2023-03-31-accounts

Registered number: 00073855 (England and Wales) Charity number: 529952

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

TRUSTEES' REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

CONTENTS

	Page
Reference and Administrative Details of the Charity, its Trustees and Advisers	1 - 2
Chairman's Statement	3
Trustees' Report	4 - 18
Independent Auditors' Report on the Financial Statements	19 - 22
Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities	23
Consolidated Balance Sheet	24
Charity Balance Sheet	25
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows	26
Notes to the Financial Statements	27 - 54

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE CHARITY, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Trustees

Julian Sladdin, Chair Prof. Shahidha Bari Laura Beare Richard Dunbar (appointed 12 July 2023) Elina Eady (resigned 2 April 2022) Ciara Gallagher Jonathan Gration Patricia Gurney (resigned 10 September 2022) Penelope Jenkins Andrew Midgley Helen Meller Anne Powell (resigned 10 September 2022) Lucy Powrie (appointed 18 May 2023) Valerie Sanders

Company registered number

00073855 (England and Wales)

Charity registered number

529952

Registered office

The Brontë Parsonage Museum Haworth KEIGHLEY West Yorkshire BD22 8DR

President

Dame Judi Dench CH DBE FRSA

Senior Leadership Team

Rebecca Yorke - Director Clare Dewhirst Ann Dinsdale Gail Price Mhairi Tomlinson

Independent auditors

Clive Owen LLP Chartered Accountants Statutory Auditors 140 Coniscliffe Road DARLINGTON County Durham DL3 7RT

Page 1

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE CHARITY, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS (CONTINUED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Solicitors

Wrigleys 19 Cookridge Street LEEDS LS2 3AG

Investment Advisers

Charles Stanley 7 Park Row LEEDS LS1 5HD

Page 2

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

CHAIR'S STATEMENT FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

The chair presents his statement for the period.

2022 - 2023 was a period of many positives for The Brontë Society. Following the challenges of the last few years, we have been able to return to providing a world-class visitor experience and programme of events. We have also developed digital strategies and assets to enhance this experience and make it more accessible. We are creating more innovative opportunities to promote wider interest in the Brontës through creating virtual access to our collections and programmes for those who are not able to visit the Museum. We can already see that these changes are beginning to create real benefit through increasing visitor numbers, overwhelmingly positive visitor feedback, and improvements to our finances.

We have also taken concrete, meaningful and forward-looking steps to ensure that, as a Charitable Group, The Brontë Society remains relevant, embraces diversity and is underpinned by strong governance principles. Thanks to a thorough review of our Articles of Association in 2021, the governance of the organisation has strengthened and prepared the ground for further positive change. In September 2022, The Brontë Society held its first online Annual General Meeting and also introduced electronic balloting. This has given greater access than ever before to our membership across the globe. I am also delighted to report that, in November 2022, we appointed Rebecca Yorke to the role of permanent Director. This appointment follows a period of interim leadership and reinforces the Board’s wish to invest in and empower our Senior Leadership Team to drive forward further strategic change.

At the end of 2021 we received the exciting news that the Friends of the National Libraries’ (FNL) campaign to raise £15m to acquire the Blavatnik Honresfield Library for the nation had been successful. This was a fitting conclusion to The Brontë Society’s concerted efforts to seek the postponement of the auction of the Law Collection (now the Blavatnik Honresfield Library) and its work as part of the consortium led by FNL to save this unique collection of literary artefacts. In May 2022, FNL was able to return a significant collection of priceless Brontë material to the Parsonage. Following months of planning, an exhibition of the highlights of this donation, ‘Becoming The Brontës’, will be displayed in Leeds from July to October 2023 in partnership with the British Library and the University of Leeds.

We are proud to be a National Portfolio Organisation for literature and continue to be extremely grateful for the support of Arts Council England. Our application to remain in the portfolio for the period 2023 – 2026 was submitted in May 2022, and we were informed of its successful outcome in October 2022. The Senior Leadership Team and Board of Trustees have worked hard to embed the Arts Council’s Investment Principles (ambition & quality; dynamism; inclusivity & relevance and environmental responsibility) in all that we do, recognising that they are valuable development tools which will help us fulfil our vision and mission and contribute to a fairer, greener, culturally-rich society.

While the Society’s achievements from 1 January 2022 to 31 March 2023 show that there is much for us to be proud of and celebrate, it is vital that we do not lose sight of the fact that we are still operating in uncertain times and that there will no doubt be further challenges ahead. However, we can approach those challenges with cautious optimism due to the positive and concrete improvements we have made to our finances, our systems and the steps we have taken to ‘live’ our commitment to become a more modern, resilient and diverse charity. We are embracing a future that will see us connect more closely with our local communities and, through digital, a wider global audience. Through collaborative working, the Brontë Society Board of Trustees and Senior Leadership Team will continue to lead the strategic direction of the organisation through this period of development, ensuring that we make the most of the strength of our brand nationally and internationally and the opportunities it creates for us to drive further positive change in readiness for the Brontë Parsonage Museum celebrating its centenary in 2028.

Andrew Midgley, Trustee, on behalf of the Chair of The Brontë Society Board of Trustees Date: 7 August 2023

Page 3

THE BRONTË SOCIETY (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

The Trustees, who are also Directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their annual report together with the audited consolidated financial statements of the Charitable Group for 1 January 2022 to 31 March 2023. The Trustees confirm that the annual report and financial statements of the company comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the company’s governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (effective 1 January 2019).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and Aims

The Brontë Society is an outward-looking, multi-faceted organisation with literature at its heart. It was founded in 1893 to establish and maintain a museum and to promote interest in the life and works of the Brontë family. Haworth Parsonage, now the world-famous and accredited Brontë Parsonage Museum, opened to the public in 1928 and has since welcomed over a million visitors. We are a global organisation rooted in Yorkshire identity and landscape. Our collection of Brontë manuscripts and personal possessions, displayed in the rooms where the Brontës lived and wrote some of the greatest novels in the English language, is the largest in the world.

The charitable objectives of the Society are:

1. To promote interest in the life and works of the Brontë family in particular, but not exclusively, by establishing and maintaining permanent museums, galleries and libraries for the public benefit;

2. To acquire by donation, purchase, or otherwise, and to renovate and preserve artefacts, books, pamphlets, manuscripts, engravings, paintings, drawings, photographs, clothing, furniture and other objects of or relating to the Brontë family, and if thought fit, of other authors, for the public benefit;

3. To provide for the examination of the literary remains for further scholarship and better understanding of the lives and works of the Brontës and their writing, and if thought fit, of other authors, and publication of the memoirs of the Brontë family and other authors for the public benefit;

4. To promote the advancement of literature and the arts and to initiate projects that deepen literary engagement locally, nationally and throughout the world and which are rendered interesting by their association with the Brontë family for the public benefit;

5. To do all such things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objectives.

The Brontë Society's vision is:

‘To bring the Brontës to the world and the world to Yorkshire’.

We do this, not only by being an internationally-renowned visitor attraction, but through our creative programmes, expanding digital offer and working in partnership with other museums and literary houses.

Our mission statement is:

To celebrate the lives and works of the Brontës, widening access to their legacy and sharing their contemporary significance with a global audience. We conserve, interpret, display and build creative engagement through our world-class collection and the landscape that inspired the Brontës. We champion new writing today, particularly by women, and promote better understanding of the Brontës' lives and works.

Page 4

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (continued)

The Brontë Society seeks to promote the following values:

Excellence : This will underpin all our endeavours. We will be informed, authoritative, consistent and constantly benchmarking to ensure we raise standards to foster our status as the world’s leading authority on Brontë literature and history, dedicated to maintaining their legacy and consistently operating with financial and organisational efficiency. We aim to have the highest professional standards in all that we do.

Inspiration : We will ensure that all our activities have the maximum impact on our audiences, welcoming them physically as well as digitally, stimulating and engaging them at all levels with memorable experiences and enriching their lives through the Brontë experience.

Creativity : We will be imaginative, responsive, progressive and original in the way we approach our activities and operations bringing the widest audiences to the Brontës' story and their works through creative displays, exhibitions and programming.

The Brontë Society has a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and to promoting a positive culture which celebrates difference, ensures fairness and challenges prejudice. In accordance with this commitment, and the values of Excellence, Inspiration and Creativity listed above, the Brontë Society will foster a positive working environment and wider membership community where Trustees, staff, volunteers and members treat each other with dignity and respect at all times, and where bullying, harassment and discrimination are known to be unacceptable.

We will invest in our Trustees, staff and volunteers, providing training, support, opportunity and encouragement, and restructuring appropriately. We will commit to governance and staff reviews to ensure we have the right people with the right skills in the appropriate positions, to help us achieve our objectives.

The strategic aims of the Society during 2022-23 were:

1. To create high-quality opportunities for artists, audiences and participants.

2. To provide visitors and customers with an excellent physical and online experience.

3. To place diversity, inclusivity and relevance at the centre of all we do.

4. To manage and share our Museum and collections in line with our accredited status.

5. To increase resilience through dynamism, data and digital.

6. To become a more sustainable and environmentally responsible organisation.

Main activities undertaken to further the Charitable Group's purposes for the public benefit

The Charitable Group's aims and achievements are set out within this report and have been undertaken to further the Charitable Group's charitable purposes for the public benefit. The Trustees have complied with their duty under Section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.

