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2022-06-30-accounts

2021-2022

Friends of Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives Registered charity no.276777

http://www.friendsofbmga.org.uk

CONTENTS

PAGE
Chairman’s Report
 1
Treasurer’s Report
 6
Membership Secretary’s Report
 8
Events Group Report
 8
Volunteering Report
 11
Harbourside Working Exhibits Report 12
List of Committee members 2020/2021 14

Friends of BMGA, c/o Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, Queen’s Road, Bristol BS8 1RL

http://www.friendsofbmga.org.uk

Chairman’s Report

Following the national lockdowns and restrictions of 2022/21, this year has seen a gradual return of both museum and Friends activities to something that feels closer to normal.

In the summer of 2021 Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, M Shed and Bristol Archives re-opened their doors to visitors followed by Blaise Museum, The Georgian House and The Red Lodge in the spring of 2022. The working exhibits at M Shed restarted their regular programme of public running at the start of the 2022 season. All have been enthusiastically welcomed by the returning visitors.

Our Events Group has run a programme of face-to-face activities which has ramped up as the year progressed, raising an impressive total of over £15,000, although inevitably there continued to be a few cancellations and postponements caused by pandemic precautions. Our first major event since lockdown, a holiday to the Isle of Man postponed from 2020, took place in October and was a great success.

Our financial health has been further strengthened by the receipt of £50,000 from the estate of Margaret Kerr (bringing the total received so far to £200,000), plus legacies from Jenny Pennington and John Hibberd.

The Treasurer’s report lists the ways in which some of our funds have been used this year to support the work of Bristol Museums Galleries & Archives; many of them have been highlighted in more detail in our newsletter and on our website.

Our financial contribution continues to be valued by the service, and we are able to help with minimal bureaucracy. For larger amounts, our seed funding can unlock national funds from the Science Museum, the V&A, or private trusts, often doubling or more the value of our contribution. The availability of our funds therefore makes a very real difference to the service and to the individual members of staff we support.

Our non-financial support is also important and appreciated. In January we issued a media release raising the profile of the Council’s proposed significant cuts to the museums service budget, and this was picked up by BBC and ITV local news, the Bristol Post, Bristol 24/7 and other media. We can only hope that this led to an increased awareness of the value of the service to the city and the potentially damaging impact of ill-judged cost cutting.

Sad news

In July 2021 Andy King, who had recently agreed to be our fourth Patron, sadly died, having made an exceptional contribution to the city and to industrial and maritime history across the country over almost 40 years. Over the decades Andy was a very practical supporter of the Friends and will be widely missed.

During the year we also lost several others who had made very significant contributions to the work of the Friends and previously to Friends of Bristol Art Gallery (FoBAG) and Bristol Magpies over the years. Tony Merriman was a past treasurer of FoBAG and a popular participant in many of our activities. John McOmie – who may well have been our oldest member at 101 – had been chairman of the Bristol Magpies on three occasions! Most recently we lost Maurice Bell who for 20 years ran, with his wife Margaret, the FoBAG programme of events that delighted and informed

members and raised many thousands of pounds to support the work of the Art team at the museum. The Friends are indebted to them all for their contributions to our success, and our best wishes go to their families and many friends.

Newsletter and communications

The newsletter has continued to be vital keeping us connected with members and the museum team have contributed some fascinating and well-received articles to complement our traditional trip reports. Editors Tim and Ann Wood as always do a wonderful job of putting together each fully-illustrated edition and making it so enjoyable to read; many thanks to them both for their skill and hard work, and to our many contributors of both articles and photographs.

Working with the museums service

Our relationship with the museum team continues to be key to what we do as Friends, and we are grateful to staff across the service for their continued enthusiastic support. I know that in return they appreciate not just our financial and practical contribution but also the genuine friendliness of our committees and volunteers when we work with them in organising and running events and other activities. I would particularly like to thank Ray Barnett, our main contact at the museum, who in the face of an ever-growing workload comes to all our Executive Committee meetings, keeps us up-to-date with developments across the service, answers our questions and resolves any issues. The Executive Committee continue to appreciate his helpfulness, encouragement, common sense, unflappability and untiring good humour.

