th 384 Bombardment Group Museum Charity Number 1202861 Trustees Annual Report 0110312024 to 2810212025 Objectlves and Activlties The objective of the Museum is to advance the education of the public by means of creating and maintaining a Museum & Visitor Centre to exhibit artefacts and provide infonnation relating to 384th Bombardment Group based at Grafton Undenwood during World War 2. This will encompass the role of the USAAF (United States Army Air Force) and the varied influences rt had on the area of Kettering l East Northamptonshire both directly and indirectly, through the utilisation of existing historical buildings on the original site of the airfield. Achlevements and Performance Purchase of Assets The Museum has already purchased Iwo buildings- the Operations Block and Norden Bomb Sight Store - that originally facilitated the planning of the flight sorties that would have taken Pla during World War Two. These will be instrumental in the education of what happened on this site, and form the centrepieces of the Museum. Clearance, Groundworks and Utilities The land on which both buildings are located has been sympathetically cleared of trees and shrubs that had overgrown the area since the buildings were last in operation (circa 1945), with further work continuing to bring other areas under control. The utilities & drainage available 80 years ago are now all decommissioned. Currently work is on oin to et these to site. Research is currentl underwa to identi
what cost effective utility solutions can be installed on site to provide running mains water supply, electricity and toilet facilities. Building Works Intensive restoration work has taken place on both buildings and are now watertight by means of new roofs. The main focus of the past months has been the investment and creation of a Visitor Centre on the original site of the Group Headquarters. The New Nissen hut is now undeNiay using new materials, with construction being done within the volunteer group This will be used in the short term as a point of interest whilst the restoration work is ongoing in the original buildings. Once open this will enable the Museum to start to function as a visitor attraction, this is hoped to be within the next financial year (2025-26). Volunteers The Museum has maintained a good number of volunteers and is attracting new ones as the project progresses. The volunteers assist in the restoration work, tours of the buildings and the airfield side as well as supporting visits by veterans of the US Army Air Force that fought in World War Two. We have a diverse range of volunteers, many with specific professional skills that are utilised by the Museum. Custodians of 384th Bomb Group Memorial During the course of 2024-25 the Museum has also been made custodians of the existing Memorial to the 384th Bombardment Group. situated on the Geddington Road, Grafton Underwood. Governance Regular meetings have been held to conduct the Charity's normal business to aid in decision making on the running of the Museum Project. Currently there are three Trustees that manage the day-to-day operations of the Charity. Revenue 80 % of revenue has come via donations, with the balance from sales of the Museum's merchandise range. 60 % of donations are via the Museum's Paypal GoFundMe account. which appears to be a popular wa of collectin donations in the UK and abroad redominanti the
USA). Paypal manage GiftAid collections through this portal on our behalf. Social Media & Website The Museum continues with its own Fabook page, and is also th supported by the 384 Bomb Group Heritage Association in America who promote the Museum through their own Facebook group, and website. To increase our online presen, the Museum has created our own website which provides updates and information on the Museum project, an area dedicated to research, the ability to view future events and also a webshop which we hope will drive an increase in merchandise sales. At the end of FY 2024-25 the website was a work in progsS, with a launch scheduled for early summer 2025. Financial Revlew The Museum has increased its expenditure during the year predominantly due to the investment into the building of the Visitor Centre, and an investment into marketing to help improve our visibility with public face-to-face events. The Museum operates within the framework of the Constitution document. There are no bad debts, and all creditors are paid in a timely manner. The Museum will continue to research available funding and grants to help fund capital heavy expenditure, such as the supply of water and power to site. We will continue to use the GoFundMe platfomi for donations, and anticipate the Webshop will help to increase merchandise sales On the webshop becomes operable. The Museum holds no financial reserves, this will be continuously reviewed in the future. The Trustees state that the Charity is a going concern with sufficient reserves to complete the Visitor Centre Project, enabling us to open during the summer of 2026.
