will take over as Curator with her new team in April 2025. 

Our Advisory Board met, in February to review progress in 2023.  Naomi will be taking a more direct approach to stakeholder input, so this body will no longer meet. 

We added 4 new Stewards to the volunteer team this year and said goodbye to Jennie Ellerington and John Weller.  We are also utilising skills outside of the Steward team to help us with Social Media, Technology and Genealogical Research. 

30 new members joined the Association this year. 

Thank you all for your continuing support. 



## **Accounts Summary for 2024** 

We had another good year financially.  We made a surplus on our ongoing activities of £9,150 due to betterthan-expected admissions, shop sales, donations, new members and events/tours/experiences.  This almost covered all our one-off/project activities leaving us with £46,500 in the bank for the future. 

|**INCOME**|**2024**|**Budget**|**2023**|**Notes**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Admissions|7044.00|6000|6421.00|<br>1|
|Shop sales|3184.50|2000|2559.90|<br>2|
|Christmas shop|9322.00|10000|10633.21|<br>2|
|OTC donations & Donated books|775.08|300|1344.44|<br>3|
|Big Donations & Bequests|1218.00|0|600.00|<br>3|
|Subscriptions & New members|820.00|200|1320.00|<br>4|
|Events/Tours/Experiences|2236.00|1000|1827.00|<br>5|
|Grants|0.00|500|1000.00|<br>6|
|Gift Aid|1552.95|975|1274.79|<br>7|
|2023 ABC error refund|626.56|||9|
|Bank interest received|417.95|200|276.49|<br>7|
|**_Total Income_**|**_27197.04_**|**_21175.00_**|**_27256.83_**||
|**EXPENSES**||||8|
|Rent, rates & water|208.45|200|182.21||
|Light and heat|3192.00|3200|2896.40||
|Insurance|809.11|780|1085.44||
|Equipment, repairs & maintenance|0.00|300|346.18||
|Fire & Security|589.00|400|330.79||
|Telephone & broadband|307.49|400|353.82||
|Outreach & schools|184.23|300|265.79||
|Printing,stationery & postage|149.76|350|294.68||
|Sundry expenses|4.75|150|36.56||
|Membership|0.00|100|0.00||
|Conservation & displays|235.95|600|55.50||
|IT|69.53|500|488.46||
|Events/Tours/Experiences|792.68|500|675.99||
|Training & Team building|178.72|200|242.67||
|Publicity|383.00|350|215.65||
|Card Payment fees|229.70|315|238.57||
|Shop Purchases|1808.84|1500|1312.08||
|Xmas Card Purchases|6552.31|7500|6849.68||
|2023 invoices o/s|2351.34|||9|
|**_Total Expenses_**|**_18046.86_**|**_17645_**|**_15870.47_**||
|**Surplus/deficit**|**9150.18**|**3530.00**|**11386.36**||
|**_Net Cost of One-off Projects_**|**_-9649.67_**||||
|**OVERALL Surplus/Deficit**|**-499.49**||||
|**CASH**|||||
|Savings Account|42001.73||38583.78||
|Current Account|4457.61||6551.88||
|Cash in hand|70.20||1893.37||
|**Total cash**|**46529.54**||**47029.03**||
|**STOCKS**|**3465.78**||**2246.80**||





## **ONE-OFF ACTIVITIES** 

||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**ONE-OFF ACTIVITIES**||||10|
||**_Income_**|**_Expenses_**|**_Budget_**||
|Exceptional items||239.00|500.00|Projector|
|Rolvenden School sessions|280.00|280.00|||
|Disabled Access Project|0.00|6083.50|2500.00|stairlift £4500|
|Fire Risk Assessment|0.00|1200.27|1200.00||
|Entrance Room Project|0.00|688.02|1000.00|lighting, wallboards,etc|
|Talking heads/Special Exhibition|0.00|1230.48|2000.00|talking heads hardware|
|||||£400 grant from KCC|
|EPOS project|400.00|608.40||Members|
|**_Total One-off Projects_**|**_680.00_**|**_10329.67_**|**_7200.00_**||



