OpenCharities

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

2022-12-31-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod Trustees' Annual Report for theperiod
From Period start date To Period end date
01 01 2022 31 12 2022

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 298060

Ashford Borough Museum Society


Ashford Borough Museum
Church Yard
Ashford
Postcode TN23 1QG

Charity's principal address

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1
2
3
4
Trustee name Office (if any) Dates acted if not for whole
year
Name of person (or body) entitled
to appoint trustee(if any)
Christine Drury Chair of Trustees
Roger Pitt
Karen Saunders
Michael Boulding

Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

Name Dates acted if not for whole year

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser
Name
Address
President Sir George Jessel Bt
Members of Management Committee
Richard Yeates (Chair)
Robert Shrubb (Treasurer)
(Secretary) – Vacant
(Curator) – Vacant
Jeffrey Fenner
Terry Flood
Jillian Norris
Ann Thomas
Janet Welch

March 2012

TAR

1

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document

How the charity is constituted

Constitution

adopted 01/07/1987 amended on 18/04/2013

Unincorporated Association

Trustee selection methods

Election at Annual General Meeting

(eg. appointed by, elected by)

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

The guidance documents for trustees are the governance documents of the charity, the policies and procedures endorsed by accreditation, and the charity commission guidance, CC3 and further references within it.

The day to day management of the Charity is delegated to the Management Committee, the members of which are named above. The management committee provides the formal structure renewed and confirmed at each AGM . The chair appointed in 2018 remains very committed to the museum but has been temporarily unavailable for much of the year due to illness. Trustees have asked one of their number to step in as vice chair in addition to his trustee role for a short time. Supported by team work with other volunteers this is provided the necessary resilience through the year. The Management Committee is now also supported by informal but well established “ coffee meetings” which are attended by available volunteers who can thereby participate in the team based approach to curatorial, conservation and stewarding operations.

The museum is volunteer run and has Volunteer procedures and a handbook which is updated.

Ashford Borough Museum is an independent museum but works very closely with Ashford Borough Council (ABC), and occupies a grade 1 listed heritage school building in the council’s ownership and trust. Trustees have an on going dialogue with ABC about alternative larger premises but have taken other initiatives in the meantime.

Trustees and management regularly consider the risks and mitigation needed. These are mainly around space planning, long term cost and finance planning and funding , and recruiting and retaining volunteers., in addition to the core work of curating and caring for the collections and making then available to the public. Activities summarised below address each of these topics.

The Charity is Lead Member of the Wheels of Time network of Kent museums and heritage sites; in this lead role it maintains the assets of the network, which now covers over 50 museums. This maintenance role and capacity is being further developed with a lottery grant.

Trustees’ responsibilities include developing the governance of the Museum to support the accreditation already achieved and renewed. All trustees are familiar with CC3 as a first level governance reference. Trustees are aware of the need to declare and manage any conflicts of interest and any related party connections. There were neither any

March 2012

TAR

2

conflicts of interest nor related party interests during the year. The charity is unincorporated and although this has been a suitable structure trustees plan to update and governance documents including moving to a CIO structure.

March 2012

TAR

3

Section C Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

To advance the education of the public by promoting the establishment of a Museum in Ashford and in furtherance thereof: to collect and store artefacts and documents of historic interest connected with the area comprised in the Borough of Ashford in the county of Kent and to display such artefacts.

The Trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the museum plans each year.

The Ashford Borough Museum Society tells the story of Ashford by making the artefacts and records in its care available to the public. An Organisational health check with SEMD confirmed need to focus on rebuilding volunteer recruitment and retention after the Covid impacts and an ACE grant was received to secure heritage consultancy support to achieve this.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)

Looking after the collections in our trust requires space to undertake the conservation and documentation work. During the year the Museum was able to secure, equip and open a Conservation Annexe in a formerly empty shop on the high street. This provides space to a work; to engage with passing public, hold meetings and events, increase awareness of the museum and be a literal shop window for the museum and to recruit more volunteers . After delays with the lease we were eventually able to reconfigure the space to provide a secure storage area and a flexible open quality work space. This is an interim arrangement while we continue to look for a larger space for the whole museum. The Annexe was formally opened in December.

