## **Ashwell Village Museum A Meeting of the Trustees held on Monday 20[th] September 2021** **Present:** Martin Hoffman (Chairman), Peter Greener (Curator), Shirley Wardrop (Treasurer), Christine Schwick, David Hall, John Rhodes, Cliff Jenkinson (Secretary) and Ros Allwood (Museum Mentor) **Apologies:** None. ## **MINUTES** ## **1. Trevor James** Martin paid tribute to the late Trevor James and the work he had done as a Trustee of the Museum over several years. Trevor was an eminent local ecologist and naturalist. His distinguished books were highly regarded. He was a staunch member of Ashwell URC. He had a wonderful sense of humour. Trevor’s contributions to the Museum included helping with the production and review of policy documents and playing a vital role behind the scenes in the campaign to raise funds for the Museum restoration in 2019. ## **2. Chairman’s Report** Martin welcomed colleagues back to their first meeting for 17 months. Owing to the Covid pandemic it had not been possible to hold an AGM in March 2021 but the current meeting would include all the relevant details and reports which would normally have been presented and discussed at the AGM. Martin noted that, despite the difficulties, it had still been possible to provide a full set of audited accounts for 2019. Martin thanked colleagues for their help during the long period of Museum closure. Plenty of positive developments had occurred and some difficult problems solved during this period. Martin proposed that a report on Building Maintenance should be added to the agenda of Trustees meetings in the future. Agreed. ## **3. Treasurer’s Report** Shirley had circulated a financial report before the meeting. ## a) **General Funds** In the general funds, the current balances are: ## Current account, £966 NSI account, £7,798.66 **A total of £8,746.66** ## b) **Building Maintenance** The Building Maintenance Fund stands at £58,700. The unspent part of the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant has been put into this account, which earns a little interest. The Building Maintenance Fund has a steady income from the Museum lottery, about £2,200 this year. This is 50% of 1 the money generated by the lottery. The remaining 50% is paid out in prizes. Martin proposed that in the unlikely event of a financial crisis in our general funds, money from the Building Maintenance Fund should be made available. Unanimously agreed. Christine proposed that the activities of the Museum should be publicised on the Ashwell Hub. She also suggested that a village circular should be written, to tell current, and particularly new residents about the Museum and its activities, including the lottery. Cliff had already agreed something similar with the _Ashwell at Home_ group, so the two will be combined. **Clif** will draft the letter and circulate it for comments. Peter said that the HLF grant included £200 to fund just such a circular. **All Trustees** agreed to help distribute this letter. ## **4. Curator’s Report** Plenty has happened since February 2020. During the full lockdown periods Peter and Sarah worked in the Museum on alternate weeks, organising the building and contents and replacing the displays following the restoration project. This work had been put into reverse by the leak discovered in the downstairs store. This has now been fully repaired and the artefacts, archives and records from the store, rapidly moved out in the emergency, are now neatly back in place. The repair work has been guaranteed for 25 years and is expected to last for 40. The contractors should be called back in 2032 to make an interim inspection. Improved access to the loft has been provided cheaply thanks to advice from Tony Francis. The Museum website is being fully upgraded. The old website catalogue was unsafe by 2020 and the old community archive was pedestrian and inflexible. The old website is frozen but can still be viewed. The new website, still in preparation, can be previewed online. Peter and others are having online tutorials, paid for from the HLF grant, in managing the new website. Items are gradually being added. The community archive will be published first and the catalogue should follow shortly afterwards. An appeal in the _Ashwell Village News_ for volunteer help has brought in two young, talented people to help with the website and five other volunteer helpers. The cost was initially estimated at £4,000 but the HLF has granted £9,000, which must all be spent or returned. The new website can include a shop with up to 12 items. Regular Tuesday afternoon sessions for volunteers will begin again on 28[th] September and Sarah’s ‘Makers at the Museum’ will resume shortly. An Ashwell Museum Cookbook, by Anne Fletcher, is to be published soon at £7.50. A book launch will be organised, to be held during October or November. 