Annual Report for the period From 1st April 2021 to 31[st] March 2022
Charity Name: Markfield Beam Engine and Museum Charity Registration No: 290486 Charitable Incorporated Organisation address:
Markfield Beam Engine and Museum Markfield Park Markfield Road South Tottenham London N15 4RB
1 Objectives and Activities
1.1 Under its CIO constitution, “The object of the Trust is to advance the education of the public in science, engineering technology and engineering history, by the provision of a museum.”
1.2 The main activities in relation to this purpose are to:
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promote and preserve the Victorian Beam Engine & Museum on the site of the former Tottenham & Wood Green Sewage Works.
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acquire exhibits, carry out restoration and research for display and education, and carry out improvement and development of the Museum.
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provide educational and lecturing facilities and museum tours.
1.3 The Trust recognises its responsibilities under Charity Commission guidance to carry out its activities solely for public benefit.
1.4 The Museum premises are held by the Trust on a Lease from Haringey Council.
1.5 Contribution made by volunteers: The Museum is run exclusively by Volunteers with no paid staff. All Trustees also operate as Volunteers (all-together 18). It is estimated that Volunteer time in managing, maintaining and operating the Beam Engine & Museum exceeds 2,000 hours/annum in a ‘normal’ year. However, the year covered by this report has been partly impacted as most Museums, by the Coronavirus pandemic.
2 Achievements and Performance
2.1 For the year 2021-22, the Museum was unable to follow its established pattern of opening to the public because of the Government’s pandemic lockdown restrictions. The Museum remained closed until the end of May, when it was able to be re-opened after restrictions were lifted. The Museum then operated with limiting COVID precautions in place to ensure the health and safety of Volunteers and the public. It subsequently became possible to re-introduce Steam Days. Whilst visitor numbers were generally lower than for a ’normal’ year, there have been encouraging signs of increasing interest in numbers of visitors.
2.2 The Museum team took the opportunity of the lockdown ‘downtime’ to complete significant upgrading work to its heritage displays, lighting and reception area. This work has considerably improved what we are able to offer for public benefit. It has also been
possible to conduct some engineering induction training for a number of Volunteers, as we look to extend the skills we need to operate the Beam Engine for the public..
2.3 The Trust has continued to explore ways of promoting and publicising the Museum, including on-line, website review, via social media and acquisition of new external banners.
2.4 The Trust initiated a new drive to progressively develop its shop sales offer to visitors – early signs suggest that this has proved to be productive.
2.5 The Museum has welcomed 3 groups for hire visits, together with a company hiring the premises for filming.
2.6 The Museum has now introduced 2 new visitor opportunities – craft-based children’s activities for parents and children; guided walking tours of the surrounding heritage site (see below).
2.7 The Trust initiated discussions with Haringey Council officers and the local Friends of Markfield Park group, about the development of a possible Heritage Trail (and the potential to achieve formal heritage recognition) for the surrounding original Victorian Sewage Works Site, which is directly associated with the Grade II listed Museum building and Beam Engine.
3 Financial Review
3.1 The Trust’s financial position for the year 2021-22, is set out in the accompanying Annual Accounts Statement.
3.2 The Trust appointed Hedley Dunk Chartered Accountants as their Independent Examiner for its accounts.
3.3 Following the appointment of a new Trustee Treasurer, the Trust’s internal accounts records have been newly set up using accounting software format on the Trust’s central on-line records facility. It continues to operate a Community Current account for the Trust with Barclays Bank PLC.
3.4 The Trust continues to operate a Community Current Account with Barclays Bank PLC. During the year, the Trust was able to set up for the first time a Reserve Account with the Monmouthshire Building Society. This enabled the Trust to transfer and hold that part of the Charity's unrestricted income (primarily derived from the Government RHL grant noted below), which is available to spend at the discretion of the Charity Trustees and generally intended to provide cover for future unexpected need, or to pursue an opportunity in line with the charity’s purposes for the planned long-term capital development.
3.5 The Trust has invested in a card reader facility which now enables visitor donations and sales purchases to be made electronically for the first time. This is already starting to show positive results.
3.6 The Trust’s ‘normal’ principal sources of income come from visitor donations, one-off donations, hire of premises, sales, and Gift Aid. Grants for particular projects have also assisted developments.
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3.7 The Trust’s principal outgoings are attributable to maintaining, fuelling and insuring the beam engine; rates, power, public liability insurance, administration and the cost of printing and items for sale.
3.8 The Trust had recognised over recent years, increasing difficulty in operating the Museum in a difficult economic climate. The essential costs of maintenance, fuel to operate the engine, insurance and rates had all increased, whilst income and visitor numbers had remained static. This meant that the Trust was only just maintaining its operations, with a gradually reducing balance.
3.9 As noted above, the pandemic lockdown impacted on the ability of the Trust to generate ‘normal’ income, resulting in a substantially reduction. However, the Government’s Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant received during the previous year, enabled the Trust to cover operational and short-term needs, and compensate for the shortfall in income.