In December, Jenny Gaschke, Curator of Fine Art pre-1900, left to become Senior Curator, Paintings & Drawings, at the

Victoria and Albert Museum. Jon Finch, Head of Culture & Creative Industries left Bristol at Easter to become Head of Culture and Visitor Economy for Barnsley. His interim replacement is Genevieve Adkins, previously at the National Army Museum.

Programme of Events

Our Events Group, led by Mary Bailey, has continued to work very hard on arranging (and sometimes re-arranging) a gradually expanding programme of events. I cannot thank them enough for all they do. The Events Group now needs some new recruits if we are to return to as full a programme as in pre-lockdown years. If you think you might be interested please contact Mary Bailey or Sue Thurlow to find out more.

The Executive Committee

I would like to thank all the officers and committee members for their commitment and hard work behind the scenes, and for the support they give me. Special appreciation is due to our officers: Katherine Martin our Secretary; Robert Walters our Treasurer; and Richard Avery our Membership Secretary. The committee have met monthly in person throughout the year. Thanks, too, to the volunteers who are not part of the committee but whose work is vital to our success, including Peter Newley who collates and submits our valuable Gift Aid claim.

June Hibberd has decided not to stand for re-election at the AGM. She deserves our special thanks for being on the committee since 2004, serving as an extremely efficient and welcoming membership secretary until 2020, when she handed over the role to Richard Avery.

If you are interested in contributing to the work of the committee, or to any of our activities, please let me know.

The Future

We are in a strong position financially, and thanks to our loyal membership and to all our officers, committee & Events Group members and other volunteers – and supportive staff from the museums service – I am confident we will continue to thrive. However, to maintain and grow our activities we need to recruit one or two new members to the Events Group.

Sue Thurlow Chairman

Treasurer’s Report

The Friends are fortunate in having assets of over £300,000 available to the museums and archives. This is largely due to legacies from the estates of Margaret Kerr, Jane Biddulph, Jennifer Pennington and John Hibberd. By far the largest of these was from Margaret Kerr. We are very grateful for the generosity of these legacies.

The funds especially reserved for the purchases of art, received from the winding up of the Friends of Bristol Art Gallery, have now been fully expended so that a specific art fund no longer exists but we will continue to support requests from the art collections on the same basis as all other requests. Funds left to us for specific purposes will, as far as possible, be used for those purposes.

Other sources of income are subscriptions, for which we thank Richard Avery, Membership Secretary, for collection and Dr Peter Newley for claiming the Gift Aid, and proceeds of events. After release from the restrictions of the COVID pandemic the Events Group, chaired by Mary Bailey, has provided a welcome and very varied programme of events. This has contributed over £15,000 to our funds. Our thanks to all members of Mary’s group.

How we have spent some of the money on grants to the museums and archives is set out in schedules to the accounts and the list is on the following page. The accounts will be available for members to see at the annual general meeting.

We are most grateful to Geoffrey Clements for being our external examiner.

Grants made in 2021-2022 General
Fund		 Art Fund
£ £
Goram Fair photographs 222
Delft Black Boy punch bowl 2,175
Book of maritime documents 6,250
Emilia ship's bell 2,000
Japanese lacquer box 4,000
W R Barker letter 240
Archive Windrush interviews 2,200
South West Sounds audio
project		 2,000
Pachystropheus fossil 1,500
Contribution to storyteller etc at
Blaise Museum		 7,700
Winter lectures Zoom kit 4,500
Winter lectures room hire 2,100
28,712 6,175
Grants approved for 2022-2023
Video art 6,800 3,400
Bristol Zoo archive 1,000
J B Pyne watercolour 6,750
Sound archives 1,000
Japanese artefacts 5,000
Pair of Bristol Lund vases 11,300
Support for working exhibits 7,600
16,400 26,450

Robert Walters

Treasurer

Membership Secretary’s Report

Membership fell slightly again during the year and we now have 352 single members (362 last year) and 342 (346) joint members. The gradual lifting of Covid-19 restrictions during the year was mirrored by the gradual resumption of our normal activities and we have seen 36 new memberships. 83% of the membership have completed Gift Aid declarations, enabling us to boost our income, and our thanks are due to Peter Newley for processing the year’s claim.