## **Notes to the accounts** 

## **1. Visitors and Outreach** 

||**2024**|**2023**|**Change **|**Comments**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|PayingAdults|2399|2049|+17%|Visitors Oct-Dec charged £2 thisyear|
|Free|1319|2087|-37%|No free entryOct-Dec|
|Events|1017|729|+40%|All events|
|Schools/Outreach|779|514|+51%|Tapestry anniversary, class lessons &<br>outreach to local care homes|
|**Total**|**5514**|**5379**|**+2.5%**||



Overall visitor and outreach numbers show a 2.5% increase on 2023.  Paying visitors were up, in part due to charging visitors throughout to close in December - In 2023 we allowed free entry from October onwards. Events and schools activity were boosted by the celebration of the 50[th] Anniversary of the Tenterden Tapestry.  We also engaged with our local care homes, sharing items from the Museum with them. 

## **2. Shop sales & Christmas sales** 

||**2024**|**2023**|**Increase**|**Comments**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Shopsales|3184.50|2559.90|+24%|Increased book & shopsales|
|Christmas sales|9322.00|10457.21|-11%|Decliningcard sales|



Sales of Christmas cards reflect the downward trend in sending cards but c£2k of admissions, donations and shop/book sales were made during this period. Sales of shop items and books netted the museum profits of nearly £2.5k this year. 

## **3. Donations, donated books and event sponsorship** 

Our biggest donation, nearly £1.2k came from sales of the U3A Street Names book.  Another £400 came from sales of the U3A book created to complement the Special Exhibition.  We are grateful to all those who donated books, raising £735 for our funds.  Generous donations in kind were made by Hilary Wikins and Sue Hatt for the Special Exhibition. The Patrons Evening was sponsored by Cathy & Maurice Dalton, John Weller and David & Suzanne Payne. 

## **4. Patrons & Members** 

We didn’t sign up any new Patrons, but an astonishing 30 new members joined us this year. 

## 5. **Events, Tours, Experiences and Members Nights** 

A tour was conducted for Bybrook W.I. and 3 Museum Experience Nights were run – Tales of Old Tenterden and 2 Murder Mystery Nights. We hosted the Mayors’ Benefit Night in April and ran monthly Members Evenings. These activities generated a surplus of £1400. 



## **6. Grants** 

We have not applied to the Town Council for a grant yet this year.  We will consider making a request for funds towards our winter projects if they meet with their criteria for awarding funds. 

## **7. Gift Aid and interest earned** 

Gift Aid was boosted by the generous donation ‘in kind’ of the Tenterden Street Names book and other generous donations.  Interest rates rose this year giving us a better return on our Savings Account. 

## **8. Expenses** 

Expenses were tightly controlled again this year and came in under budget.  Those most at variance to the budget/last year include 

- Fire & Security – was inflated by the purchase of new keys following the fitting of a new door. 

- Outreach & Schools included the purchase of materials for the new Tapestry Panel 

- Publicity costs included reprinting copies of our Museum Brochure. 

- IT was lower than planned due to the overpayment of hosting charges last year. 

- Events, Tours & Experiences spend was higher due to more activity (generating more profit). 

## **9. Carried over from 2023** 

£2350 of invoices from 2023 and an overpayment to Ashford Borough Council were included in the accounts for this year.  Outstanding invoices for this year amount to £751.50. 

## **10. One-off Project Activity** 

Both Winter projects were delivered under budget.  The **Entrance Room upgrade** cost £688 to install better lighting and new wall -boards.   The **Special Exhibition** including the new Talking Heads display featuring Robert and Alice Brekynden cost £1230.  We continued to invest in our **Disabled Access Project** and installed a stairlift costing £4500.  We also invested in a Front Desk EPOS system to simplify daily activities for our Stewards.  We obtained a grant through Mike Hill to help pay for this.  A further **Fire Risk Assessment** has been undertaken following the installation of the stairlift.  The invoice for this is outstanding at the end of year, but money was spent this year addressing the requirements of the last assessment. 

## **11. One-off exceptional items** 

£239 was spent on a new projector to better support our presentation activities. 

## **12. Cash and Bank** 

Our overall deficit for the year was £500, so we end the year close to where we started with £46.5k in the bank and cash.  This will enable us to continue to upgrade the Museum facilities and maintain a sensible reserve of 12 months funds. 