The development of our conservation work is partly funded by ACE grants : these and the new space have encouraged new volunteers to join the conservation team; we are working towards being able to make a larger grant application as the team approach makes the museum more resilient, and there is a shared sense of direction and level of ambition. We were extremely grateful for a generously large donation during the year.

Visitor numbers are gradually increasing after the covid interruptions. Trustees thank the volunteers who organised the daily stewarding rotas and the many who undertook stewarding duties. The result was museum being was open as usual between April and October. And we had an additional 350 visitors for the Ashford 180 celebration of the 1[st] train coming to Ashford in November 1842.

Governance work during the year was focussed on updating Volunteer processes and documents, and progressing collections care systems

March 2012

TAR

4

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

Section D Achievements and performance

The museum opened as planned from April 5[th] to October 29[th] . Summary of the main Heads of terms on a premises lease for a new Conservation Annexe achievements of the charity was negotiated in January, and the planning applications approved . The during the year lease was eventually signed in June. The 2022 launch of Wheels of Time took place in March with over 40 museums participating with the organising lead of Ashford Borough Museum. Also in March the Museum received the final report of the extensive Curatorial review and submitted an evaluation to the Frank Brake Foundation which had generously provided the funding for the work. Works on the Annexe as agreed under the terms and funding of the Empty Premises grant approved in the previous December were undertaken in September and October with conservation use and displays staring in November. Heritage consultant support was received during the year, under ACE grant funding, for volunteer development and collections care. Covid continued to be a concern and to impact of volunteers , visitor numbers and operations especially at the start of opening in April . Covid support funds in reserves enabled trustees to be confident that it was both necessary and possible to open and rebuild the museum’s operational capacity and deliver the public benefit to which the trustees are committed . The additional weekend opening in November for the Ashford 180 brought a very encouraging number of visitors to see the museum’s railway collections. And to close the year there was an enthusiastic attendance of volunteers and members and trustees and council officials to see the Mayor formally open the Annexe in December.

March 2012

TAR

5

Section E Financial review The Museum seeks to maintain a General Funds reserye equivalent to t¥vo years exFendrture. Brief statement ol the charity's policy on reserves Details of any funds materially in deficit Not applicabl8 Furthgr financial r•vlew delalls {Optional infomiation There were on-going impacts of the Covid pandemic during the year seriously affectin income from donations both at the Museum and as a result of individual donations., however, the Museum has benefitted from Govemment grants which more than cover the reduction in income. The surplus from these grants shown in the accounts as designated funds. You may choose to include additional infonnation, where relevant aboLrt'. the charity's principal sources of funds (including any fundraising): how expenditure has supported the key objectNe8 of the charity., investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted. The Charty maintains funds for the Wheels of Time network of museums and heritage sites in Kenl. These funds are raised from contributions by members of the Scheme and various grants specTfically provided for the Scheme. They are therefor8 shown as a Reslricted Fund in the Charity accounts. The Charity has no investments. Section F Other optional information The financial position of the charity is managed by the Treasurer who prepares accounts for trust88 meetings lo infom their discussions and decisions tsken wrth involvement of the Chair of the Managemanl Committee and the Treasurer. Section G Declaration The trustoes dKlarn that they hove approved the trustees, feport above. Slgned on behalf of the Charity's truste•• Slgnaturo(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Socretary. Chalr. etcl IorfA/ Date '7Th OcrTrQfR TAR March 2012

Ashford Borough Museum Society Accounts for Year Ending 31st December 2022

Assets

2021 Balances 2022
85,832
£
Barclays Current Account 67,222
£
23
£
Cash 48
£
85,855
£
67,270
£

Other Assets

698
£
New displaycabinets andguard 523
£
10,200
£
Old displaycabinets 10,200
£
21
£
Laptopcomputer 14
£
25
£
Projector 17
£
243
£
New laptopcomputer for Museum Office 162
£
23
£
Monitor for new computer 15
£
5,500
£
Media Unit 3,669
£
Office Shelving 106
£
Office tables 267
£
Annexe Shelving 180
£
Annexe Furniture 1,105
£
16,710
£
15,153
£