The Charitable Group considers that it satisfies the public benefit requirement as the Brontë Parsonage Museum is open to all members of the United Kingdom and worldwide, making its collections accessible for scholars and general visitors, via its public programmes and use of digital technologies.

Page 5

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

STRATEGIC REPORT

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Charitable objectives

Our Museum is a home for the imagination, a place of solace and stimulation. Our displays promote creative engagement and our artistic programme interrogates and makes connections with our collections in innovative ways. Literature is at the heart of what we do, but taking our cue from the Brontës’ own multidisciplinary talents, we explore Brontë links with other artforms, finding new ways to see and engage with our collection and test new ways of reaching and inspiring future generations. Our learning and outreach programmes educate, inspire and demonstrate the relevance of the Brontës’ lives and work to contemporary society.

The Brontë Genius Company Limited, a wholly-owned trading company, runs the Brontë Parsonage Museum shop, commissioning and selling items that reflect the lives and stories of the Brontës and the museum collection, to help further the Society’s charitable objectives and support its activities. These are consistent with the objectives set out in the Articles of Association.

Page 6

THE BRONTË SOCIETY (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

STRATEGIC REPORT (continued)

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (continued)

Strategic objectives

During the period 1 January 2022 – 31 March 2023, the following achievements were recorded against our strategic objectives:

1. To create high-quality opportunities for artists, audiences and participants

In February 2022, the Parsonage opened with a new exhibition, ‘Defying Expectations: Inside Charlotte Brontë’s Wardrobe’, based on research into the Museum’s clothing collections by Dr Eleanor Houghton. The exhibition placed focus on some of the remarkable garments and accessories worn by Charlotte Brontë and challenged the preconception that Brontë and her most famous protagonist, Jane Eyre, were, in clothing terms at least, one and the same. The clothes that were exhibited drew attention to both Charlotte’s ordinary and extraordinary lives but also served to remind us that she was an active participant of the fast-changing mid-nineteenth century.

Our 2021 ‘Contemplating Hope’ installation by artist Layla Khoo continued until the end of May 2022. This commission invited visitors to the Museum to record their hopes for the future, just as Anne and Emily Brontë did. These recorded aspirations will be shared with visitors and audiences in 2025.

To complement ‘Defying Expectations’, we commissioned a contemporary art installation by textile artist Hannah Lamb. ‘Fragments of a Dress’ invited visitors to the Museum to write down memories related to certain items of clothing. These memories were then hand-stitched onto individual panels which were sewn together in the form of a dress. ‘Fragments of a Dress’ was displayed in the Servant’s Room at the Parsonage from July to December 2022.

In April 2022, artist and writer Nicky Peacock was appointed as our Writer in Residence. Over the following 12 months, Nicky engaged visitors and local residents in a number of participatory projects, including an Alternative Visitors Book, and drop-in writing sessions. Nicky’s work was shared as part of the Museum’s International Women’s Day celebrations in March 2023.

The 11th annual Brontë Festival of Women’s Writing was held 23–25 September 2022. Programmed on the theme of ‘’Defying Expectations’, the weekend included readings and performances by Patricia Park, Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar. The festival also offered several workshops and other opportunities for participation and talent development led by writers including Anna Doherty, Nicole Joseph and Julia Armfield. In line with our commitment to widening access, the festival was delivered in hybrid format, with events taking place in Haworth also available online, either via live-stream or by sharing recorded sessions.

Our latest exhibition, ‘The Brontës and the Wild’, opened in February 2023. This exhibition explores the role weather, landscape and the natural world played in the lives and works of the Brontës. ‘Secret Lives of the South Pennines’, an exhibition of woodcuts by Angie Rogers, opened in the Museum foyer at the same time.

2. To provide visitors and customers with an excellent physical and online experience

Reviews collected via Google and TripAdvisor and comments in our visitor books indicate that the visitor experience at the Brontë Parsonage Museum is overwhelmingly positive. Investment in staff training and development (including away days at other museums, such as a trip to Wordsworth Grasmere in January 2023) has been a major factor in generating repeat visits and complimentary feedback, as has our expanded programme of free talks and holiday activities.

The appointment of a Digital Content and Marketing Officer at the end of 2022 has added considerable capacity to the staff team and led to a review of our digital assets and marketing strategies. A new website is planned for later this year and other opportunities to share our collections digitally are underway.

Page 7

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

STRATEGIC REPORT (continued)

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (continued)

3. To place diversity, inclusivity and relevance at the centre of all we do

During 2022 – 2023 we strengthened our relationships with groups in Keighley and the wider Bradford area e.g. Keighley Association Women and Children’s Centre (KAWACC), Bevan Healthcare and Wellbeing Centre and Bradford Together Women. In addition, we have worked closely with Holycroft Primary School in Keighley, facilitating visits for families who would not ordinarily visit the Museum. This initiative, supported by funding from Bradford Council has been incredibly successful: between 1 January 2022 and 31 March 2023, we have welcomed 113 Holycroft families to the Parsonage, offering an introductory talk and walk as part of their free visit.

Members of the Senior Leadership Team completed the year-long ‘Breakthrough’ programme offered by the Arts Marketing Association in July 2022. We continue to embed the learning and best practice from this training, and in the autumn of 2022, we established an organisational-wide EDIB (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging) group.

A significant barrier to access is the lack of visitor toilet facilities at the Brontë Parsonage Museum. During 2022, we worked with an architect and surveyor to produce detailed plans for fully accessible facilities. Planning permission was sought and achieved, and a focus of 2023 will be identifying and applying to appropriate sources of funding.

4. To manage and share our museum and collections in line with our accredited status

The Brontë Parsonage Museum houses the world’s largest collection of Brontë material which is shared with our visitors, live and online audiences and researchers. In 2022, the Brontë Society applied to Arts Council England for the collections to be awarded ‘Designation’ status. The Designation Scheme identifies and celebrates outstanding collections, which “deepen our understanding of the world and what it means to be human.” In June 2023 we were delighted to hear that Arts Council England has Designated our collections as Outstanding.

The Museum’s displays are refreshed each year and presented alongside a special exhibition. ‘Defying Expectations: Inside Charlotte Brontë’s Wardrobe’ ran throughout 2022. The exhibition featured more than twenty pieces of Charlotte’s clothing and accessories, including a striped evening dress, which had never been exhibited before. The dress was proved to be Charlotte’s during an extensive period of research conducted over the last six years by Dr Eleanor Houghton.

Page 8

THE BRONTË SOCIETY (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

STRATEGIC REPORT (continued)

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (continued)

Acquisitions

The following items came as donations to the Museum collection between January 2022 and 31 March 2023:

• A small black-bordered envelope containing three carte-de-visite photographs of Mr Brontë, Haworth Church and the Parsonage. The envelope is inscribed: ‘Envelope belonging to Mr Brontë given to be at Haworth by Mrs Greenwood Brown 15th of Aug. 1875’.

• Charlotte Brontë letter to W. S. Williams [27 May 1849]

• Brontë material from the Blavatnik Honresfield Library, including diary papers by Emily and Anne Brontë for 1841, manuscript of ten poems by Anne, the Brontë family’s two-volume copy of Bewick’s ‘A History of British Birds’, and twenty-two letters by Charlotte. All donated by the Friends of the National Libraries.

• File of material relating to Fennel gravestones; photocopies of the Cooke family; photocopied newspaper account of Charlotte’s wedding; tiny commonplace book c. 1839-1843; handwritten copies of letters by Ellen Nussey in hand of John Nussey; postcard portrait of Mrs Bagshaw; further photocopied Bronte-related material.

• Leather-bound notebook containing hand-written ‘Notes from Charlotte Brontë’s Bible’, transcribed by ‘William R. Lennard. July 10 1883’. Also letter to Reginald Lennard by BS curator Wyndham T. Vint.

• Little Book by Charlotte Brontë, A Book of Ryhmes, 17 December 1830. Donated by the Friends of the National Libraries.

• Approximately 3000 Brontë and Haworth-related postcards in albums. Also carte-de-visites of Charlotte and Patrick Brontë by Edwin Feather.

• Oak paper knife believed to have been owned by Charlotte Brontë.

The Society also purchased an envelope, possibly addressed by Charlotte Brontë, part of integral letter written by Jasper Leavens White.

Loans

In January 2023, we were loaned two woodblocks engraved by Thomas Bewick by the Wordsworth Trust, Grasmere. These are currently on display as part of ‘The Brontës and the Wild’ exhibition.

Conservation and maintenance

In January 2022 and January 2023, the Museum, Library and museum stores had their annual deep clean. All collection items were cleaned and inspected for any signs of deterioration and the two long-case clocks had their annual clean and service.

Conservation work on material from the Blavatnik Honresfield Library was carried out in early February 2023. Three portrait miniatures were removed from acidic mounts and re-mounted in acid-free materials. Eighteen letters set in a leather-bound volume were removed from their binding and along with four individual letters by Charlotte, were cleaned and repaired.