## **13. Stocks** 

Our stock valuation has been increasing over the past years due to increased stocks of books and surplus Christmas cards giving us stocks worth c£3500. 



## **Publicity, Communications and Social Media** 

Significant progress has been made by Debbie Greaves on our Facebook and Instagram social media platforms this year. 

- Our Facebook page is now enjoyed by over 1000 followers.  We are using Facebook to post pictures such as “Then and Now” and ask questions such as “Where in the Weald” 

- Our following on Instagram is now over 900. We are using Instagram to promote and record Museum events such as short film clips from the Folk Festival. 

We continue to provide a quarterly newsletter to our members and have a blog site for interested users. We also track and respond to comments on TripAdvisor, are featured on the Chamber of Commerce website and are grateful to My Tenterden for creating our posters and advertising our activities.  Our website continues to be updated and maintained by Jerry D’Arts. 

## **Schools Activities by Peter Foster, Naomi Dickins and Sue Hatt** 

Schools activities experienced a significant increase again this year. 

Rolvenden School enjoyed a series of 3 activities organised by Sue and funded by grants which produced a map of the world (based on the Mappa Mundi) and some delightful mini-books which have been on display in the Museum this year.  They also did a Museum Takeover Day in May. 

Our major activity with Tenterden Juniors, led by Naomi and Peter, involved creating a new panel for the Tenterden Tapestry to mark the 50[th] Anniversary.  The whole school were invited to contribute ideas for what should go on the panel and a small team of pupils created it, with guidance from Peter and Naomi.  A grand unveiling took place in July by Sue Ferguson, the Mayor and Margaret Maisie, the inspiration behind the original panels.  The event was attended by over 120 people including former pupils who are featured in the border of the Tapestry.  Catering for the event was done fabulously by St Michaels W.I. 

Peter and Naomi also conducted a record number of school visits with new work packages requested by the schools 

- January – Tenterden Juniors – Smuggling 

- February – Wittersham School year 3&4 – New Stone Age 

- March – Wittersham School year 5 – New Stone Age 

- April – Wittersham School visit to the Museum 

- April -Rolvenden School - workshops 

- April – Tenterden Juniors visit to see the Tapestry 

- May – Rolvenden School - Takeover Day 

- June – Tenterden Junior – Tapestry Panel creation workshops 

- October – Tenterden Juniors Year 5 - smuggling 

- December – St Michaels – World War II, the Home Front 

We are happy to work with staff to create new work packages to complement the National Curriculum. 

## **‘Kids Zone’Activities in the Museum** 

We have added a new puzzle to the collection of activities in the Kids Zone.  This year we have also been giving away fragments of Roman building materials from the Smallhythe dig. 

## **Genealogy Enquiries by Colin Young** 

A total of 50 enquiries have been responded to by Colin Young and the research team (Debbie Greaves, Jack Gillett and John Weller) on behalf of the Museum and the Local History Society. 

- 23 relating to family, 

- 11 relating to property, 

- 16 general enquiries. 



In addition to Colin’s enquiries, the Museum has responded directly to other queries and supported many local people with pictures and information from our archives. 

We are grateful to Colin, Jack Gillett, Debbie Greaves and John Weller for the support they give to answering enquiries from our visitors and other members of the public. 

## **Special Exhibitions by Sue Hatt** 

This year our Special Exhibition featured aspects of life in Tenterden between 1400-1600.  A team from the U3A researched issues including Education, Medicine, Transport, Industry, Ship-building, the Gentry, life for women, buildings on the High Street and produced wall posters and in-depth presentations for the interactive system.  A talk was given on the subjects in September and a book was produced with 100 copies donated to the Museum.  We are also grateful to Dr Andrew Richardson who loaned us items from the period, dug up at Lossenham and to Hilary Hodgson and Hilary Wilkins for loaning us textile items for display. 

## **Members Evenings by Mike O’Neill** 

This season of Members’ Evening talks were even more popular than last year.  Most nights had a capacity audience with some people having to be turned away.  Membership has increased because of these talks. This season’s talks featured 

April – Hop Picking Reminiscences by Peter Foster. 

