COWPER MEMORIAL MUSEUM ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED ST 31 JANUARY 2022 CHARITY NUMBER: 310521 INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS TO THE TRUSTEES OF COWPER MEMORIAL MUSEUM OLNEY BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 5T AS AT 31 JANUARY 2021 I raport on the unaudited accounts of the charity forthe yearendad 31sI January 2022 which are sat out in pages 2 to 5. Respective responslbllltlas of trustèès and ¥xamineT The charity's trustees are responsible for thè preparation ofthe accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this ye8r undor section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 Ilhe Chaiilie5 Acti and that an independent examination is nasd￿. 11 is my responsibility to.. èxaminé th8 a¢¢ounts under section 145 of the Charities Act., lo follow the pro￿dureS laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 14515llbl of thè Charitiès Adl", and to stste whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basls of Ind•p•nd•nt èxaminè￿$ statement My exarrination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a ompaiison of the accounts PTe5ented with those recoids. 11 also includes consideration of any unu$LJal items or disclosu￿S in the accounts, and sèèking èxplanations from th8 trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no Dpinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair, view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. Independent examingrfs statement In connection with my examination, no material matters have come lo my attention which gives me Cause to believe that in, any material respect.. th8 8¢counting rs¢ord$ wore not kept in accordan￿ wth section 130 of the Charities Act., or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records., or the accounts did not ￿MplY with the applicable requirernenls concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charitie5 IAccoLJnts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirementthatthe a¢counts give a'lrue and fairf vigw which is not 8 matter considered as partof an independent examination. I havè co drawn in I across no other matters in ¢onne¢tion with the ex8min8tion to which attention should be Is report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. M A *ottomley ACA Collett HUlan￿ Acc ntanls Limited Chaiteiedfertir- A¢countsnls 40 Kimbotton Road Bedford MK40 2NR 4th March 2022 COWPER MEMORIAL MUSEUM STATEMENT OF ASSETS ST AS AT 31 JANUARY 2022 Nots$ 2022 2021 FIXED ASSETS Land 8nd Buildings Exhibits. Equipment, Fumrture Not V3lLJed Not Valued Not Valued Not Valued CURRENT ASSETS Cash in Hand and Deposit GOIF Investment Slo¢k Prepayment 121 131 188.765 78 21,814.78 10,805.15 3,244.02 194,344.09 1,814.78 5,464.81 3,120.67 224.629.73 204,744.35 FINANCED BY'.- Museum Fund Restoration and Improvement Fund 108,594.82 116,034.91 92,621.50 112,122.85 224,629.73 204,744.35 POOL Trustees Trustees COWPER MEMORIAL MUSEUM 5T YEAR ENDED 31 JANUARY 2022 RESTORATION AND IMPROVEMENT FUND 2022 2021 RECEIPTS DonationslGrants National Heritsge Grant 16,60D.37 12,409.40 16,10000 16,600.37 28,509.40 PAYMENTS National Heritage Sundry 15,963.02 6,990.82 12,688.31 12,688.31 22,953.84 Surplus/lOeficitl for Year Accumulated Fund Brought Forward 3,912.06 112,122.85 5,555.56 106,567.29 A¢¢umulated Fund Carried Forward 116,034.91 112.122.85 COWVPER MEMORIAL MUSEUM YEAR ENDED 31$f JANUARY 2022 MUSEUM FUND Notss 2022 2021 RECEIPTS Admissions Rents and Dividends Donations Olh6r HMRC JRS and Business Grants 11,43393 11,627.96 6,335 19 6,131.72 14,299.32 3,105.05 11,115.01 6,222.36 4,292 83 28,887.25 49.828.12 53,622.50 Surplus on Saleable Goods 5.566.92 1,664.94 SS,395.04 55,287.44 PAYMENTS Salaries Printing, P05tsge and Consumables Advertising and Web Support Slalionery Insurancè Electricity Gas Water Cleaning Telephone Maintenance- Buildings M8intenancè- Exhibtis. etc. Subscriptions Other Fees and Expenses- Training Finance Fees including Credit Card Cottage 20,889.60 373.24 393.36 19731 3,769.47 1,358.64 1,439.70 416.00 1,037 34 641.73 3,968 87 400 56 1.%3.95 1,695.95 1,101.00 20,374.45 408.59 73.06 79.81 3,559 00 918.08 1,121.27 1.003.50 1,192.65 737.15 3,146.53 884.42 1,280.13 351.08 889.78 157 00 39,421.72 36.109.20 Surplus for Year Accumulated Fund Brought Forward 15,973.32 92,621.50 19,178.24 73,443.26 Accumulated Fund Carried Forward 108,594.82 92,621.50 COWPER MEMORIAL MUSEUM ST YEAR ENDED 31 JANUARY 2022 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS 2022 2021 11 Sal•abl• Goods Tradin Income for Year Less.. Cost of Sales 7,291.41 1,724.49 2,475.35 810.41 5,566.92 1,e64.94 21 Cash in Hand and on De oslt Housè Manager's Floavlmprest COIF Deposit (Endowment Fund) Virgin Money Barclays Businèss Premium Account Barclays Current Account P8yPal Account Shawbrook Bank Buckinghamshire Building Society Cambridge & Counties Bank Hampshire Trust Bank 35.82 27,195 79 18.57 47,191.47 45,369.39 173.32 42.295.92 295.42 59,000.00 173.32 36,150.12 210.73 20,000.00 80,000.00 25,000 00 188,765.78 194.344.09 31 COIF Investrnènt The value of this investment as at 31"J8nuary 2022 was £29,715.71 {2021 £8,813.73). r Memorfal Musewn: •)n the AnnualP&¢>u ered Cha No 310521 Ended 31°Januw 2021 This was another year where the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic had a significant effect on the operation of the museum. Our trading season saw a phased part time opening of the gardens In mid-April followed by the museum building in mid may. Visitor numbers improved between July and October but were nowhere near the levels achieved pre-pandemic. Our courtyard coffee momings proved very popular- it was clear that people wanted to get out and meet each other again but in a safe environment. The 2021 season finished on a high with a very successful Dickens of a Christmas