2 A digital card reader will soon be available, making it easier to make donations and buy items at the front desk. Martin Talks is using the Museum office occasionally on a trial basis for a year. Applying for the next Museum Accreditation has been postponed from 2020 to 2022 because of the Covid pandemic. ## **5. Friends Report** The Friends have bought a humidifier and also paid for the printing of the 90[th] birthday cards, which were circulated in the village last November, when a celebration was impossible because of the second Covid lockdown. They have also paid for the new OPEN display board. They are about to provide the card reader for the front desk. No funds have been raised for 18 months. However, the Friends will be once again be running the Sunday afternoon teas in the Parish Room from the beginning of October. There will be a Museum open morning on 16[th] October. A talk by Sam Wallace on “Farming in Ashwell, from the 1800s to the Present Day” will be held at the URC Hall on Wed 27[th] October at 8:00 pm. David (743799) has tickets: £6 in advance, £7 on the door. ## **6. Policies for Review** - The Disaster Prevention and Emergency Response Plan had been reviewed by Peter and was approved by the Trustees, with the addition of the word ‘Arson’ in the Details column of the Fire section. - The Volunteer Agreement had been reviewed by David and Peter and was approved by the Trustees. - The Workforce Chart had been reviewed by Peter and Sarah and was approved by the Trustees. - The Forward Plan is due for review in 2021. **Peter, Clif and Ros** will work on this and circulate an updated version before the next meeting. ## **7. Other Business** Shirley asked if the next lottery draw could take place at the first Sunday tea session in October. **David** will arrange for that to happen. ## **8. Date of Next Meeting** The next meeting will be held on 3 **Monday 7[th] February 2022** at 8:00 pm, at the Museum 4 ASHWELLVILLAGE MUSEUM TRUSTEES INCOME AND EXPEND￿RE FOR THE ENiMN631 DE(EMBER 2020 2020 20 T4ty1 blf 616.n 5,91950 Frkndslrecelpis 51250 3.040.(KI 15.811.70 Dmatiorts and grants Oonatths. Grantsand fvrwjratsltv pald to Buildiw Fund Ashkn*ll at h¢Jme llltere5t Lottery incorne Lottery Divhlend lin 8IFI Totsl reteNed 68232 202.4Q￿I9 4XIJ.(K) 170.62 iTrJ.(#J 2.875.￿) 18135 11,885.33 jikli￿ upkeep ènd repaif COll￿tIon pre5eN*ion 177.(￿230 370.cil 2.777.46 L24952 (L 42828 2,877.32 944.42 i(*J.( Insurdrte sqcurity Mi5C Tran￿erTed to Lottery *tount Fundraisin8 exper￿$ Council tax Eledricity Telephone and intemet Bank charye5 TO1￿ eynditure 2296.(KJ 1.746.86 L866. L(05.53 19 849.93 339.1%) 1.810.94 56,729.80 7,798.66 7,214.68 43.38554 7.742.91 2.B77.32 2.7n.46 Council tax Electricity Telephcffle and internet Totsl 2296.00 1,746.86 L866.13 1,08S.53 Prepared by: Shirfey Wardrop Revlewer's Certiftate: The aLwe st4thrnents38r tht rttL¥ds and vouchersof Ashkndl Villa8È MuseumTrustee5 for the yeJr 31st Det#hber 2020 iewed bv.. P Pritthard ASHWELLVILLAGE MUSEUM TRUSTEES INCOME AND EXPEND￿RE FOR THE ENiMN631 DE(EMBER 2020 2020 20 T4ty1 blf 616.n 5,91950 Frkndslrecelpis 51250 3.040.(KI 15.811.70 Dmatiorts and grants Oonatths. Grantsand fvrwjratsltv pald to Buildiw Fund Ashkn*ll at h¢Jme llltere5t Lottery incorne Lottery Divhlend lin 8IFI Totsl reteNed 68232 202.4Q￿I9 4XIJ.(K) 170.62 iTrJ.(#J 2.875.￿) 18135 11,885.33 jikli￿ upkeep ènd repaif COll￿tIon pre5eN*ion 177.(￿230 370.cil 2.777.46 L24952 (L 42828 2,877.32 944.42 i(*J.( Insurdrte sqcurity Mi5C Tran￿erTed to Lottery *tount Fundraisin8 exper￿$ Council tax Eledricity Telephone and intemet Bank charye5 TO1￿ eynditure 2296.(KJ 1.746.86 L866. L(05.53 19 849.93 339.1%) 1.810.94 56,729.80 7,798.66 7,214.68 43.38554 7.742.91 2.B77.32 2.7n.46 Council tax Electricity Telephcffle and internet Totsl 2296.00 1,746.86 L866.13 1,08S.53 Prepared by: Shirfey Wardrop Revlewer's Certiftate: The aLwe st4thrnents38r tht rttL¥ds and vouchersof Ashkndl Villa8È MuseumTrustee5 for the yeJr 31st Det#hber 2020 iewed bv.. P Pritthard