Asset values are estimated market values and will be less than replacement cost

Signed

Chairman

Treasurer Examiner

M. Boulding (Acting Chair)

R. Shrubb D. Burke

1 of 6

Ashford Borough Museum Society Accounts for Year Ending 31st December 2022

General Funds Receipts

2021 Details 2022
487.50
£
Subs 905.00
£
-
£
Donations 366.00
£
2,000.00
£
Grants 5,334.00
£
304.38
£
Donations Box 736.01
£
2.00
£
Sales 116.55
£
-
£
Sundry 962.51
£
66.14
£
HMRC Gift Aid/GASDS 148.77
£
2,860.02
£
Total Receipts 8,568.84
£

General Funds Payments

2021 Details 2022
806.33
£
Utilities 2,571.93
£
782.31
£
Insurance 1,784.35
£
98.59
£
Computing 89.00
£
112.00
£
Subs 210.00
£
-
£
Curatorial 1,366.66
£
880.44
£
Facilities 1,783.97
£
131.29
£
Sundry 773.42
£
2,810.96
£
Total Payments 8,579.33
£
49.06
£
Net Receipts / Payments 10.49)
6,619.19
£
Balance at 31 December 2021 6,668.25
£
6,668.25
£
Balance at 31 December 2022 6,657.76
£

Designated[(D)] & Restricted[(R)] Funds Receipts and Payments

2021 Details 2022
68,641.72
£
Receipts 27,002.89
£
13,981.78
£
Payments 45,577.48
£
54,659.94
£
Net Receipts / Payments 18,574.59)
24,527.01
£
Balance at 31 December 2020 79,186.95
£
79,186.95
£
Balance at 31 December 2021 60,612.36
£
Comprising
33,000.00
£
Annex Rent(D) 24,719.87
£
15,354.85
£
Annex RunningCosts(D) 10,721.71
£
Jessell Fund 3,280.46
£
4,192.10
£
Wheels of Time(General) (R) 4,568.34
£
23,100.00
£
Wheels of Time Time to Change(R) 14,321.98
£
3,000.00
£
Brake Fund(R) -
£
540.00
£
SEMD(R) 3,000.00
£

2 of 6

Ashford Borough Museum Society Accounts for Year Ending 31st December 2022

All Funds

2021 Details 2022
71,501.74
£
Receipts 35,571.73
£
16,792.74
£
Payments 54,156.81
£
54,709.00
£
Net Receipts / Payments 18,585.08)
31,146.20
£
Balance at 31 December 2021 85,855.20
£
85,855.20
£
Balance at 31 December 2022 67,270.12
£

Bank Reconciliation

Date Details
01 Jan 2022 Balance BF 85,832.25
£
31 Dec 2022 Bankings 35,452.75
£
31 Dec 2022 Cheques 54,062.82
£
31 Dec 2022 Balance CF 67,222.18
£
121,285.00
£
121,285.00
£

Cash Reconciliation

01 Jan 2022 Balance BF 22.95
£
31 Dec 2022 Receipts 1,043.04
£
31 Dec 2022 Payments 90.05
£
31 Dec 2022 Banked 928.00
£
31 Dec 2022 Balance CF 47.94
£
1,065.99
£
1,065.99
£

Total Funds

54,709.00
£
Net Receipts / Payments 18,585.08)
31,146.20
£
Balance at 31 December 2020 85,855.20
£
85,855.20
£
Balance at 31 December 2021 67,270.12
£

3 of 6

Accounts for Year Ending 31st December 2022

Ashford Borough Museum Society

Analysis of Cashbook Receipts - Sundry

Ashford communityLottery 190.50
£
190.50
£
Mealpayments 192.00
£
192.00
£
Ashford Town PCC Deposit Repayment(from 2021) 100.00
£
Ashford Town PCC Deposit Repayment(from 2021) 50.00
£
SSE Electricityrefund 227.72
£
SSE Electricityrefund 70.54
£
448.26
£
Erroneous Payment 126.42
£
Repayment of expenses claimed in error 5.33
£
131.75
£
962.51
£
962.51
£