Richard Avery Membership Secretary

Events Group Report

We had a small-scale beginning to the year with a couple of Zoom talks in July and August but September saw events begin in earnest. The postponed visit to the Isle of Man took place and was much enjoyed by all. Thereafter, the small core of members of the Events Group managed to organise a programme of up to three events a month. Initially it was challenging as Covid restrictions were still in place in some instances but as the year wore on most of these were lifted and life returned to something resembling normal. The number of members booking for trips has remained lower than pre-Covid times but we hope that confidence will return and our events will once again be fully booked.

Within the group, Richard Avery has taken on responsibility for organising day trips along with Carol Lear and, occasionally, Gary Gostelow – the latter having reduced his workload due to ill health. We are pleased to welcome

Catherine Dixon to the group and look forward to her input during the next year. Once again, Carol Ouvry has managed to put together an impressive list of behind-thescenes visits – with additional help from Carol Lear, Gary Gostelow and back-up from Katherine Martin. We have also appreciated the administrative help of Catherine Dixon, Roni Edwards and Keira Stobie with bookings for the talks. All the group deserve congratulations and thanks for organising such an interesting programme for this year.

We welcome suggestions for and feedback on the programme and also any offers of help in organising events. Please do get in touch with me if you have comments or think you would like to be part of the organising team: events@friendsofbmga.org.uk or 0117 942 1944/ 07779 244308

List of events

2 Holidays

Visit to the Isle of Man

Visit to the north-east of England

7 Trips

Ashmolean Museum exhibition: Pissarro – the Father of Impressionism

Blake Museum, Bridgwater Holburne Museum and Victoria Art Gallery, Bath Salisbury Museum exhibition: The art of the British wood engraver Peter Scott’s House and the Wetlands Centre, Slimbridge The Dorset Museum

The Firs, birthplace of Sir Edward Elgar

17 Behind the Scenes Visits

Arnos Vale Cemetery Averys Wine Cellar Bristol Blue Glass factory and shop

10 gallery tours: Bristol Photography Festival exhibition (2), Diversity in Art (2), Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, English Delftware collection (2), Vanguard/Street Art exhibition, Grayson’s Art Club exhibition (2)

Lifeskills Centre Limbs & Things Muller Museum Underfall Yard

9 Talks

964 and All That – focus on Pucklechurch Arnos Vale – the symbolism of gravestones British Empire & Commonwealth Collection archive film Cutting it Fine – the art of the British wood engraver English Delftware at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery From Brycgstow to Bristol in 45 bridges Pissarro – the father of Impressionism Raphael – his life and works That Zealous Naturalist, Mr Miller

1 Lecture and Lunch

Flowers in Japanese Art at M Shed

2 Public events

Seasonal sale at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery Cake sale for Blaise Museum re-opening

Mary Bailey

Chairman, Events Group

Volunteering Report

We had two small-scale events this year to raise extra funds for the museums service. The first was a lateNovember sale of books, jigsaws, cakes and preserves at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. Restrictions were still in place so all volunteers wore masks and hand-gel was provided on each table. As we had no books in store, we relied on our members to bring supplies – and there had obviously been a lot of clearing out during the lockdowns along with time filled by completing jigsaw puzzles. We had mountains of books and jigsaws, so there was plenty of stock to sell. Members also brought in a varied selection of cakes and preserves so a healthy surplus of over £450 was made during the day. Sales were boosted for the first time by the use of a card-reader, now an essential item in our increasingly cashless society.

The second event was the result of a fairly late request from Catherine Littlejohns to take part in the re-opening celebration at Blaise Castle House Museum in early April. We agreed to provide cakes for visitors and, as we were positioned outside the front entrance of the house (on a sunny day, fortunately), to passers-by. Dog-walkers, cyclists and families stopped to buy slices of cake, pleased to discover that the museum was once again open to the public. Again, the card-reader came into its own and we ended the day with a surplus of over £200.