May – The Tenterden Tapestry by Naomi Dickins. June – From the Crown to the Print Room – a postcard tour by Jack Gillett. July – Metal Detecting at Heronden Hall by Erich Schlaijker. August – Weights and Measures by Paul Ryley. September – Textiles including those at the Museum by Naomi Dickins. 

The success of these sessions means we will continue with another season next year. 

## **Outreach Activities** 

This year we took items from the Museum out into the Community for some of our residents who are not easily able to visit the Museum.  We took items from the 20[th] Century Room to show audiences in Halden Heights, Acacia House and The Spires.  We were particularly keen to extract their reminiscences of having and using these items in the past.  Some of them joined in enthusiastically sharing their memories.  The residents at The Spires made a voluntary collection and donated £42! 

We are happy to engage with other groups who would like us to visit, or to provide talks, as we did this year for the Northiam History Society, St Michaels W.I. and Headcorn History Society. 



|**Museum Accounts**|**2024**|**2024**|**24 Budget**|**2023**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**INCOME**|||||
|Admissions||7044.00|6000.00|6421.00|
|Shop sales||3184.50|2000.00|2559.90|
|Christmas shop||9322.00|10000.00|10633.21|
|OTC donations & Donated books||725.08|300.00|1344.44|
|Big Donations & Bequests||1418.00|0.00|600.00|
|Subscriptions & New members||820.00|200.00|1320.00|
|Events/Tours/Experiences||2086.00|1000.00|1827.00|
|Grants||0.00|500.00|1000.00|
|Gift Aid||1552.95|975.00|1274.79|
|2023 ABC error refund||626.56|||
|Bank interest received||417.95|200.00|276.49|
||**_Total Income_**|**_27197.04_**|**_21175.00_**|**_27256.83_**|
|**EXPENSES**|||||
|Rent, rates & water||208.45|200.00|182.21|
|Light and heat||3192.00|3200.00|2896.40|
|Insurance||809.11|780.00|1085.44|
|Equipment, repairs & maintenance||0.00|300.00|346.18|
|Fire & Security||589.00|400.00|330.79|
|Telephone & broadband||307.49|400.00|353.82|
|Outreach & schools||184.23|300.00|265.79|
|Printing,stationery & postage||149.76|350.00|294.68|
|Sundry expenses||4.75|150.00|36.56|
|Membership||0.00|100.00|0.00|
|Conservation & displays||235.95|600.00|55.50|
|IT||69.53|500.00|488.46|
|Events/Tours/Experiences||792.68|500.00|675.99|
|Training & Team building||178.72|200.00|242.67|
|Publicity||383.00|350.00|215.65|
|Card Payment fees||229.70|315.00|238.57|
|Shop Purchases||1808.84|1500.00|1312.08|
|Xmas Card Purchases||6552.31|7500.00|6849.68|
|2023 invoices o/s||2351.34|||
|**_Total Expenses_**||**_18046.86_**|**_17645_**|**_15870.47_**|
|**Surplus/defcit**||**9150.18**|**3530.00**|**11386.36**|
|**ONE-OFF ACTIVITIES**|||||
|||**_Income_**|**_Expenses_**|**_Budget_**|
|Exceptional items|||239.00|500.00|
|Rolvenden School sessions||280.00|280.00||
|Disabled Access Project||0.00|6083.50|2500.00|
|Fire Risk Assesmment||0.00|1200.27|1200.00|
|Entrance Room Project||0.00|688.02|1000.00|
|Talking heads/Special Exhibition||0.00|1230.48|2000.00|
|EPOS project||400.00|608.40||
|**_Total One-of Projects_**||**_680.00_**|**_10329.67_**|**_7200.00_**|
|**OVERALL Surplus/Defcit**||**-499.49**|||
|**CASH**|||||
|Savings Account||42001.73||38583.78|





|Current Account|4457.61|6551.88|
|---|---|---|
|Cash in hand|70.20|1893.37|
|**Total cash**|**46529.54**|**47029.03**|
|**STOCKS**|**3465.78**|**2246.80**|
|Check should be zero|0.00||