Analysis of Cashbook Payments - Sundry

Card fees 3.94
£
3.94
£
Virtual meetinglicense 102.09
£
102.09
£
Printer Ink 81.75
£
81.75
£
Web: hosting 140.25
£
Web: Domain registration 10.79
£
151.04
£
Gift to volunteer 4.00
£
Gift to keyholder 3.50
£
Volunteer meal 295.35
£
302.85
£
Repayment of erroneouspayment 126.42
£
Expenses claimed in error 5.33
£
131.75
£
773.42
£
773.42
£

Analysis of Cashbook Payments - Designated

Annexe Rent Deposit & initial rent 5,530.13
£
Rent 2,750.00
£
8,280.13
£
Annexe running
costs
Intruder alarm & CCTV 1,289.14
£
Change lock 65.00
£
Landlord's legal fees 1,080.00
£
Legal fees 2,199.00
£
4,633.14
£
12,913.27
£
12,913.27
£

4 of 6

Ashford Borough Museum Society Accounts for Year Ending 31st December 2022

Analysis of Cashbook Receipts - Restricted

Wheels of Time Members' Contributions 2,850.00
£
Duplicatepayment 50.00
£
SEMD Network Grant 2,000.00
£
Roger de Haan CT Grant 3,000.00
£
Swale BC Grant 1,000.00
£
8,900.00
£
WoT TtC Online shopsales 42.89
£
42.89
£
Annexe Capital ABC EmptyPremises Grant 10,000.00
£
10,000.00
£
Annexe Running
Costs
Jessell Fund 5,000.00
£
5,000.00
£
SEMD Organisational Health Check Grant 2,000.00
£
Collections Care Grant finalpayment 60.00
£
1,000.00
£
3,060.00
£
27,002.89
£
27,002.89
£

5 of 6

Ashford Borough Museum Society Accounts for Year Ending 31st December 2022

Analysis of Cashbook Payments - Restricted

Brake Consultancy: Curatorial Review 3,000.00
£
3,000.00
£
Wheels of Time Lanyards 3,164.40
£
Badgeproduction 1,392.48
£
Leaflet / BannerDesign 432.00
£
Leaflet Print 3,095.00
£
Banner Print 145.73
£
Social Media Promotion 16.80
£
Web site 76.77
£
Ebadge webplugin 116.34
£
Award Badge Delivery 3.60
£
Hire van for supplies 66.24
£
Fuel for van 14.40
£
8,523.76
£
WoT TtC DDO Time fees 6,312.50
£
DDO Expenses 68.00
£
WoT Dorset costs 1,483.60
£
Shopify- online shopfees 97.24
£
Prodigi - o/l shoptrialpurchase 43.89
£
Prodigi -production fees 28.24
£
DB web Integration 787.44
£
8,820.91
£
Annexe Capital External Signage 2,496.00
£
Partition & flooring 5,610.60
£
Electrical alterations 1,100.54
£
Intruder alarm & CCTV 792.86
£
10,000.00
£
Annexe Running
Costs
Shelvingfor store
179.99
£
Furniture 1,105.25
£
Appliances 128.49
£
Thermohygrometers 22.09
£
Wi-fi router 56.99
£
Broadband 136.17
£
Water supply 90.56
£
1,719.54
£
SEMD Conservation equipment 300.00
£
Collections care training 300.00
£
600.00
£
32,664.21
£
32,664.21
£

6 of 6

Independent Examiner’s Report on the Ashford Borough Museum Society’s Accounts for year ended 31[st] December 2022

  1. I report on the accounts of the Ashford Borough Museum Society for the year ended 31[st] December 2022.

  2. Scope and nature of examination:

An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Society 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 the management committee and/or treasurer concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and, consequently, no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

In undertaking this examination, I have used as a reference point the requirements for accounts and examinations as set out in the Charities Act 2011.

3. 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 which gives me cause to believe that, in any material respect:

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.

Signed:

Examiner: David J Burke, BSc FCA

Date: 19[th] April 2023