Two rare diary papers by Emily and Anne Brontë, which had been tipped into a leather binding, were removed. The binding’s pastedown, endpapers and pages were foxed and acidic, causing staining and discolouration. After removal they were both cleaned and a tear following the central fold in Emily’s paper was repaired.

The full cost of this work £2,520 was funded by a grant from the National Manuscripts Conservation Trust (NMCT).

Following an asbestos survey of the Parsonage, remedial work was carried in November 2022. In March 2023, the exterior of the Parsonage was decorated, and a pane of glass in one of the windows in Charlotte’s Room was replaced, in line with the findings of the 2020 Quinquennial Report.

Page 9

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

STRATEGIC REPORT (continued)

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (continued)

5. To increase resilience through dynamism, data and digital

Finance

We achieved an operating surplus in excess of our budget for the 15-month period, which will enable us to continue to increase our level of reserves. At the beginning of 2022 we were still operating timed entry with limits to the number of visitors each day but from early May 2022 these limits were removed and visitor numbers increased, in particular over the summer months.

We were in receipt of NPO funding through out the period. In addition, we received both regular funding from Bradford Council and funding for specific projects.

Digital

Our developing online programme of talks and ‘Brontë Lounge’ events continues to attract audiences from all over the world and receive positive feedback. Notable successes include an online event hosted in partnership with Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, Jane Austen’s House and Chawton to celebrate International Women’s Day 2022. During the summer of 2022, we ran a six-week online course, ‘Afterlives of Jane Eyre’, led by Dr Amber Pouliot, which was attended by Brontë enthusiasts from America to Japan.

Our Board continues to meet virtually and in September 2022, the Brontë Society AGM was held online and with electronic balloting. This resulted in many members being able to attend for the first time, therefore increasing participation and engagement, as well as being more economically and environmentally sustainable.

The Brontë Society recognises that digital and ecommerce have a significant part to play in building our future resilience. The creation of a new post, that of Digital Content and Marketing Officer, at the end of 2022, was an important step in our digital development and work is already underway to realise our potential growth in this area.

Marketing

Due to environmental concerns and reduced budgets, our marketing for the period 1 January 2022 to 31 March 2023 focused on digital methods.

Our social media platforms continued to grow, and engagement with our online community flourished throughout the period, with our reach on Facebook, Twitter and particularly Instagram increasing significantly on 2021 numbers.

PR and media

The Brontë Society and Brontë Parsonage Museum attracted high-profile media coverage throughout the period, especially in relation to the acquisition of rare and important manuscripts from the Blavatnik Honresfield Library and a Charlotte Brontë ‘little book’ acquired by the Friends of the National Libraries by auction in the USA and donated to the Society. We continued to allocate budget to working with a PR agency to support our media activity and this relationship offers a substantial return on investment.

During 2022 - 2023, the Parsonage hosted several production crews including Channel 4 (‘Jonathan Ross’s Myths and Legends’) and French literary critic Augustin Trapenard with BBC Studio France.

In October 2022, ‘Emily’, Frances O’Connor’s critically-acclaimed reimagining of Emily Brontë’s life, was released in UK cinemas. Museum staff participated in several media interviews related to the film and delivered a number of events to coincide with its release.

Page 10

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

STRATEGIC REPORT (continued)

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (continued)

6. To become a more sustainable and environmentally responsible organisation

The landscape and natural world are fundamental to the Brontës’ work and an important part of what visitors to the Brontë Parsonage Museum, situated on the edge of Yorkshire moorland, experience. We have always had a commitment to respecting and protecting the natural world and environmental responsibility continued to be a consideration in every aspect of our work during this financial period. Examples of some changes we introduced include reducing the use of ‘foamex’ boards to display information and interpretation, printing fewer leaflets and reducing our organisational carbon footprint by working from home and/or holding meetings online.

The Brontë Society has also established an organisation-wide ‘green group’ which meets quarterly to discuss ecological initiatives and different ways to further reduce our carbon footprint. Three members of staff have been certified as ‘Carbon Literate’ and there are plans to roll out this training across the workforce.

Page 11

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

STRATEGIC REPORT (continued)

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (continued)

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Learning and engagement

Young people and children are a key focus. The Parsonage was a family home and the Brontës wrote from a young age. Our formal learning programme is praised by teachers and during the period ending 31 March 2023, we saw the numbers of school groups increase. While many of our school workshops are curriculum-linked, creativity is embedded throughout. We position the visit as connected to the creative process, enabling students to take advantage of the immersive nature of the Museum, the imaginative potential of our collection, and the sensory connection with the outdoors. We offer free workshops for local schools, forging stronger links and a sense of ownership of the Museum.

The Brontë Society is extremely proud to have been involved in the Bradford Young Poets programme in the springs of 2022 and 2023. Working in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, the Brontë Parsonage Museum hosted free visits by a number of schools in Bradford that were identified as being in areas of low cultural engagement. The Brontë story, our collection and surrounding landscape were used as inspiration for creative writing sessions led by a poet and facilitated by our staff, volunteers and teachers from the individual schools.

Publications

Dr Sarah Fanning was joined by Dr Claire O’Callaghan as Co-Editor of the Brontë Society’s journal, ‘Brontë Studies’. in the autumn of 2022. During 2022, over 2,700 institutions had access to ‘Brontë Studies’, and the number of article downloads was over 46,000. The journal has a global reach, with the regions of Europe and North America seeing the highest number of full text downloads.

‘Gazette’, the magazine of the Brontë Society, was produced four times between 1 January 2022 and 31 March 2023. In recent years, ‘Gazette’ has been edited by Brontë Society Director Rebecca Yorke as part of her previous role of Head of Communications and Marketing. In early 2023, author and journalist Sharon Wright was appointed ‘Gazette’ Editor. Sharon will work closely with the Brontë Society Director and Principal Curator to develop the content and readership of the magazine.

Building partnerships

During the reporting period, we continued to work in partnership on a programme of public engagement with members of the Honresfield consortium formed by the Friends of the National Libraries.

The Society also continued to work with Bradford’s other cultural organisations during 2022 and into 2023, particularly in relation to Bradford’s successful bid to be UK City of Culture 2025. The Director of the Brontë Society is a member of the Bradford 2025 steering committee and also a member of the recently-formed Bradford Place Marketing Board.

We also work in partnership with other literary houses, particularly Gaskell’s House, Wordsworth Grasmere and Jane Austen’s House. We have close links with national writing charity Arvon and literary festivals in the area eg Ilkley Literature Festival and Bradford Literature Festival.

Our outreach programme is an important aspect of building new partnerships in order to reach people and communities who are not familiar with the Museum. Many of these people are local to us, in the Bradford district and our work with them is ongoing.

Growing and widening the membership of the Brontë Society

The digital membership packages are now our most popular membership categories, with more than 50% of members (who are not Life Members) opting for this type of membership. This has led to a reduction in costs associated with printing and postage and also contributes to a reduction in our carbon footprint. The free Young Brontë Friend (16 – 25) category continues to prove popular with over 100 members in this category by 31 March 2023.

Page 12

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

STRATEGIC REPORT (continued)

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (continued)

OTHER ACTIVITIES (continued)

Developing a positive culture that supports staff and volunteers

The organisation continues to foster a learning culture, embedding evaluation and review at the heart of its activities. All staff and volunteers are encouraged to seek out, and take advantage of, opportunities for Continued Professional Development, including regular ‘library time’ to pursue their studies of all things Brontë.

Ideas from all parts of the organisation are shared via our monthly staff forum and employees and volunteers are kept up to date with news and developments via our fortnightly e-newsletter. The mental health of our workforce is considered as important as its physical health and all staff are entitled to a monthly ‘Wellbeing Hour’ to pursue leisure or wellbeing activities.

During 2022 – 2023, the Brontë Society introduced a number of initiatives with the wellbeing of its team in mind. These included the free provision of sanitary items in the staff toilets, the provision of fresh fruit and tinned soup in the staff room, and free BPM fleeces for staff to wear during the cooler months or while working outside.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Income and expenditure

Total income for the 15 month period was £5,929,430 compared to £990,173 for the 12 months to31 December 2021. Of this, £4,559,934 relates to Heritage Assets donated to the Charity during the period. Other income included 15 months’ worth of National Portfolio Organisation grant from Arts Council England and other grants, including a grant of £5,000 from Bradford Council to support our outreach programme. Income from Museum admissions totalled £556,223 compared to £203,093 in 2021. When 2021 Museum admissions are compared to the comparable 12-month period from January to December 2022, Museum admissions more than doubled to £471,278 but were not quite back at pre-pandemic levels (2019: £492,280). However, the 2022 figures were based on 5 day a week opening as opposed to 7 days a week in 2019, so they are extremely encouraging. Retail sales in the Museum shop totalled £306,671 for the 15 month period compared with £166,510 for the 12 months to 31 December 2021. The comparable retail sales figure for the 12 months to 31 December 2022 was £256,682, based on opening 5 days each week, which indicates a substantial increase but again has not yet reached pre-pandemic levels when the shop was open 7 days a week (£306,761 in 2019).