3.10 The Trustees will be prudent in managing any surplus in our current account to allocate funds to cover expenditure against any further shortfall in donation income, or reinvest in improvements to enhance the visitor offer,
3.11 The Trust submitted a number of grant bids for work to improve Museum visitor attraction and operations – unfortunately all unsuccessful in what has proved to be a heavily oversubscribed marketplace. However, the Trustees were successful in achieving support for training under the Heritage Trade-Up and Heritage Compass programmes designed to facilitate the development of income generation.
3.12 Trustees have continued to identify and explore a number of avenues to increase income, such as: more extensive and targeted publicity to increase footfall; more frequent opening (with more steam days); improved attractions to increase interest; developing sales; hiring out the premises etc.. See also below, the wider governance review measures initiated to substantiate the Trust’s well-being and plan for future development.
4 Structure, Governance and Management
4.1 The Trust was originally established as a Charity and a Company Limited by Guarantee and not having a share capital in September 1984.
4.2 However, as part of its governance review project (2020-21), the Trust reviewed its Constitution, and proposed to change to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) – this was eventually formally confirmed by the Charity Commission on 19[th] April 2021.
4.3 The organisation is managed by the Board of Trustees under the Trust Chair, via quarterly Board meetings, reporting and on-line communications – which are also used as a means of communicating with Volunteers. Individual Trustees have allocated responsibilities to oversee particular areas of Trust activity.
4.4 Going forward, the Trust is following the procedural stipulations set out in its adopted Charity Commission CIO Foundation Model constitution. Trustees are appointed for a 3- year term, with rotating retirement pattern.
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4.5 The Trust has maintained a skills audit of its Volunteers and continues to explore recruitment of more volunteers and develop in-house training – notably to supplement engineering skills to maintain and operate the beam engine. The need for additional expertise in certain areas is seen as of increasing importance – and initiatives to recruit for these areas have been undertaken.
4.6 A new Treasurer for the Trust, Ms Sophie Morley, was appointed and confirmed as a Trustee by the Board at its meeting in May 2021. At the same time Ms Emma Felber resigned as a Trustee.
4.7 At its March 2022 meeting, Mr Kenneth Brereton and Mr David Cracknell indicated their retirement by rotation as Trustees at the end of the financial year. Mr Brereton did not seek re-election. The Board agreed to appoint him as Honorary President of the Museum in recognition of his many years of service as former Chair, Treasurer and Trustee. Mr Cracknell agreed to be re-appointed as a Trustee.
4.8 Also at the March meeting Mr David Cracknell indicated that he would stand down as Chair of the Trustees at the end of the financial year. The Board agreed to appoint Trustee Mr Ian McLaughlin to succeed him as Chair.
4.8 The Trust’s volunteers continue to carry out responsibilities for maintaining the Museum premises in conjunction with Haringey Council as Landlord. Volunteers also carry out regular maintenance to the beam engine and its supporting infrastructure.
4.9 The Museum is a Member (3835) of the Association of Independent Museums, and, as such, is able to benefit from support and guidance provided by that organisation. The Trust is a Member of the Lee Valley Heritage Alliance, and along with other member heritage sites, has continued to support and promote the wider industrial legacy of the area to the public. The Museum has also registered with the Industrial Heritage Network (London). The Museum continues to be a member of the local Friends of Markfield Park stakeholder group, which has a role in monitoring and co-ordinating activities in the surrounding Park area in conjunction with Haringey Council.
Forward Planning:
4.10 The Trust has been operating the Museum broadly in its current format since 2009. However, there has been an awareness that the Museum’s heritage potential (as the site of one of the earliest original local Victorian sewage treatment works) is not fully exploited for public benefit.
4.11 Development is limited by footfall / income, the engineering running costs, location, the premises footprint and the availability and expertise of a volunteer-only based operation. Consequently, the Trust has over recent years, explored how the development and sustainability of the Museum might be achieved.
4.12 Our Vision and Strategic Aim:
“To develop, complete the restoration and promote, the original Markfield Sewage Treatment Works site, its beam engine and premises and displays, as a unique part of Tottenham and wider engineering and public health heritage.”
4.13 In 2018 the Trust applied obtained, a grant under the Association of Independent Museums Hallmarks Award programme, to facilitate a consultant supported project to: ‘Achieving the organisation’s sustainable potential for planned future development of our unique Museum, through completing governance, legal and business planning restructuring’. The Read Consultancy was appointed in March 2019 to work with the Trust in
carrying out this work during 2020-1. The Review project was completed and a Final Report submitted to AIM in February 2021.
4.14 As a result of the Governance Project, the Trust completed and implemented:
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An Organisational Structure
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A Business Plan, setting out our short, medium and long-term Vision & Strategy and a series of management policies covering various areas of business and operational activity.
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On-line document management facility mirroring the Organisational Structure.
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Transition to Charitable Incorporated Organisation status with the Charity Commission.
4.15 Additionally it is anticipated that the Trust will subsequently achieve a new 25 year Lease with Haringey Council for the Museum premises, based on Heads of Terms that have been agreed.
