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 a￿unts 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 State￿nI 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
requ1￿ment 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 prO￿r 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 Fo￿ard
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 Unde￿aY 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