COWPER MEMORIAL MUSEU ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 5T 31 JANUARY 2026 CHARITY NUMBER: 310S21
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS TO THE TRUSTEES OF COWPER MEMORIAL MUSEU OLNEY BUCKINGHAMSHIRE AS AT 315T JANUARY 2026 I report on tha unaudited aunts ofthe charity forthe yeareNW 31" January 2026which are set out in pages 2 to 5. R•sp•ctiv¢ r•$ponJlbllltle8 of tru8te•s and •xam•nor The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparats.on of the accounts. Tha ¢harrty'$truslee$ consider that an audit is not required for this year under seth.on 144 of the Charities Ad 2011 (the Charits'es Acll and that an indep8ndgnt examination is needed. 11 is my responsibility lo.. oxamine the accounts undef section 145 of ¢h8 Ch¥ritios Act., to follow the procedures laid down in the general Dire¢bon$ given by tho Charity Commission lunder s8Ction 14515llbl of the Charilies Act).. and to state wholher parb'cular matter5 have come to my attanbon. 8••is of Snd•p•nd•nt •xamln•rf¥ #t*toment My examination was Cafried out in accordanco with the general Direclions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the a¢¢ounling records kept by the chgrity And o compari$on of the a¢¢ounls presented with those records. 11 also indudes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the acc¢unt$, and seekin9 explanats'ons from tho Iruslges ¢on¢eming any such matters. The proce¢lures undertaken do not provide all th& evi¢Jence that would be required in an audit, and cons8qu8nlly no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'lrue and fair, view and tha report is limilgd lo th08e matters set out in the StatenI below. Indep•nd•nt •xamln•f$ ltatsmgnt In connedion with my examinab'on. no maleriol mattern have¢ome lo my attention which gives me c8U88 to believe that in, any material fespoct.. the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charrt$ Act,. or th8 a¢¢ounl$ did not accord with the accounting records." or the accounts did not Comply wslh the applicable requirements concaming thg fgrm and conlenl of accounts set out in the Chariti&s IAc¢ounl$ and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requ1ment that the accounts gNe a'tru8and foirf Vie4¥whith not8 matter considered as partof an independent examinali¢)n. I have come drawn in thi ss no other matters in connection wth the examination to which attention should be ort in order to 8nabl8 a prOr underntsrKJing of the accounts to be reached. re ey ACA ance Accoun rtered Certified Ac IIotLRo nts Limrted ntsnts 40 Bedford MK40 2NR 1 P February 2026
COWPER MEMORIAL MUSEUM STATEMENT OF ASSETS ST AS AT 31 JANUARY 2026 Notes 2025 FIXED ASSETS Land and Building$ Exhibits, Equipment. Fumiiurg Not Valuod Not Valugd Not Valuad Not Valugd CURRENT ASSETS Cash in Hand and Deposit COIF Investment Stock Prepayment 121 131 196.781 34 21,814.78 9.311.40 2.801.14 1B3.580.61 21,814.78 8.818 94 2,749 68 230.708.66 216.964.01 FINANCED BY:. Musoum Fund Resloralion and Improvement Fund 148.872.77 81.835.89 140,137.78 76,826.23 230,708.66 216,964.01 Trustees Trustees
COWPER MEIAORIAL MUSEUM YEAR ENDED 31- JANUARY 2026 RESTORATION AND IMPROVEMENT FUND 2026 2025 RECEIPTS Donalion51Grants Nation81 Hentage Grant 23.063.27 38.386.00 9,876.00 23.063 27 48.262 00 PAYMENTS National Herilage Sundry 18,053.61 s6,1.68 18,053.61 58,158.66 SurplusllDeficill for Year Accumul8t8d Fund Brought FoThv8rd 5.009.66 76.826 23 17,894.661 84,720.89 Accumulated Fund Carrlad Forward 81.835.89 76,826.23
COWPER MEMORIAL PJJUSEUM ST YEAR ENDED 31 JANUARY 2026 MUSEUM FUND 2026 202S RECEIPTS Admissions Rents and Dividgnds Donations other 27,277.35 19,180.93 11,362.89 15,610.21 29,231.25 17.511.77 7,418.23 8,533.11 73,431 38 62.694.36 Surplus on Saleable Gtr)ds {1) 8,640.37 6.156.57 82,071.75 68.850.93 PAYMENT Salaries Printing, Postage and Consumables Advertising and Web Support Stationery Insurance Electricity Gas Watèr Cleaning Telephone Maintenance- Buildings Maintenance- Exhibit$, etc. Subscriptions Other Fees and Expenses- TrainirvJ Finance Fees including Crodrt Card Vegetsble Garden 33.41968 1.073 99 2.101.59 345.47 3,309.90 2,952.12 1,475.84 841.52 1,367.21 1,114.25 17,198.29 26.00 1,SS4.64 1.812 25 976.71 3,767.30 30,353.61 888.27 1,965.96 199 77 3,267.73 3,726.96 3,508.42 629.58 1,323 18 1,025 60 11,884.57 637.78 1,829.78 2,097.81 920.56 334 32 73,336.76 64,393.65 Surplus for Year Accumulated Fund Brought Forward 8.734 99 140.137.78 4,457.28 135,680.50 Accumulatsd Fund Carried Foard 148,872.77 140,137.78