Both these events were well supported by volunteers staffing the stalls and bringing items to sell, as well as by members coming to buy, so we are very grateful to all of them for helping to boost the funds we raise for the museums service.

July 2022 sees the return of events such as the Harbour Festival and Bristol’s Brilliant Archaeology festival so opportunities for our volunteers will increase next year.

Mary Bailey

Harbourside Working Exhibits Report

Following the difficult period of the Covid shut down, the working exhibits have received a warm welcome back since returning to public operations. We have not had all the volunteers back to work, only those with the relevant training and competence to operate the exhibits. This small but dedicated team continues to operate and maintain our fleet of boats, trains and cranes.

We have made changes to the public operation by creating a ticket office built inside L shed and facing the quayside. This caters for all our exhibit operations and has proved to be a success with both public and staff alike.

A change to the normal rail operation has been with two engines on the train - top and tail is the phrase. This is to prove Henbury by putting mileage on the new bearings and also to enable practical hands-on learning for new crew.

All three boats have given public trips and the fire-boat Pyronaut is due to provide water displays for the Harbour Festival. This is very much a favourite with the crowds and when on a trip it is possible to see a rainbow in the spray.

Donations have grown in strength with Pyronaut , electric crane and behind-the-scenes tours organised for groups. These follow many talks about the boat given by Clive

Brain, skipper of Pyronaut and former crew member when she was in the fire service.

Difficult times are still ahead: the diesel tug John King needs to be out of the water for a hull inspection; the railway needs attention to the track and, of course, the long-awaited reinstatement towards A Bond. These goals and many more are the challenges that focus the volunteer team, without whom we would not be able to provide our unique public offer in the middle of a vibrant city.

Chris Ecclestone

Working Exhibits Manager

Friends of Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives Committees

2021-2022

Executive Committee

Officers:

Sue Thurlow – Chairman Katherine Martin – Secretary Robert Walters – Treasurer Richard Avery – Membership Secretary

Elected Members:

Mary Bailey Clive Burlton Gary Gostelow June Hibberd Susan Hibberd Carol Lear Toby Pinn

Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives’ Representatives: Ray Barnett – Head of Collections and Archives Allie Dillon – City Archivist

Events Group

Mary Bailey – Chairman Richard Avery Catherine Dixon Gary Gostelow Carol Lear Carol Ouvry

Registered Charity No 276777

The objects of the Association are as follows:

The education of the public by promoting, supporting, assisting and improving Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives through the activity of a group of supporters.

In furtherance of these objects but not otherwise the Association shall have the following powers:

FRIENDS OF BRISTOL MUSEUMS, GALLERIES AND ARCHIVES ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDED 30TH JUNE 2022

INCOMING RESOURCES
Subscriptions
Donations and legacies
Gift Aid
Activities for generating funds
Winter lectures
Bank interest
TOTAL INCOME
ADMINISTRATION COSTS
Newsletter and AGM
Postage
Sundry expenses
Bank charges
Website
TOTAL ADMINISTRATION COSTS
NET INCOME
RESOURCES EXPENDED
Sponsorship of winter lectures
Grants to BMGA – from general funds
Grants to BMGA – from art funds
TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED
NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN FUNDS
FUNDS BROUGHT FORWARD
FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
Including art funds
BALANCE SHEET AT 30 JUNE 2022
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors
Deposit account
Hampshire Trust deposit
Shawbrook Bank deposit
United Trust Bank
Cambridge and Counties Bank
TOTAL
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Receipts in hand per future events
ASSETS LESS LIABILITIES
FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD*		 2022
2021
14,198
13,768
57,473
51,921
3,079
4,302
15,157
1,800
271
0
1,616
2,186
91,793
73,977
3,402
4,804
3,479
2,256
866
633
890
209
135
214
8,771
8,116
83,023
66,051
485
300
29,442
20,228
6,175
48,177
36,102
68,705
46,919
-2,844
296,889
299,733
343,808
296,889
0
22,018
2,612
243
94,038
76,485
55,579
55,029
0
82,169
81,689
0
80,000
0
343,808
223,539
0
7,650
343,808
296,890
343,808
296,889
*BREAKDOWN OF RESOURCES EXPENDED
Sponsorship of winter lectures
From General Fund: Goram Fair photographs
Book of maritime documents
Emilia ship’s bell
Archive Windrush interviews
South West Sounds audio project
Pachystropheus fossil
Storyteller etc at Blaise Museum
Winter lectures zoom kit
Winter lectures zoom hire
Bristol harbour branch railway maps
From the Art Fund:
Delft black boy punch bowl
Japanese lacquer box		 £
485
222
6,250
2,000
2,200
2,000
1,500
7,700
4,500
2,100
970
2,175
4,000
36,102