Total expenditure for the 15 months was £1,365,378 compared with £876,806 for the 12 months to 31 December 2021. This increase reflects the longer accounting period together with the general inflationary increases in costs during the period, in particular higher energy and staffing costs. The increase is also due to the significant increase in activity in the Museum and shop following the lifting of all pandemic restrictions.

Overall net income for the year was £4,551,334, however when the Heritage Assets donations are excluded, this results in a net deficit of £8,600 compared with a net surplus of £128,415 in 2021. Unrealised losses on investments for 2022 – 2023 were £12,718 compared with unrealised gains in 2021 of £15,048, reflecting the fluctuations experienced in the markets during the period.

Going concern

After making appropriate enquiries, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Charitable Group has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements. Further details regarding the adoption of the going concern basis can be found in the accounting policies.

Page 13

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

STRATEGIC REPORT (continued)

FINANCIAL REVIEW (continued)

Financial sustainability

The Brontë Society welcomed 67,694 visitors between 1 January 2022 and 31 March 2023, compared with 24,827 in 2021, 11,016 in 2020 and 70,405 in 2019.

During 2022 - 2023, the Brontë Society and Brontë Parsonage Museum continued to benefit financially as one of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisations. The total grant funding received for the period was £294,903. Following a successful application submitted in May 2022, the Society has had its NPO status renewed with funding at the same level. The Society is very grateful to Arts Council England for this ongoing support, which will now continue until April 2026.

Being an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation yields benefits other than the immediately financial. It opens doors to networking opportunities, training and professional development, being part of ‘something bigger’, and encourages confidence in other potential funders.

Investment policy and objectives

The objectives of the investment policy are as follows:

• To provide for on-going cash needs to support the operation of The Brontë Society and the Brontë Parsonage Museum on a day-to-day basis;

• To ensure the continued protection of the fabric of the Parsonage building;

• To provide for, or contribute towards, the purchase of new acquisitions for the Museum and its collections;

• To provide a basis for future financial planning that will carry forward the Charitable Group’s objectives.

Investment review

During the reporting period, the Finance & Audit Committee met with Charles Stanley, the Bronte Society’s Investment Managers, to review the management of the Charitable Group’s investments and its goals. As the Society does not currently take regular income from the portfolio, the decision was taken to move from a balanced to a growth approach from January 2022 onwards. The existing overall risk level will be maintained for the foreseeable future.

During the period net realised and unrealised losses on investments totalled £19,426 and the cost of managing the investments was £2,291.

Reserves policy

At 31 March 2023 the Charitable Group held unrestricted reserves of £531,953, which includes £46,849 of tangible assets and £146,362 of investments. Restricted reserves at the period-end amounted to £91,631. The Trustees have agreed, in line with many other National Portfolio Organisations, that the organisation should aim to hold three months’ worth of operating costs in reserve. Three months’ worth of operating costs, being total unrestricted expenditure less depreciation and irrecoverable VAT, at the period-end amounted to £259,744. After allowing for this, at 31 March 2023, total readily available unrestricted reserves amounted to £338,742. These are funds in cash and investments that the Board of Trustees is able to designate for specific purposes.

Page 14

THE BRONTË SOCIETY (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

STRATEGIC REPORT (continued)

PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS

In line with the Society's objectives, the following aims for the year ahead have been agreed:

1. To create high-quality opportunities for artists, audiences and participants

We will continue to develop events and projects, through partnerships and guided by our audience development aims, that will attract those with whom we have had little engagement in the past, as well as expanding our traditional audiences. The successful development of our online programme has helped realise our potential to engage audiences digitally and this will be developed and expanded during the year ahead, both as a way of reaching new audiences, and also for monetising opportunities as we identify content that people will pay for.

2. To provide visitors and customers with an excellent physical and online experience

We will continue to invest in our staff, identifying training that will enable them to continue to deliver exceptional customer service and enhance the visitor experience. We will continue to source and commission high-quality products for our shop and upgrade our website to improve user experience and maximise income from retail sales and donations. Using digital technology, we will expand access to the Parsonage and its important collection to enable more people to experience and enjoy the historic house and the objects it contains.

3. To place diversity, inclusivity and relevance at the centre of all we do

The Brontë Society is committed to building on the work of previous years and will continue to commission work from, or programme events featuring, writers, artists and creatives of colour, D/deaf or disabled writers, creatives and artists and those who identify as LGBTQ+. In addition, we will ensure that we work with creatives from across the UK and with different lived experiences.

Through our outreach programme, we will continue to work with groups and communities who live near the Museum, but who are not familiar with it. This work will be partially funded by Bradford Metropolitan District Council.

The Brontë Parsonage Museum has recently been accepted onto two learning cohorts offered by Museums Development Yorkshire: Access for All, and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Both these courses comprise a number of online sessions and in-person workshops led by experts in the field.

4. To manage and share our museum and our collections in line with our accredited status

Our new exhibition, ‘The Brontës and the Wild’, will run until 1 January 2024. Planning for our 2024 exhibition will commence in the summer of 2023.

We will seek to expand and appropriately store the Museum’s collections and conduct a review and revision of our curatorial and conservation policies.

5. To increase our resilience through dynamism, data and digital

Building on the success and learning of recent years, we will continue to diversify our income through our events programme, our retail offer and by identifying other commercial activities through The Brontë Genius Company. We will make it easier for people to donate through our website and will also continue to target applications to trusts and foundations to support specific areas of our activity. 2023 will also see us considering how we can build on the success of recent fundraising campaigns.

Page 15

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

STRATEGIC REPORT (continued)

PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS (continued)

6. To become a more sustainable and environmentally responsible organisation

We will roll out Carbon Literacy training across the organisation and continue to collate and analyse our environmental data, so that we can set appropriate targets, identify new ways to reduce our carbon footprint and monitor our progress. Our ‘Green Group’ will ensure that the policy and plan remain relevant and innovative and become embedded in our governance, operations and creative programme. We will share our commitment and the changes we make with our staff and volunteers, members, visitors, audiences and creatives through our communications.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The Society is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

The Brontë Society was established in 1893 and opened its first museum in 1895. It is a company limited by guarantee (number 00073855), having been incorporated in 1902, and is registered as a charity (number 529952). The affairs of the Brontë Society are governed by its Articles of Association. The liability of the Members in the event of the Society being wound up is limited to a sum not exceeding £1 each. The number of Members at 31 March 2023 was 1,566 of whom 507 were Life Members.

Organisational structure and decision-making policies

The Brontë Society is governed by a Board of up to twelve Trustees who are appointed at the AGM. We are proactive in developing the Board through succession planning, supported by appropriate training and induction. We recruit Trustees with diversity in mind and take care to set out the commitment, responsibilities and expertise involved to ensure we attract candidates with the appropriate skills and experience. The Board currently has two sub-committees, Finance, Risk and Audit, which meets regularly ahead of all full Board meetings and the Nominations Committee, which meets as and when required.

The leadership and day-to-day running of The Brontë Society and the Brontë Parsonage Museum is delegated to the Director, a marketing and communications professional with extensive experience in the arts and heritage sector. The Director works collaboratively with the Senior Leadership Team which comprises a qualified museum professional with over 30 years’ curatorial experience, an experienced HR and project manager, and two Heads of Finance (job share) who are both chartered accountants with more than fifty years’ experience between them

Appointment, induction and training of new Trustees

At the first meeting of the Board following the Annual General Meeting the Trustees elect one of their number to serve as Chair of the Board of Trustees. All new Trustees are expected to attend an induction training session and to undertake appropriate training during their period of office.

Key management remuneration

The Trustees consider the members of the Senior Leadership Team to form the key management personnel of the Society, in charge of directing, running and operating the Society on a day-to-day basis. The pay of the senior staff is reviewed annually and in view of the nature of the organisation, the Trustees benchmark against pay levels in other charities.

Page 16

THE BRONTË SOCIETY (A Company Limited by Guarantee)

TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT (continued)

Related parties

The Charity operates a wholly owned trading subsidiary, The Brontë Genius Company Limited. This Company operates the gift shop of The Brontë Society. During the period ending 31 March 2023, the Company made a £12,192 profit compared with £7,169 profit in 2021.

Risk management

The Trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the Charitable Group is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error. In order to monitor those risks and respond to any changes, the organisation maintains a risk register, which is monitored by the Senior Leadership Team and members of the Finance, Risk & Audit committee and scrutinised by the Board of Trustees.

Statement of Trustees' responsibilities

The Trustees (who are also the directors of the Charity for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report including the Strategic Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial period. Under company law, the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Group and the Charity and of their incoming resources and application of resources, including their income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP (FRS 102);

• make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards (FRS 102) have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Group will continue in business.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Group and the Charity's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Group and the Charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Group and the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Disclosure of information to auditors

Each of the persons who are Trustees at the time when this Trustees' Report is approved has confirmed that:

• so far as that Trustee is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable group's auditors are unaware, and

• that Trustee has taken all the steps that ought to have been taken as a Trustee in order to be aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charitable group's auditors are aware of that information.

Page 17

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Auditors

The auditors, Clive Owen LLP, have indicated their willingness to continue in office. The designated Trustees will propose a motion reappointing the auditors at a meeting of the Trustees.