COWPER IJEMORIAL MUSEUPA YEAR ENDED 31ST JANUARY 2026 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS 2026 202S Sal¢ablo Goods Tradin Income lor Year Less." Cost of Sales 13,392.01 4,75164 12,670.19 6,513.62 8.640.37 6,156.57 21 Cash In H nd and on De House Managgr'$ Floaulmprest COIF Deposit (Endowment Fund) Barclays Business Premium Account Bar¢lay5 Current Account PayPal Ac¢ount Buckinghamshire Building Soc Cambridge & Counties Bank 220.00 82.808 49 5.835 51 6.354 75 15.73 21.546 86 80.000.¢10 4670 60.120.84 5.707.35 16.615.34 210.73 20.879.65 80,000.110 196.781.34 183,580 61 3} COIF vo8tm•nt The value of this investment as at 311tJanuary 2026 was £29.778.67 {2025 £33,159.53).
Chair of Trustees Report 2026 It's been another interesting year at the museum. Attempts to gain a major National Lottery Heritage Fund grant for a new Garden Room (with toilet, kitchen. education and exhibition space), are UndeaY again at a sutF£250k level. Weather has played a leading role again with prolonged periods of rain and heat, neither of which our main demographics are very fond of. We have had to spend money on the knock-on effects of the heavy rain we had in late 2024 but we still succeeded in breaking even in both years. We had our usual visits from the great and good, including a Deputy Lord Lieutenant and High Sheriff. Pippa Kirkbride, who gave us another award for our volunteering success: We have had 38 new volunteers in the last year or two. Visitor numbers were fairly flat last year, as with most heritage institutions, with general mood and financial constraints holding visitors back somewhat. But I doubt there are many more active museums of our size. Paula's master spreadsheet of all activities from visiting groups to tours, talks, fund raising events and linked town and city events, runs to over 200 lines. Additionally, we held 60+ events in the marquee last summer. The gardens are an expanding draw and are increasingly raising supplementary income from plant sales and events. Our winter and Festive Season offerings were also well received,. again. We said a sad goodbye to Assistant House Manager Linda, but a big hello to Caroline at the end of the year, and she seems to have settled into the quirky museum family really well.
Moving into 2026. we increased our entry charge to £12 after holding it unchanged for four years. But we have also expanded free age of entry by a year to include all children up to and including 16 years. Plus. we are also offering free entry to anyone in education up to age 25. This makes our adult admission no higher than a child's admission elsewhere in MK and the average family entry less than half of most other heritsge institutions locally. We are not seeing a fall-off of paying visitor numbers as a result of the change - touchwood. You will have noticed that this has been accompanied by fresh brand marketing and leaflets. Again, MK City Council have funded a marquee for a month from 17 July to support and help us justify the Garden Room bid. We will have musical events again. including jazz and folk, local history talks, arts, crafts, gardening, wellbeing activities run by Nook by Nature and Nature Makers, and other garden events such as our summer social where we will be welcoming back the Olney Ukulele Group. The Collections areas have been active as ever with Newton's church chalices on display for the first time and fresh modern lace exhibited in our lace room for example. Our first Refreshments in the Coutyard have bought in about £1000 earmarked this year to offset our wall repair costs following another period of deluge and an inner wall collapse. The garden have had a successful quiz and plant sales are going well with another over the weekend to coincide with the National Garden Scheme and Motorama events. We could not do what we do without our staff, volunteers and trustees, and I thank you for all your amazing enthusiastic efforts. Tom Jones, Chair of Trustees