2025-03-31-accounts - The Battle Museum Of Local History Trust

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

1204264

Charity registration number:

The Battle Museum of Local History Trust CIO

Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st March 2025

The Battle Museum of Local History Trust CIO

Trustees' Report	Page 1 - 2
Receipts and Payments account	Page 3 - 4
Statement of Assets and Liabilities	Page 5
Notes to the accounts	Page 6
Independent Examiner's Report	Page 7

The Battle Museum of Local History Trust CIO Trustees' annual report for the year to 31 March 2025

Battle Museumn of Local History (BMOLHT) Registered charity no. 1204264

The Almonry High Street, Battle East Sussex TN33 OEA

1 Annual General Meeting 27 November 2024

1.1 In accordance with paragraph 13.1 of the charity’s constitution, the seven founding trustees, Margaret Emeleus, Stephen Gray, Sonia Kendall, George Kiloh, Charlotte Moore, Trevor Wayne and Anne Wayne (alphabetic order), retired at the meeting.
1.2 The meeting nominated Michael Cornes, Stephen Gray, Charlotte Moore, Paul Skilbeck, Trevor Wayne and Anne Wayne (alphabetic order) as Trustees. There being less than eight nominations there was no need for an election to be held and the nominated people were confirmed to act as Trustees.
1.3 A report for the preceding calendar year was presented by the Honorary Secretary, Stephen Gray. Much of that reported is reiterated in this report.

2 Calendar year 2024

2.1 During the year the necessary actions and procedures initiated in 2023, for the Trust to succeed Battle & District Historical Society Museum Trust were completed and the Charities Commission removed B&DHSMT from the Charities Register.
2.2 In accordance with paragraph 18.1 of the charity’s constitution, the Trustees delegated their responsibility for day-to-day administrative roles to an Executive Committee composed of both some Trustees and some volunteers.

3 The Museum Open Season 2024

3.1 The Open Season ran from 1 April to 2 November and was the first since the onset of the Covid pandemic in 2020, that Museum could revert to operating morning and afternoon shifts six days a week.
3.2 The Museum also opened on the Sunday morning of Battle of Hastings Re-enactment weekend, 13 October, and opened for Battle’s late night shopping evenings on the 5 and 6 December.
3.3 During the season the Museum welcomed 10,244 visitors: 9,066 adults, 1,050 children and two out of hours group visits. This represents an increase of about 13.5 % over the previous season.
3.4 Income from Bank Card Donations was just over £4,300 and Cash Donations some £2,900. Additionally, £1,900 Gift Aid was claimed on those donations. Overall these sources of income were 32% up on the previous season
3.5 Total sales in the Museum shop were just short of £7,000, producing a net profit of just over £3,000. This represents an increase of about 40 % over the previous season.
3.6 Out of 133 reviews on Trip advisor for the year, the Museum was rated Excellent by 90 visitors, Very Good by 35 and Terrible by just 1.

The Battle Museum of Local History Trust CIO

Trustees' annual report for the year to 31 March 2025 (continued)

4 The collection and temporary exhibition

4.1 The temporary exhibition for the year focussed on Battle High Street. The exhibition was linked to other objects in the permanent display and was of interest to local people as well as to visitors from out of town. It was held over for the 2025 season.
4.2 Two finds by local metal detectorists were acquired via the Portable Antiquities Scheme and added to the medieval display.
4.3 Other items donated to the museum during the year are being assessed and prepared for possible future exhibition

5 Volunteers

5.1 During the open season the Museum fielded 26 volunteer gallery stewards, with behind-the-scenes functions being undertaken by 7 more volunteers.

6 Members

6.1 During the year the Museum had 40 Members, including 10 Life Members.

7 Outreach, accreditation and external relations

7.1 The Museum is preparing to renew its accreditation with Arts Council England
7.2 The Museum cooperated with a number of other bodies in the heritage sector:
Rother District Council Museum Service, who make us an annual grant of £600.00
Battell Bonfire Boyes, who pay an annual ‘rent’ for housing the effigy of Guy Fawkes.
- 1066 Country Marketing
English Heritage at Battle Abbey
The National Trust at Bodiam Castle
7.3 The Museum continued its annual outreach with the children of Battle and Langton School and welcomed a student of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme in.
7.4 Museum representatives attended meetings of a local reminiscence group of senior citizens who meet in the local library and have hosted visits by the group to the museum.
7.5 The Museum continued to work closely with Battle Town Council and welcomed Cllr. Marie-Louise Neil as its representative at Executive Committee meetings.

……………………….. Stephen Gray Hon Secretary, for the Trustees

The Battle Museum of Local History Trust CIO

Receipts and Payment Account for the year ended 31st March 2025

Unrestricted funds 4,382.72 2,940.00 330.00 1,908.25 - 130.00 600.00 3,478.70 -	Restricted funds - - - - - - - - -	2025 4,382.72 2,940.00 330.00 1,908.25 - 130.00 - 600.00 3,478.70 -

13,769.67	-	13,769.67 11,767.88
4,689.75 264.48 1,172.80 1,468.76 5.00 889.99 1,597.18 22.10 126.91 303.14 411.92 287.28 - 143.68 146.60 288.33 - 106.00 45.50 -	- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	4,689.75 5,946.30 264.48 154.87 1,172.80 472.80 1,468.76 1,440.60 5.00 - 889.99 332.49 1,597.18 651.56 22.10 7.75 126.91 128.77 303.14 679.01 411.92 423.85 287.28 410.16 - 7,178.59 143.68 146.60 1,131.65 288.33 680.35 - 106.00 102.00 45.50 89.15 - 2,966.97
11,969.42	-	11,969.42 22,796.87

1,800.25	-	1,800.25 (11,028.99)

The Battle Museum of Local History Trust CIO

Shop Trading Account for the year ended 31st March 2025

Unrestricted funds	Restricted funds	2025	2024

6,993.33	-	6,993.33	4,709.68
3,359.77 4,488.02 (3,934.02)	- - -	3,359.77 3,092.90 4,488.02 2,778.47 (3,934.02) (3,359.77)
3,913.77	-	3,913.77 2,511.60
- 77.07	- -	- 267.68 77.07 113.79
77.07	-	77.07 381.47

3,002.49	-	3,002.49 1,816.61

The Battle Museum of Local History Trust CIO

Balance Sheet as at 31st March 2025

- 4,235.46	2025 74,618.89 4,235.46	1,114.55 2,371.12	2024 71,140.19 3,485.67
39,391.63 38,594.00		48,604.01 38,594.00
	78,854.35 3,934.02		74,625.86 3,359.77
	82,788.37 -		77,985.63 -
	82,788.37		77,985.63
	77,985.63 4,802.74
3,002.49 1,800.25
…. ….
	82,788.37		77,985.63

The Battle Museum of Local History Trust CIO

for the Year Ended 31st March 2025

1 Accounting policies

1.1 The accounts are prepared on a receipts and payments basis.

The income and expenditure shown therefore reflect the cash/bank receipts and payments during this period.

The Battle Museum of Local History Trust CIO

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE BATTLE MUSEUM OF LOCAL HISTORY

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the The Battle Museum of Local History for the year ended 31st March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 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.

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.

R Walsh FCCA Date: Manningtons, Chartered Accountants 39 High Street Battle, East Sussex TN33 0EE