Approved by order of the members of the Board of Trustees on ........................................................ and signed on their behalf by:

Andrew Midgley

Trustee

Page 18

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BRONTË SOCIETY

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of The Brontë Society (the 'parent charitable company') and its subsidiaries (the 'group') for the period ended 31 March 2023 which comprise the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities, the Consolidated Balance Sheet, the Charity Balance Sheet, the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the Group's and of the parent charitable company's affairs as at 31 March 2023 and of the Group's incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure for the period then ended;

• have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

• have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditors' responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the Group in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the United Kingdom, including the Financial Reporting Council's Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the Group's or the parent charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Page 19

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BRONTË SOCIETY (CONTINUED)

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the Annual Report other than the financial statements and our Auditors' Report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the Annual Report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

• the information given in the Trustees' Report including the Strategic Report for the financial period for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements.

• the Trustees' Report and the Strategic Report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Trustees' Report including the Strategic Report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

• the parent charitable company has not kept adequate and sufficient accounting records, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the parent charitable company financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• certain disclosures of Trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

Responsibilities of Trustees

As explained more fully in the Trustees' Responsibilities Statement, the Trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the Trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are responsible for assessing the Group's and the parent charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Trustees either intend to liquidate the Group or the parent charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Page 20

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BRONTË SOCIETY (CONTINUED)

Auditors' responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an Auditors' Report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. Our audit must be alert to the risk of manipulation of the financial statements and seek to understand the incentives and opportunities for management to achieve this.

We undertake the following procedures to identify and respond to these risks of non-compliance:

• Understanding the key legal and regulatory frameworks that are applicable to the Group. We communicated identified laws and regulations throughout the audit team and remained alert to any indications of noncompliance throughout the audit. We determined the most significant of these to be around employment law, charity law, company law, health and safety law, taxation law and GDPR

• Enquiry of directors and management as to policies and procedures to ensure compliance and any known instances of non-compliance

• Review of Board minutes and correspondence with regulators

• Enquiry of directors and management as to areas of the financial statements susceptible to fraud and how these risks are managed

• Challenging management on key estimates, assumptions and judgements made in the preparation of the financial statements. These key areas of uncertainty are disclosed in the accounting policies.

• Identifying and testing unusual journal entries, with a particular focus on manual journal entries.

Through these procedures, we did not become aware of actual or suspected non-compliance.

We planned and performed our audit in accordance with auditing standards but owing to the inherent limitations of procedures required in these areas, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected a material misstatement in the accounts. The further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of it. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve concealment, collusion, forgery, misrepresentations, or override of internal controls. We are not responsible for preventing non-compliance and cannot be expected to detect non-compliance with all laws and regulations.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our Auditors' Report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an Auditors' Report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and its members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Page 21

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BRONTË SOCIETY (CONTINUED)

Christopher Beaumont BA (Hons) BFP FCA DChA (Senior Statutory Auditor)

for and on behalf of Clive Owen LLP

Chartered Accountants Statutory Auditors

140 Coniscliffe Road

DARLINGTON County Durham DL3 7RT

Date:

Page 22

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCORPORATING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Note Income and endowments from: Donations and legacies 4 Charitable activities 5 Other trading activities 6 Investments 7 Other income 8 Total income and endowments Expenditure on: Raising funds 9,10 Charitable activities 11 Total expenditure Net income/(expenditure) before net (losses)/gains on investments Unrealised (losses)/gains on investments Net income/(expenditure) Transfers between funds 22 Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds: Total funds brought forward Net movement in funds Total funds carried forward	Unrestricted funds 2023 £ 50,452 974,209 327,221 5,018 500 1,357,400 237,223 1,106,959 1,344,182 13,218 (12,718) 500 (200) 300 531,653 300 531,953	Restricted funds 2023 Heritage fixed assets funds 2023 £ £ 12,096 4,559,934 - - - - - - - - 12,096 4,559,934 - - 21,196 - 21,196 - (9,100) 4,559,934 - - (9,100) 4,559,934 200 - (8,900) 4,559,934 100,531 2,292,427 (8,900) 4,559,934 91,631 6,852,361	Total funds 2023 £ 4,622,482 974,209 327,221 5,018 500 5,929,430 237,223 1,128,155 1,365,378 4,564,052 (12,718) 4,551,334 - 4,551,334 2,924,611 4,551,334 7,475,945	Total funds 2021 £ 84,984 701,746 201,341 2,102 - 990,173
				143,921 732,885 876,806
				113,367 15,048
				128,415 - 128,415
				2,796,196 128,415 2,924,611

Page 23

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) REGISTERED NUMBER: 00073855 (England and Wales)

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2023

Note Fixed assets Tangible assets 16 Heritage assets 17 Investments 18 Current assets Stocks 19 Debtors 20 Cash at bank and in hand Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 21 Net current assets Total assets less current liabilities Net assets Total net assets Charity funds Heritage fixed assets funds 22 Restricted funds 22 Unrestricted funds 22 Total funds	62,006 47,831 422,832 532,669 (109,844)	31 March 2023 £ 46,849 6,852,361 153,910 7,053,120 422,825 7,475,945 7,475,945 7,475,945 6,852,361 91,631 531,953 7,475,945	69,155 96,952 295,423 461,530 (66,142)	31 December 2021 £ 63,260 2,292,427 173,536
				2,529,223 395,388
				2,924,611
				2,924,611
				2,924,611
				2,292,427 100,531 531,653
				2,924,611

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and preparation of financial statements.

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees on ............................................ and signed on their behalf by:

Andrew Midgley

Trustee

Page 24

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee) REGISTERED NUMBER: 00073855 (England and Wales)

CHARITY BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2023

Note Fixed assets Tangible assets 16 Heritage assets 17 Investments 18 Current assets Stocks 19 Debtors 20 Cash at bank and in hand Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 21 Net current assets Total assets less current liabilities Net assets Total net assets Charity funds Heritage fixed assets funds 22 Restricted funds 22 Unrestricted funds 22 Total funds	2,415 110,033 376,878 489,326 (102,505) 91,631	31 March 2023 £ 46,849 6,852,361 179,010 7,078,220 386,821 7,465,041 7,465,041 7,465,041 6,852,361 521,049 7,465,041	2,800 147,889 282,075 432,764 (61,188) 100,531	31 December 2021 £ 63,260 2,292,427 198,636
				2,554,323 371,576
				2,925,899
				2,925,899
				2,925,899
				2,292,427 532,941
				2,925,899

The Charity's net movement in funds for the period was £ 4,539,142 (2021 - £121,246) .

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and preparation of financial statements.

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees on ........................................ and signed on their behalf by:

Andrew Midgley

Trustee

The notes on pages 27 to 54 form part of these financial statements.

Page 25

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Cash flows from operating activities Net cash used in operating activities Cash flows from investing activities Dividends, interests and rents from investments Purchase of tangible fixed assets Proceeds from sale of investments Purchase of investments Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities Cash flows from financing activities Net cash provided by financing activities Change in cash and cash equivalents in the period Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period The notes on pages 27 to 54 form part of these financial statements	2023 £ 121,725 5,018 (3,502) 64,592 (60,424) 5,684 - 127,409 295,423 422,832	2021 £ 32,602 2,102 (14,337) 36,305 (39,278) (15,208) - 17,394 278,029 295,423

Page 26

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

1. General information

The Brontë Society is a private company limited by guarantee without share capital, registered in England and Wales. The company's registered details can be found on page 1. In the event of the Brontë Society being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the Brontë Society.

2. Accounting policies

2.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

The Brontë Society meets the definition of a public interest entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.

The Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) and Consolidated Balance Sheet consolidate the financial statements of the Group and its subsidiary undertaking. The results of the subsidiary are consolidated on a line by line basis.

The Group has taken advantage of the exemption allowed under section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 and has not presented its own Statement of Financial Activities in these financial statements.

2.2 Going concern

The financial statements are prepared on the going concern basis which assumes that the company will continue to trade for a period of at least 12 months from the date of approval of these financial statements. The Trustees have prepared forecasts that demonstrate that the company will be able to continue to trade within existing bank facilities for a period of at least 12 months from the date of approval of the financial statements.

2.3 Fund accounting

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Group and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the Group for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

Page 27

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

2. Accounting policies (continued)

2.4 Income

All income is recognised once the Group has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.

Grants are included in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities on a receivable basis. The balance of income received for specific purposes but not expended during the period is shown in the relevant funds on the Balance Sheet. Where income is received in advance of entitlement of receipt, its recognition is deferred and included in creditors as deferred income. Where entitlement occurs before income is received, the income is accrued.

Where the donated good is a fixed asset, it is measured at fair value, unless it is impractical to measure this reliably, in which case the cost of the item to the donor should be used. The gain is recognised as income from donations and a corresponding amount is included in the appropriate fixed asset class and depreciated over the useful economic life in accordance with the Charity's accounting policies.

Donated facilities and services are recognised in the financial statements when received if the value can be reliabily measured. No amounts are included for the contribution of general volunteers.

On receipt, donated professional services and facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the Charity which is the amount it would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.

Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.