4.16 The impact of the outcomes of the Project are only likely to be realised over time in relation to the aims and objectives in our Business Plan. The project has provided the assurance, impetus and means to believe that the Trust can take forward sustainable plans for the development and management of the Museum into the future.
4.17 During the current year, the Trust’s Business Plan has been reviewed and updated. The Business Plan timescale was inevitable impacted from March 2020 by the COVID-19 crisis. Consequently, this revision to the Business Plan has taken into account the interruption caused by the pandemic, as well as the progress made to date, but without affecting the long-term plan.
4.17 The Trust has been confirmed by the Arts Council as formally “Working towards Accreditation”. This initiative will be developed over the next 2 years.
Administrative details
| Corporate Trustees–names of the Trustees during the period covered by this Report. | Corporate Trustees–names of the Trustees during the period covered by this Report. |
|---|---|
| Trustee name | Position |
| Mr David Cracknell | Trust Chair |
| Ms Sophie Morley (from May 2021) | Trust Treasurer |
| Mr Kenneth Brereton (to end of March 2022) | |
| Mr Alan Elliott | |
| Ms Emma Felber (to end May 2021) | |
| Mr Andrew Lewis | |
| Mr Ian McLaughlin | |
| Mr Abdullah Seba | |
| Ms Emma Stell | |
| Mr Peter Clarke | CIO Secretary |
Sincere thanks to all Trustees and Volunteers who have given their time and talents so enthusiastically to support the work of the Museum.
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The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts and reports.
Under the provisions of the Charities Act, the Trust is required to send to the Commission within 10 months of its financial year end date, an annual return, trustee annual report and accounts. Under Charity Commission Guidance CC15c, Charities with a gross income of over £25,000 but not exceeding £250,000 in the relevant financial year are required to have their accounts Independently Examined. This is the case for the Trust for the 2021-22 financial year. The Trust have appointed Hedley Dunk Ltd for this purpose.
Signed on behalf of the Charity’s Trustees
| Signature(s) Name(s) Position Date |
||
|---|---|---|
| David Cracknell | ||
| Trustee (former Chair) | ||
| 1stJune 2022 | ||
| 1stJune 2022 |
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Markfield Beam Engine and Museum
Charity Commission No 290486 Annual Accounts for 2021-2022
Period ended 31 March 2022
Balance Sheet
| Balance Sheet | Balance Sheet | Balance Sheet |
|---|---|---|
| As at 31 March 2022 As at 31 March 2021 Current Assets £ £ Stocks 350 - Cash at Bank Current Account 13,802 34,889 Reserve Account 17,042 Other receivables - 38 Total 31,194 34,927 Current Liabilities Accruals - 1,699 Total - 1,699 Net Assets 31,194 33,228 Funds Revaluation Reserve - - General Funds 34,889 5,949 Profit (Loss) -4,045 27,279 Total Funds 30,844 33,228 Income and Expenditure Account 2021-2022 As at 31 March 2022 As at 31 March 2022 Income £ Expenditure £ Visitor Donations 1,434 Rates 423 Other Donations 934 Electricity 523 Sales 295 Fuel Oil 1,270 Gift Aid - Administration 507 Outreach Activities 1025 Engineering 715 Project Income - Shop 516 Other Income 38 Marketing 190 Reserve Account interest 42 Public Liability Insurance 525 Boiler Insurance 124 Boiler Inspection 711 AIM Project 845 FOMP Project 512 WD 181094 Project 62 Repayment Gift Aid overclaim 889 Total Income 3,768 Total Expenditure 7,813 |
||
| Total Income | 3,768 | 7,813 |
| Profit (Loss) | ||
| 4,045 |
| Total Income | 3,768 |
|---|---|
| Profit (Loss) | 4,045 |
Notes
The loss over the year is primarily attributable to:
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Reduced visitor donations resulting from COVID lockdown and its subsequent impact
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No Gift Aid claim during the year
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Final payments made against accrued project income
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Repayment of a previous year Gift Aid overclaim
The Trust continues to operate a Community Current Account with Barclays Bank PLC.
During the year, the Trust was able to set up a Reserve Account with the Monmouthshire Building Society. This enabled the Trust to transfer and hold that part of the Charity's unrestricted income which is available to spend at the discretion of the Charity Trustees and generally intended to provide cover for future unexpected need, or to pursue an opportunity in line with the charity’s purposes for the planned long-term capital development.
The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts and reports.
Under the provisions of the Charities Act, the Trust is required to send to the Commission within 10 months of its financial year end date, an annual return, trustee annual report and accounts. Under Charity Commission Guidance CC15c, Charities with a gross income of over £25,000 but not exceeding £250,000 in the relevant financial year are required to have their accounts Independently Examined. This is the case for the Trust for the 2021-22 financial year. The Trust have appointed Hedley Dunk Ltd for this purpose.
Signed on behalf of the Board
| Signature | |
|---|---|
| Name | David Cracknell |
| Position | Trustee |
| Date | 1stJune 2022 |