Street Names £1018 

keys 

WoT/Tapestry panel 

Signs 

Patrons,Mayors benefit 

New brochures 

Projector 

stairlift £4500 

lighting, wallboards,etc talking heads hardware £400 grant from KCC Members 



CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES
Independent examinerfs report on the
accounts
Section A
Independent ExamineVs Report
Report to the trust
Tenterden and Distnd Museum Association
On accounts for the year
ended
31 December 2024
Charity no
1,195,539
Set out on pages
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
chanty (Ihe Trust") for the year ended 31 Decemter 2024.
Responsibilities and
basis of report
As the chanty's trustees. you are responsible for the preparation of the
accounts in accordan￿ wth the requirements of the Charities Ad 2011
(°the Act").
I report in respect of my examination of Twst's accounts carried out
under section 145 of the 2011 Ad and in carrying out my examination, I
have follow￿1 all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission
under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent The charity's gross income exceeded £25,000 and l am qualified to
examinetrs statement undertake the exarnination by being a qualified member of The Institute of
Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
I have completed my examination. I confirni that no material rnatter5 have
come to my attention in connection wtth the examination which gives me
cause to believe that in. any material respect..
the accounting records V￿re not kept in accordance with section 130
of the Charrties Act". or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records,. or
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements
conceming the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities
(Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirernent
that the accounts give a Irue and fair. view vthich is not a matter
considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection
with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report..
Signed:
Date:
Nam
mma Scott
Relevant professional
qualification
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
Address:
Sportsman Farm. St Michaels.
Tenterden, Kent, TN30 6SY
IER
Oct 2018

Museum A¢counts 2024
INCOME
2024
24 Budget
2023
Admi5510nS
Shop sale5
Christmas shop
OTC donation5 & Donated t4Jok5
Bl8 Donations & Bequests
subscript￿￿$ & New members
Eventsnours/Experiences
Grant5
7044.
6421.
3184.50
2559.90
10633.21
9322.CKJ
775.08
1218.
1344.44
61XI.C(I Street Narne5 £1018
820.(￿¥
21KI
1320.IXI
2236.(Xl
1827.
i(x)o.(xi
Gift Aid
2023 ABC erTOf refund
Bank interest received
1552.95
626.56
975
1274.79
417.95
276.49
Total Income
EXPENSES
Rent. rates & water
Light and heat
Insurance
Equipwnent. ￿paIrS & maintenance
Fire & Security
Telephone & broadband
Outreach & schools
Prfntin8,Stztionery & portage
Sundry expenses
Membershtp
Conservation & di5play5
IT
Evenisnours/Experiences
Training & Team building
Publlcity
rd Payrnert fees
shop Purchases
Xrnas Card Purchases
2023 invoKe5 ols
208.45
3192.LXI
809.11
182.21
321X)
780
2896.40
1085.44
346.18
330.79 key5
353.82
265.79 WoTnapesiry panel
294.68
$89.C
307.49
184.23
3(X)
350
149_76
4.75
36.56
i(rf)
235.95
55.50 Signs
488.46
675.99 Patrons.MayDf5 beneftt
242.67
215.65 New brochure5
69.53
792.68
178.72
383.
350
315
15
7500
229.70
238.57
1808.84
6552.31
2351.34
1312.08
6849.68
TotalExpenses
Surplu5ldelicit
ONE-OFF ACTIMTIES
Excepttonal items
Rolvenden kh￿1 sesssons
Disabled Access Projert
Fire Risk Assesrnment
Entrance Room Projert
Talkin8 head5/Sp￿1al Exhibition
EPOS projert
239.(K¢
280.IKJ
6083.50
12(K>.27
688.02
1230.48
608.40
Totol One-off ProR¢ts 10329.67 ?2{￿
5W.LKI Projector
280.
25￿.￿ stairlift £451X¢
I2￿.(*)
ILKK).¢X) lightinL walltr*)ards.etc
2(XXI.(Jl talking heads hardware
E400 grant from KCC Members
OVERALL Surplus/Defi{it
CASH
Saving5 Accoufii
Current Account
Cash in hand
Total ￿5h
STOCKS
421)Jl.73
4457.61
7a.20
38583.78
6551.88
1893.37
3465.78
2246.80
Check should be iero