Income tax recoverable in relation to investment income is recognised at the time the investment income is receivable.

Page 28

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

2. Accounting policies (continued)

2.5 Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Support costs directly attributed to an activity have been allocated to the activity. Where support costs cannot be directly attributed to any activity they have been allocated in proportion to direct expenditure.

Costs of generating funds (direct costs) are costs incurred in attracting voluntary income, and those incurred in trading activities that raise funds.

Charitable activities and Governance costs are costs incurred on the charity's educational operations, including support costs and costs relating to the governance of the charity apportioned to charitable activities.

Expenditure on raising funds includes all expenditure incurred by the Group to raise funds for its charitable purposes and includes costs of all fundraising activities events and non-charitable trading.

Expenditure on charitable activities is incurred on directly undertaking the activities which further the Group's objectives, as well as any associated support costs.

2.6 Government grants

Government grants are credited to the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities on receipt.

2.7 Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the Group; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the institution with whom the funds are deposited.

2.8 Taxation

The Charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the Charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.

Page 29

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

2. Accounting policies (continued)

2.9 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Tangible fixed assets costing £1,000 or more are capitalised and recognised when future economic benefits are probable and the cost or value of the asset can be measured reliably.

No depreciation is charged on the asset in the year of purchase.

No depreciation is charged on freehold property as the Trustees consider its value to be not less than original cost.

Tangible fixed assets are initially recognised at cost. After recognition, under the cost model, tangible fixed assets are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. All costs incurred to bring a tangible fixed asset into its intended working condition should be included in the measurement of cost.

Depreciation is charged so as to allocate the cost of tangible fixed assets less their residual value over their estimated useful lives, using the straight-line method.

Depreciation is provided on the following bases:

Fixtures and fittings - 10% - 15% on cost Computer equipment - 33% on cost

2.10 Heritage assets

The Charity's collection comprises assets of historical importance recognised as heritage assets previously under FRS 30 (Heritage Assets) and now under the provision of SORP 2015 and FRS102 which require such assets to be reported in the balance sheet where information is available regarding cost or value. Items purchased for the collection are capitalised as heritage assets and included at cost or value at acquisition in the balance sheet. Items purchased prior to the implementation of SORP 2005 are not capitalised. Items donated to the collection are capitalised as heritage assets at market value at the point of donation where material. Depreciation has not been provided on heritage assets on the basis that their residual value is such that any depreciation charge would be immaterial. A description of the collection, its management and developments during the year is given in the notes to the financial statements.

2.11 Investments

Fixed asset investments are a form of financial instrument and are initially recognised at their transaction cost and subsequently measured at fair value at the Balance Sheet date, unless the value cannot be measured reliably in which case it is measured at cost less impairment. Investment gains and losses, whether realised or unrealised, are combined and presented as ‘Gains/(Losses) on investments’ in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities.

Investments in subsidiaries are valued at cost less provision for impairment.

Investments held as fixed assets are shown at fair value through the Statement of Financial Activities.

Page 30

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

2. Accounting policies (continued)

2.12 Operating leases

Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities on a straight line basis over the lease term.

Benefits received and receivable as an incentive to sign an operating lease are recognised on a straight line basis over the lease term, unless another systematic basis is representative of the time pattern of the lessee's benefit from the use of the leased asset.

2.13 Stocks

Stocks are valued at the lower of cost and estimated selling price less costs to sell. Stock is measured on a first in first out basis.

2.14 Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

2.15 Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

2.16 Liabilities and provisions

Liabilities are recognised when there is an obligation at the Balance Sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably.

Liabilities are recognised at the amount that the Charity anticipates it will pay to settle the debt or the amount it has received as advanced payments for the goods or services it must provide.

Provisions are measured at the best estimate of the amounts required to settle the obligation. Where the effect of the time value of money is material, the provision is based on the present value of those amounts, discounted at the pre-tax discount rate that reflects the risks specific to the liability. The unwinding of the discount is recognised in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities as a finance cost.

2.17 Financial instruments

The Group only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

2.18 Irrecoverable VAT

The charity was partially exempt for VAT purposes for the period ended 31 March 2023. Irrecoverable VAT has been included in the Statement of Financial Activities during the year within support costs.

2.19 Pensions

The Group operates a defined contribution pension scheme and the pension charge represents the amounts payable by the Group to the fund in respect of the period.

Page 31

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

3. Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgment

Estimates and judgments are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

Critical accounting estimates and assumptions:

The Group makes estimates and assumptions concerning the future. The resulting accounting estimates and assumptions will, by definition, seldom equal the related actual results. The estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year are discussed below.

Critical areas of judgement:

Stock provision - a provision is allocated against any identified obsolete or slow-moving stock where appropriate.

4. Income from donations and legacies

Unrestricted funds 2023 £ Donations Bequests and donations 50,452 Contemporary arts donations - Collection care donations - Purchase fund donations - Museum redecoration scheme - Honresfield Library donations - Education donations - Piano maintenance fund - Taylor & Francis Prize fund - Heritage assets donations - Total 2023 50,452 Total 2021 37,986	Restricted funds 2023 £ - 335 110 4,333 99 - 4,014 2,205 1,000 - 12,096 46,998	Heritage fixed assets funds 2023 £ - - - - - - - - - 4,559,934 4,559,934 -	Total funds 2023 £ 50,452 335 110 4,333 99 - 4,014 2,205 1,000 4,559,934 4,622,482 84,984	Total funds 2021 £ 37,986 272 227 22,288 68 20,587 3,556 - - - 84,984

Page 32

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

5. Analysis of income from charitable activities by type of income Unrestricted funds 2023 Restricted funds 2023 £ £ Museum admission donations 514,174 - Museum admission gift aid tax 42,049 - Grants receivable 296,163 - Contemporary arts income 3,378 - Education group admission 46,894 - Events 15,564 - Subscription from members 39,443 - Conference - - Exhibition tax refund 1,344 - Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme grant - - Bradford Council grant 15,200 - Total 2023 974,209 - Total 2021 679,246 22,500 6. Income from other trading activities Income from non charitable trading activities Unrestricted funds 2023 £ Royalties, licensing and repo fees 20,550 Income from sales 306,671 327,221 Total 2021 201,341	Total funds 2023 £ 514,174 42,049 296,163 3,378 46,894 15,564 39,443 - 1,344 - 15,200 974,209 701,746 Total funds 2023 £ 20,550 306,671 327,221 201,341	Total funds 2021 £ 186,821 16,272 334,870 1,956 6,577 11,477 39,073 3,661 6,507 62,286 32,246 701,746
		Total funds 2021 £ 34,831 166,510 201,341

Page 33

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

7. Investment income

Unrestricted funds 2023 £ Dividends receivable 2,406 Bank interest 2,612 5,018 Total 2021 2,102	Total funds 2023 £ 2,406 2,612 5,018 2,102	Total funds 2021 £ 1,597 505 2,102

8. Other incoming resources

	Unrestricted	Total	Total
	funds	funds	funds
	2023	2023	2021
	£	£	£
Insurance	500	500	-

Page 34

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

9. Expenditure on raising funds

Expenditure on raising funds

Unrestricted funds 2023 £ Purchases and direct costs 159,521 Wages and salaries 74,751 Pension costs 660 234,932 Total 2021 141,752 Investment management costs Unrestricted funds 2023 £ Investment management fees 2,291 Total 2021 2,169	Total funds 2023 £ 159,521 74,751 660 234,932 141,752 Total funds 2023 £ 2,291 2,169	Total funds 2021 £ 92,582 48,625 545 141,752
		Total funds 2021 £ 2,169

10. Investment management costs

Page 35

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

11. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities

Summary by fund type

Unrestricted funds 2023 £ Operation of Brontë Parsonage Museum 1,106,959 Total 2021 732,885 Analysis of expenditure by activities Activities undertaken directly 2023 £ Operation of Brontë Parsonage Museum 581,482 Total 2021 362,721	Restricted funds 2023 £ 21,196 - Support costs 2023 £ 546,673 370,164	Total 2023 £ 1,128,155 732,885 Total funds 2023 £ 1,128,155 732,885	Total 2021 £ 732,885
			Total funds 2021 £ 732,885

12. Analysis of expenditure by activities

Page 36

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

12. Analysis of expenditure by activities (continued)

Analysis of direct costs

Staff costs Curatorial Advertising and marketing Exhibition and display Education Contemporary art expense Travel and training Events Membership Conference costs Total 2021	Charitable activities 2023 £ 425,589 32,733 35,567 23,476 4,360 35,153 6,891 15,358 2,355 - 581,482 362,721	Total funds 2023 £ 425,589 32,733 35,567 23,476 4,360 35,153 6,891 15,358 2,355 - 581,482 362,721	Total funds 2021 £ 278,799 21,256 22,133 - - 30,312 2,936 781 3,330 3,174 362,721

Page 37

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

12. Analysis of expenditure by activities (continued)

Analysis of support costs

Charitable activities 2023 £ Staff costs 216,848 Depreciation 19,913 Travel and training 5,145 Rates and water 3,782 Insurance 17,308 Light and heat 15,507 Recruitment 325 Communications and technology 26,663 Security and fire safety 29,003 Cleaning 6,477 Garden 2,392 Property repairs 27,750 Input VAT not recoverable 25,400 Miscellaneous 1,001 Administration costs 67,742 Bank charges 17,515 (Profit)/Loss on disposal of investments 6,708 Governance costs 57,194 546,673 Total 2021 370,164 Auditors' remuneration Fees payable to the Charity's auditor for the audit of the Charity's annual accounts	Total funds 2023 £ 216,848 19,913 5,145 3,782 17,308 15,507 325 26,663 29,003 6,477 2,392 27,750 25,400 1,001 67,742 17,515 6,708 57,194 546,673 370,164 2023 £ 18,000	Total funds 2021 £ 148,423 36,589 1,222 1,445 12,202 5,647 - 27,278 13,456 3,363 2,108 15,641 12,787 4,360 14,716 8,725 212 61,990 370,164
		2021 £ 13,250

13. Auditors' remuneration

Page 38

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

14. Staff costs

Wages and salaries Social security costs Contribution to defined contribution pension schemes	Group 2023 £ 661,394 36,956 19,498 717,848	Group 2021 £ 442,060 21,200 13,132 476,392	Charity 2023 £ 586,643 36,956 18,838 642,437	Charity 2021 £ 393,435 21,200 12,587
				427,222

Included within staff costs are redundancy payments totalling £nil (2021: £986).