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE FRIENDS OF BRISTOL’S MUSEUMS, GALLERIES AND ARCHIVES

I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 30 June 2022 set out overleaf.

Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts and you consider that the audit requirements of section 144(1) of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act) does not apply. It is my responsibility to state, on the basis of procedures specified in the general Directions given by the Charity Commissioners under section 130 of the Act, whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of Independent Examiner’s report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and, consequently, I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

Independent Examiner’s statement

In connection with my examination no matter has come to my attention:

(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirement to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Act and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Act have not been met.

(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Geoffrey Clements July 2022

FRIENDS OF BRISTOL MUSEUMS, GALLERIES AND ARCHIVES ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDED 30TH JUNE 2022

INCOMING RESOURCES
Subscriptions
Donations and legacies
Gift Aid
Activities for generating funds
Winter lectures
Bank interest
TOTAL INCOME
ADMINISTRATION COSTS
Newsletter and AGM
Postage
Sundry expenses
Bank charges
Website
TOTAL ADMINISTRATION COSTS
NET INCOME
RESOURCES EXPENDED
Sponsorship of winter lectures
Grants to BMGA – from general funds
Grants to BMGA – from art funds
TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED
NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN FUNDS
FUNDS BROUGHT FORWARD
FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD
Including art funds
BALANCE SHEET AT 30 JUNE 2022
CURRENT ASSETS
Debtors
Deposit account
Hampshire Trust deposit
Shawbrook Bank deposit
United Trust Bank
Cambridge and Counties Bank
TOTAL
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Receipts in hand per future events
ASSETS LESS LIABILITIES
FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD*		 2022
2021
14,198
13,768
57,473
51,921
3,079
4,302
15,157
1,800
271
0
1,616
2,186
91,793
73,977
3,402
4,804
3,479
2,256
866
633
890
209
135
214
8,771
8,116
83,023
66,051
485
300
29,442
20,228
6,175
48,177
36,102
68,705
46,919
-2,844
296,889
299,733
343,808
296,889
0
22,018
2,612
243
94,038
76,485
55,579
55,029
0
82,169
81,689
0
80,000
0
343,808
223,539
0
7,650
343,808
296,890
343,808
296,889
*BREAKDOWN OF RESOURCES EXPENDED
Sponsorship of winter lectures
From General Fund: Goram Fair photographs
Book of maritime documents
Emilia ship’s bell
Archive Windrush interviews
South West Sounds audio project
Pachystropheus fossil
Storyteller etc at Blaise Museum
Winter lectures zoom kit
Winter lectures zoom hire
Bristol harbour branch railway maps
From the Art Fund:
Delft black boy punch bowl
Japanese lacquer box		 £
485
222
6,250
2,000
2,200
2,000
1,500
7,700
4,500
2,100
970
2,175
4,000
36,102

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE FRIENDS OF BRISTOL’S MUSEUMS, GALLERIES AND ARCHIVES

I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 30 June 2022 set out overleaf.

Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts and you consider that the audit requirements of section 144(1) of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act) does not apply. It is my responsibility to state, on the basis of procedures specified in the general Directions given by the Charity Commissioners under section 130 of the Act, whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of Independent Examiner’s report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and, consequently, I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

Independent Examiner’s statement

In connection with my examination no matter has come to my attention:

(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirement to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Act and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Act have not been met.

(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Geoffrey Clements July 2022