Structure. Governance and Management The Charty is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Date of the Constitution was 11 th February 2023. The Charity has a ConstitLrtion Document that it worf(s to. At the end of February 2025, all TrUStS had been appointed at the date of constrtution. All were already volunteers of the project. They were appointed on the basis of understanding of the history and a knowledge of the project, an interest in the subject matter and relevant professional skills. Trustees were Neill Howarth {Chainnan), Matt Smith (Secretary), Keith Andrews (Treasurer). Please note - Secretary Matt Smith resigned from the role as Secretary and Trustee on 12th October 2025, and has been replaced in both the role of Secretary and third Trustee by Helen Childs. Reference and Admlnlstratlve Details Charty Name- 384th Bombardment Group Museum Registered Charity Number- 1202861 Charity's Principal Address - 12 Bowland Drive, Barton Seagrave, Northants NN 15 6TX Trustees Chairman Neill Howarth Secretary Matt Smith (Resigned 1 Z110125) Treasurer Keith Andrews
Declarations The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees Report above. Signed on behalf of the Charity's Trustees Chairman Name Neill Howarth Signature Date O i 2015 Matt Smith (Resigned 12110125) Secretary Name Signature NIA Date NIA Treasurer Name Keith Andrews Signature Date 01. 11 zoi
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENfjLA14D AND WALE5 -%1, Bomb-:diTg?; Gnup Kl.usÈum ChaD.hi No 1202861 Annual accounts for the To 0110312024 date 2810212025 Section A Statement of financial activities Prfor fund¥ lund8 Tot•1 lund• Incomlng resour¢es (Not• 31 Incom• arrfl ¢ndornwbtsfrvnr F01 F172 F03 F04 F05 Char#•U• 31,279 39,601 222 24 Tot•1 Rosourceg 8xp•nd (Not• 6) exp8ndl¢yr• an.. R1141ry fvr 1.108 810 hlr Total 1,125 10.653 $12 21,501 Nèt Incom•l(•xp•ndlrel b•forn IrwMthMnt 813 17.745 17,745 34,730 N•t Incomo1{gxp•ndltur•) Extraordlnary ltsm# Trnn•f•rn b•tw••n fitnd• Oth•r rocognl•d gnlI0). 814 81S 17.745 17,745 34,730 516 817 Oth* 819 N•t mov•m•nt In fund• R•oonclll8tlon of ffunds.. Total fvnds Can1 fomrd 13,839 31,384 13,639
Ch$nly Nme .i84ih 90m[...me' •. Annual accounts for the period Section B Balance sheet Peti(xl $18rt date. 01A)y224 GuidarKe not8 Endom Tthl this Totsl last Flxed assets Intanglbl• Tan9lbl• aM•t• Herltag• a8uts Foi INot• 15) FOS 7.421 28.L INots 16) (Not• in 7,421 28.O)0 3,225 29,500 Current assets stoclrs D8btorn 32,725 (No¢• 181 INot• 191 1,640 1,415 Inv081mfrnts INot• 17.41 ¢•h a¢ bank ond In h•nd INot• 241 13.639 15,054 Cr•dltor•'. •mounts falllng <kn wjthln ar INot• 20) 33.024 33,024 fS,054 47,779 Credliorn.. •mounts lIn9 du• •lknr o y•ar INot• 201 Provl•lon• for IhblMII•4 Funds of tho Charlty Endowm•nt fvnds (Not• 271 R•itd¢t•d Incom• fund INat• 27) UnY••trlthd fund• R•v•lu•tl#n r•B•r 88,445 88.445 47.n9 016 i• 68.445 68.445 47,779 F•lrnlu• m•v¥• 08,445 47.TT9 ¢ompanl•s rn91rno •ndln wKhFRS102SORP. Prwrt Nary DBI? of 8pprLY d&m SIWal D* Pdnt namo 01.11.2c2S
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to tho Irusteesl members of 384° Bombardment Group Museum On accounts for tho year ended 28 Febnw 2024 Charlty no 1202861 out on pages 1 to 4 (ind11rj thes8 2 pages) I reFM)rt to the truotees on my examination of the aUnts of the ab)ve chadty Tnr) thg year ended 2810W2025. Rosponslbllltles and basss of report As the chariWs trust8•s. you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in a¢¢ordance with the wuirements of the Charttles Act 2011 {Ihe Acr). I rèport In resFeCt crf my examinatlon crf the Trust's awints carried out under SeCtn 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Dirgcthy)s giv8n ty the Chanty Commi$$lon under sectn 145{5Xb) of the Act. Independent I have cc4rpleled my examination. I Confi that no material matters have examine6 ststsmant ccffie to my attention in connection wtt) the examination which give$ me cause to believe that in, any material reSCl. the accounlir¥J records *re not kept in acrA)rdance section 130 of the ChaTitres Act: or the accourrts did not aurd with the accounting rocords.. the attounts did not compty the applicable requirements onceming ffftm and content of a¢cwnls set in Charfttes IALxounts and RgpctsI R8gulation$ 2008 other than any requirement that ts accounts give a Irue and faif view which is not a matter ¢Sidered as part of an iThJèpendent examinatK)n. I have no concems and havè come across no other mallers in connection with the examination to which attenn should be drawn in this raport in order to enable 8 proper understsnding of the accounts to b¢ raached. Slgn•d: D W8Tren 2811012025 Namo: Darren Warr8n- Paxton Independent ExamineTS Relevant professlonal qualificatlon(s) or body (rf any): FMAAT Addrs. 61a High Street South Rushden, Northants NN10 ORA
Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlwht material matters of concgm {see CC32. Indepent examination of charity act5." directions and guidan fcK exam1r). Glv¢ here brfef deta518 of any Items that the examiner wish•s to disclose.