The average number of persons employed by the Charity during the period was as follows:

Group	Group	Charity	Charity
2023	2021	2023	2021
No.	No.	No.	No.
33	29	28	26

The average headcount expressed as full-time equivalents was:

Group	Group	Charity	Charity
2023	2021	2023	2021
No.	No.	No.	No.
21	18	18	16

The number of employees whose employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) exceeded £60,000 was:

		Group	Group
		2023	2021
		No.	No.
In the band £60,001	- £70,000	1	-

Disclosures relate to the 15 month period. There are no employees that exceed £60,000 employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs and employer national insurance) on an annual basis.

The key management personnel of the charitable company comprise the Trustees and the senior management team as listed on page 1. The total amount of employee benefits (including employer pension and national insurance contributions) received by key management personnel for their services to the Group was £212,657 (2021 - £141,644).

15. Trustees' remuneration and expenses

During the period, no Trustees received any remuneration or other benefits (2021 - £NIL) .

Page 39

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

15. Trustees' remuneration and expenses (continued)

During the period ended 31 March 2023, expenses totalling £ NIL were reimbursed or paid directly to Trustees (2021 - £NIL to Trustee) . Expenses reimbursments related to travel and subsistence and were repaid directly to Trustees.

Page 40

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

16. Tangible fixed assets

Group

Cost or valuation At 1 January 2022 Additions At 31 March 2023 Depreciation At 1 January 2022 Charge for the period At 31 March 2023 Net book value At 31 March 2023 At 31 December 2021	Freehold property £ 18,640 - 18,640 - - - 18,640 18,640	Fixtures and fittings £ 612,200 - 612,200 573,067 15,988 589,055 23,145 39,133	Computer equipment £ 110,711 3,502 114,213 105,224 3,925 109,149 5,064 5,487	Total £ 741,551 3,502 745,053
				678,291 19,913 698,204
				46,849
				63,260

Page 41

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

16. Tangible fixed assets (continued)

Charity

Cost or valuation At 1 January 2022 Additions At 31 March 2023 Depreciation At 1 January 2022 Charge for the period At 31 March 2023 Net book value At 31 March 2023 At 31 December 2021	Freehold property £ 18,640 - 18,640 - - - 18,640 18,640	Fixtures and fittings £ 612,200 - 612,200 573,067 15,988 589,055 23,145 39,133	Computer equipment £ 110,711 3,502 114,213 105,224 3,925 109,149 5,064 5,487	Total £ 741,551 3,502 745,053
				678,291 19,913 698,204
				46,849
				63,260

Page 42

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

17. Heritage assets

Group and Charity

Assets recognised at cost

Carrying value at 1 January 2022 Additions	Heritage assets 2023 £ 2,292,427 4,559,934 6,852,361	Total 2023 £ 2,292,427 4,559,934 6,852,361

The Society owns the Parsonage at Haworth which was the home of the Brontë family from 1820 to 1861 and which was gifted to the Society in 1928. The Parsonage houses a world class collection of artefacts and documents associated with the Brontë Family and their literary works. The collection is maintained in order to promote interest in the life and works of the Brontë family and consists of material which belonged to the Brontë family, their friends and associates. It includes books, manuscripts, letters, paintings, drawings, furniture, household items and personal possessions. The Research Library Collection, also housed within the Parsonage building, contains secondary source material and a wide range of biographical, critical, topographical and related works on the Brontë family. Today the Brontë Society continues to carry out its founding aim; collecting and exhibiting material relating to the Brontës' lives and works and making them known to the widest audience through display, online access, appointments to view and a lifelong learning programme.

Under the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) 2005 and FRS30 Heritage Assets items purchased for the collection were capitalised and included at cost in the balance sheet and this has continued under SORP 2015.

The Society maintains its collection for its historical and literary value. Any valuation is completed within the confines of the requirements of the management and preservation of the collection and for no other purpose. In accordance with the provisions of the SORP, no value has been attributed to items acquired prior to the implementation of the SORP 2005 due to the lack of reliable information regarding cost or valuation. Heritage asset acquisitions reported in the balance sheet totalled £4,559,934 in 2022/23, £19,500 in 2021, £2,050 in 2020, £676,239 in 2019, £10,800 in 2018, £32,852 in 2017, £60,137 in 2016, £857,146 in 2015, £28,770 in 2014, £89,366 in 2013, £245,665 in 2012, £43,900 in 2011 and £226,002 prior to this date. Additions in 2016 included the kind donation by the BBC of items used in the production of To Walk Invisible.

Access to the collection is promoted through educational workshops and tours as well as through general admissions to the Museum. The collection is detailed in the Society's online catalogue which can be accessed via the website at www.bronte.org.uk.

Included within the heritage asset acquisitions for the period is £3.4m heritage donated assets from the Blavatnik Honresfield Library collection. This includes £1.5m relating to items jointly owned between The Brontë Society, The British Library Board and The University of Leeds (with a total value £4.5m). These assets cannot be sold unless all three parties agree.

Page 43

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

18. Fixed asset investments

Group Cost or valuation At 1 January 2022 Additions Disposals Revaluations At 31 March 2023 Net book value At 31 March 2023 At 31 December 2021	Listed investments £ 169,956 60,424 (64,592) (19,426) 146,362 146,362 169,956	Cash and settlements pending £ 3,580 (60,424) 64,592 (200) 7,548 7,548 3,580	Total £ 173,536 - - (19,626) 153,910 153,910 173,536

The historical cost of listed investments at 31 March 2023 was £141,608 (2021: £141,265).

Charity Cost or valuation At 1 January 2022 Additions Disposals Revaluations At 31 March 2023 Net book value At 31 March 2023 At 31 December 2021	Investments in subsidiary companies £ 25,100 - - - 25,100 25,100 25,100	Listed investments £ 169,956 60,424 (64,592) (19,426) 146,362 146,362 169,956	Cash and settlements pending £ 3,580 (60,424) 64,592 (200) 7,548 7,548 3,580	Total £ 198,636 - - (19,626) 179,010 179,010 198,636

Page 44

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

18. Fixed asset investments (continued)

Principal subsidiaries

The following was a subsidiary undertaking of the Charity:

Name		Company	Registered office or principal	Principal activity	Principal activity
		number	place of business
The Brontë Genius Company		06504497	The Brontë Parsonage Museum,	The gift shop in the
Limited			Church Street, Haworth,	Brontë Parsonage
			Keighley, West Yorkshire, BD22	Museum
			8DR
Class of	Holding
shares
Ordinary	100%
The financial results of the subsidiary for the			period were:
Name			Profit/(Loss)		Net assets
			for the		£
			period
				£
The Brontë	Genius Company	Limited	12,192		36,004

The financial results of the subsidiary for the period were:

The profit for the period is after taking account of an interim donation to the parent company of £20,777 (2021: £nil).