mulled wine stall (relocated from the market to our courtyard) and a successful Spooky History Walk which Saw 90 attendees. The museum refiected life in current Britain with an 18th trntury twlst by mounting a display entitled "Quackery and Enlightenment: a joumey through Georgian medicine" COn￿1Ved by our volunteer Amy Doolan. The display featured the ledgers of Dr Grindon of Olney (who prescribed medicine to Cowper & Mrs Unwin) which had never been seen in public before. Difficult time5 are often a spur to innovation and the accelerdtion of change. In the case of the museum, thls included the introdurtion of the Art rickets online booking system and the commencement of an online shop with the offer of free home delivery to postcode MK46. Guided walks and talks recommenced in June but our Georgtan Dance Group had to content itself with the resumption of rehèarsals in ju￿ 2021. It is hoped that public performances will get going again during the summer of 2022. Behind the scenes the museum was as busy as ever with tasks Such as consen4ation, cataloguin& and environmental monitoring continuing on. Two pIctu￿S are currently at the Courtauld institute for conservation work by students and there is an urgent need to carry outconservation work on Cowperfs bedspread or counterpane for which extemal funding is to be sought. Private donations were received targeted at the la￿ room and the digitisation of historic records. A major reorganisation within the building saw the Three Hares Gallery and the Lace Room swop places. As a rEsult. The Three Hares Gallery Is now more appealing to exhibitors and visitors alike. The Lace room has also been transfom)ed. After a nuFnber of failed grant application5, the decision was made to 80 ahead with a scaled back projert using our own resources. lace is an integral part of Olne(s history that simply could not be ignored. The new iAce Makers Roorn opened during the summer wtth a greater emphasis on the social history of the local lace making industy. The effect of this has been to broaden its appeal to visitors. Externally, the former market place water pump was restored and is now located in our gardens where it forms an Inte￿stIng feature. The opportunitywas also taken to install elettrical powerthroughout the gardens together with the facility to illuminate Cowperfs summer house. The courtyard gazebos were replaced by a new permanent veranda and paving. Collaboration with external bodies continued throughout the year. Royal Holloway provided funding for a new electronic tablet and plinth. This will contain the results of research commissioned by the museum into John Newton's life at sea and in Liverpool. The museum was also included in the Royal Holloway. University of London citizens Project which will incorporate two museum related films. On a more local level. the museum has been collaborating with the Olney & District Historical Society, and the Olney Archeaological Society on the production of a series of Heritage boards to be located at various locations tn Olney. The Board of Trustees remained unchanged during the year with three trustee vacancies. Additionally the two Town Council nominated posts are also currently unfilled. As will be clear from the forgoin8 and later comment, this year has required enormous commitment from both Trustees and Volunteers to keep the museum going and to enable it to plan forthe future. The level of commitment is demonstrated by the fact that in the year under review volunteers gave 11,483 hours of their time. My grateful thanks to everyone concemed. We We￿ able to retain our paid staff throughout this period thanks to the support provided by the government. Our thanks to Paula Noble, Lindsay Rice, and Sharon Farr fortheir continued commitment and enthusiasm. Lindsay has recently decided to retire so I would like to thank her for her years of service to the museum and for her continued involvement as a volunteer going fop•4ard. Lindsaws replacement Linda Prior has recently joined us and has already proved herself to be a very effettive part of the team. A number of staff and trustees have been enrolled on the Heritsge Compass course which will encompass higher level training in a number of areas critical to the successful running of a heritsge attraction. Apart from the pure training aspect, we will also beneftt from having a "critical friend. as well as the advantages of being able to netsvork with similar placed or8anisations around England. A great deal of effort has been expended on planning for our Amazing Grace 250 cekbrations in COnjur￿lI0n with local partners both in Olney and across Milton Keynes. Thanks are due to Milton Keynes Council for their help and tinancial support in progressin8 the project. l am pleased to report that our application to the National Heritsge Lottery Fund was succwfvl and that we are now recruiting staff to deliver this projett. Additionally we await the outcome of an application to Arts Councll England to put on a music pro8rarnme wtth associated events to highlight the th 250 anniversary of Amazing Grace. One casualty of this high level of activlty was the declsion to defer the planning of an "Amazing Space. garden room within our grounds until the AG250 projett is completed. This projett was promng too complex and time consumin8 to progress With all the other acttvity that was taking place. History tells us that Pandemics tend to last for 2 to 3 years and we can only hope that on thls basis we are now past the worst of Covid 19. We have emerged from the pandemic in P￿ttY good financial shape but we now face the real challenge of rebuilding volunteer and visitor numbers. AG250 with the extra ￿sOUrceS It brings is the perfect springboard to enable us to face those twin challen8es with confidence Paul Collins Chairman of Trustees, 4th May 2022.