19. Stocks

			Group		Charity
		Group	31	Charity	31
	31	March	December	31 March	December
		2023	2021	2023	2021
		£	£	£	£
Finished goods and goods for resale		62,006	69,155	2,415	2,800

Page 45

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

20. Debtors

Due within one year Trade debtors Amounts owed by group undertakings Prepayments and accrued income	Group 31 March 2023 £ 4,727 - 43,104 47,831	Group 31 December 2021 £ 422 - 96,530 96,952	Charity 31 March 2023 £ 4,727 62,677 42,629 110,033	Charity 31 December 2021 £ 422 51,412 96,055 147,889

21. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year

Trade creditors Other taxation and social security Other creditors Accruals and deferred income Deferred income at 1 January 2022 Resources deferred during the period Amounts released from previous periods	Group 31 March 2023 £ 50,876 8,651 3,376 46,941 109,844 Group 31 March 2023 £ 3,104 17,069 (3,104) 17,069	Group 31 December 2021 £ 25,112 5,035 2,429 33,566 66,142 Group 31 December 2021 £ 65,240 3,104 (65,240) 3,104	Charity 31 March 2023 £ 50,140 8,651 3,376 40,338 102,505 Charity 31 March 2023 £ 3,104 17,069 (3,104) 17,069	Charity 31 December 2021 £ 24,783 5,035 2,429 28,941
				61,188
				Charity 31 December 2021 £ 65,240 3,104 (65,240)
				3,104

Page 46

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

22. Statement of funds

Statement of funds - current period

Unrestricted funds General Funds - all funds Daphne Carrick Fund-raising development New Building Fund Quinquennial Fund Heritage fixed assets funds Heritage assets donations	Balance at 1 January 2022 £ 450,640 17,126 3,000 50,887 10,000 531,653 2,292,427	Income £ 1,357,400 - - - - 1,357,400 4,559,934	Expenditure £ (1,332,414) - - (11,768) - (1,344,182) -	Transfers in/out £ (200) - - - - (200) -	Gains/ (Losses) £ (12,718) - - - - (12,718) -	Balance at 31 March 2023 £ 462,708 17,126 3,000 39,119 10,000 531,953
						6,852,361

Page 47

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

22. Statement of funds (continued)

Restricted funds Sir Tresham Lever Top Withens Collections Care Contemporary Arts Education Purchases British Library Museum Redecoration Reception Furniture Fund Piano Maintenance Fund Taylor and Francis Prize Fund Garfield Weston Foyle Foundation Total of funds	Balance at 1 January 2022 £ 2,000 2,129 3,462 1,853 10,168 18,398 12,789 336 244 7,901 2,915 15,836 22,500 100,531 2,924,611	Income £ - - 110 335 4,014 4,333 - 99 - 2,205 1,000 - - 12,096 5,929,430	Expenditure £ - - - - - - - - - - - (11,454) (9,742) (21,196) (1,365,378)	Transfers in/out £ - - - - - - - - - 200 - - - 200 -	Gains/ (Losses) £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (12,718)	Balance at 31 March 2023 £ 2,000 2,129 3,572 2,188 14,182 22,731 12,789 435 244 10,306 3,915 4,382 12,758 91,631
						7,475,945

Page 48

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

22. Statement of funds (continued)

Unrestricted Funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the Trustees.

Designated Funds are those funds designated by the Trustees for specific purposes. The allocations are reviewed and adjusted on an annual basis. The designated funds are shown as unrestricted funds.

The Tielman fund is a bequest received from France. The Society was initally advised not to use the funds until any potential tax liability had been resolved. The Society considers that there is no longer a tax issue and has begun to utilise the bequest.

Business Process Review Implementation Fund ('BPRI Fund') is to cover consultancy costs for Phase 1 of the project.

Restricted Funds are those funds where monies have been received for a specific purpose. The restrictions placed on the funds as shown above are as follows;

Sir Tresham Lever - monies are only to be used to purchase flowers for the local parish Church;

Top Withens fund - expenditure for the maintenance of the Top Withens site;

Collections Care - expenditure is restricted to cleaning, repairing and conserving the Collection;

Contemporary Arts - Donations are restricted to supporting the Contemporary Arts programme;

Education - expenditure is restricted to supporting the education programme;

Purchases - expenditure is restricted to funding acquisitions for the Collection;

British Library - expenditure is restricted to a "literature in context" project;

Museum Redecoration - donations received towards maintaining the decoration of the Parsonage;

Reception Furniture Fund - donations received for the refurbishment of the admissions area of the Museum;

Piano Maintenance Fund - donation from Society member John Hennessy for the future costs of maintaining the Brontë piano;

Taylor & Francis Prize Fund – consists of an annual donation from Taylor & Francis to fund the cost of a Brontë Society competition;

Garfield Weston - grant funding for outreach projects;

Honresfield Library Fundraising Campaign - donations received towards purchase of heritage assets from Honresfield Library;

Foyle Foundation - monies received to cover core costs.

Transfers between funds:

Transfers between funds are discussed and approved by Trustees at Council Meetings. The principal transfers during the year concern the use of unrestricted funds.

Page 49

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

22. Statement of funds (continued)

Statement of funds - prior period

Unrestricted funds General Funds - all funds Collections Daphne Carrick Fund-raising development Other strategic projects Tielman Fund Bicenteneries Fund New Building Fund Quinquennial Fund Heritage fixed assets fund Heritage assets donations	Balance at 1 January 2021 £ 109,567 139,725 17,126 6,985 24,194 43,534 23,142 50,887 7,576 422,736 2,272,927	Income £ 920,675 - - - - - - - - 920,675 19,500	Expenditure £ (858,934) (8,500) - - (2,922) - - - (6,450) (876,806) -	Transfers in/out £ 264,284 (131,225) - (3,985) (21,272) (43,534) (23,142) - 8,874 50,000 -	Gains/ (Losses) £ 15,048 - - - - - - - - 15,048 -	Balance at 31 December 2021 £ 450,640 - 17,126 3,000 - - - 50,887 10,000 531,653
						2,292,427

Page 50

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

22. Statement of funds (continued)

Restricted funds Sir Tresham Lever Top Withens Collections Care Contemporary Arts Education Purchases British Library Museum Redecoration Reception Furniture Fund Piano Maintenance Fund Taylor and Francis Prize Fund Garfield Weston Honresfield Library Fundraising Campaign Foyle Foundation Total of funds	Balance at 1 January 2021 £ 2,000 2,129 3,235 1,581 6,612 25,723 12,789 268 244 7,701 2,915 15,836 - - 81,033 2,776,696	Income £ - - 227 272 3,556 22,288 - 68 - - - - 20,587 22,500 69,498 1,009,673	Expenditure £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (876,806)	Transfers in/out £ - - - - - (29,613) - - - 200 - - (20,587) - (50,000) -	Gains/ (Losses) £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15,048	Balance at 31 December 2021 £ 2,000 2,129 3,462 1,853 10,168 18,398 12,789 336 244 7,901 2,915 15,836 - 22,500 100,531
						2,924,611

Page 51

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

23. Analysis of net assets between funds

Analysis of net assets between funds - current period

Unrestricted funds 31 March 2023 £ Tangible fixed assets 46,849 Fixed asset investments 146,362 Heritage assets - Current assets 448,586 Creditors due within one year (109,844) Total 531,953	Restricted funds 31 March 2023 £ - 7,548 - 84,083 - 91,631	Heritage fixed assets funds 31 March 2023 £ - - 6,852,361 - - 6,852,361	Total funds 31 March 2023 £ 46,849 153,910 6,852,361 532,669 (109,844) 7,475,945

Analysis of net assets between funds - prior period

Tangible fixed assets Fixed asset investments Heritage assets Current assets Creditors due within one year Total	Unrestricted funds 31 December 2021 £ 63,260 169,956 2,292,427 364,579 (66,142) 2,824,080	Restricted funds 31 December 2021 £ - 3,580 - 96,951 - 100,531	Heritage fixed assets funds 31 December 2021 £ - - - - - -	Total funds 31 December 2021 £ 63,260 173,536 2,292,427 461,530 (66,142) 2,924,611

Page 52

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

24. Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities

Net income for the period (as per Statement of Financial Activities) Adjustments for: Depreciation charges Loss/(profit) on disposal of fixed assets Gains on investments Dividends, interests and rents from investments Loss/(profit) on the sale of investments Decrease in stocks Decrease/(increase) in debtors Increase/(decrease) in creditors Donated heritage assets Reclassification of investments Net cash provided by operating activities	Group 31 March 2023 £ 4,551,334 19,913 - 2,540 (5,018) (6,708) 7,149 49,121 43,702 (4,559,934) 19,626 121,725	Group 31 December 2021 £ 128,415
		36,589 2,680 3,185 (2,102) (212) 13,118 (49,013) (67,343) (19,500) (13,215)
		32,602

25. Analysis of cash and cash equivalents

Cash in hand Total cash and cash equivalents	Group 31 March 2023 £ 422,832 422,832	Group 31 December 2021 £ 295,423
		295,423

Page 53

THE BRONTË SOCIETY

(A Company Limited by Guarantee)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

26. Analysis of changes in net debt

Cash at bank and in hand	At 1 January 2022 £ 295,423 295,423	Cash flows £ 127,409 127,409	At 31 March 2023 £ 422,832 422,832

27. Operating lease commitments

At 31 March 2023 the Group and the Charity had commitments to make future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases as follows:

Not later than 1 year Later than 1 year and not later than 5 years	Group 31 March 2023 £ 636 1,590 2,226	Group 31 December 2021 £ 6,312 12,902 19,214	Charity 31 March 2023 £ 636 1,590 2,226	Charity 31 December 2021 £ 6,312 12,902
				19,214

The following lease payments have been recognised as an expense in the Statement of Financial Activities:

			Group		Charity
		Group	31	Charity	31
	31	March	December	31 March	December
		2023	2021	2023	2021
		£	£	£	£
Operating lease rentals		7,085	6,010	7,085	6,010

28. Related party transactions

The Charitable Group has taken advantage of exemption, under the terms of Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland', not to disclose related party transactions with wholly owned subsidiaries within the group.

Page 54