THE ASSOCIATION OF
FRIENDS OF THE WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY
ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2023
Registered charity No. 800513
THE ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS OF THE WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY
FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2023
LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Object
The object of the Association of Friends of the William Morris Gallery (“the Association” or “the Friends”) is the education of the public by the promotion, support, assistance and improvement of the William Morris Gallery (“the Gallery”) through the activities of a group of Friends.
Legal status
The Association is an unincorporated body, whose governing document is the Constitution approved and adopted on 18 July 1988. It has been granted registration as a charity by the Charity Commission, with charity registration number 800513 . HM Revenue & Customs has accepted the Association as a charity within the definition of section 506(1) of the Income & Corporation Taxes Act 1988, as a result of which the Association’s income and gains are not taxable to the extent that they are applicable and applied to charitable purposes.
Address
Adrian Stannard 19 Avon Road London E17 3RB
Web Site and Email
Website: www.friendsofthewmg.org.uk E-mail: friendsofwmge17@gmail.com
Officers and Committee
The Committee (referred to in the Constitution as the Council) at the end of the financial year comprised:
Chair Pat Stannard Vice Chair Roger Huddle Hon Secretary Ros Bowman Hon Treasurer Adrian Stannard Hon Membership Secretary Pam Jackson Minutes Secretary Graham Larkbey Events Organiser Roger Huddle David Brangwyn Diana Medlicott
Bankers
Lloyds Bank plc 182 High Street Walthamstow London E17 7JH
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THE ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS OF THE WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY
FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2023
Honorary Life Members
Martin Adams, Wendy McLean, Ann & Bruce Saunders, Stephen Howie, Martin Stutchfield, Catherine Furlong, Lynn Jones, Peter Haseldine, Lawrence Sawyer, Claudio Koeser, Sir James & Lady Scott, Maggie Hill, Joseph Nicholas, Stephen & Usha Hartley, Margaretta Bowstead, Christopher Rycroft, Peter Cormack.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
Committee
PUBLIC MEETINGS: As far as meetings and events are concerned, we were reluctant to resume live lectures immediately but use Zoom, which would have the initial benefit of making talks available to people living at a distance. The first of these was a successful illustrated talk about the work of Ernest Gimson (1864-1919) by Barley Roscoe, formerly director of the Holburne Museum and Crafts Study Centre in Bath, and a great-niece of the architect and designer, in October. Our AGM in November was the next Zoom event, followed by a discussion with members on future plans. The first “live” meeting, but with substantial Zoom support, was Roger Huddle’s much praised William Morris Birthday illustrated lecture in March this year on the topic of The Socialism of William Morris.
THE COMMITTEE: After ten years as Chair of the Committee, David Brangwyn stood down at the 2022 AGM, but remains on the committee. David was replaced as Chair by the former Vice-Chair, Pat Stannard. Roger Huddle became Vice-Chair in addition to his role as events organiser. Committee members are Ros Bowman (Hon Sec), Pam Jackson (Membership), Adrian Stannard (Treasurer), Graham Larkbey (Minutes), David Branwyn and – a welcome new committee member – Diana Medlicott.
Finally, plans for fresh outings and events were underway by the end of the financial year and we hope to expand the programme to the level it was pre-Covid.
Relations with the William Morris Gallery
Following pandemic shutdowns, our financial year’s activities commenced with talks between two members of the committee and representatives of the LB of Waltham Forest about its plan for new governance arrangements for the Gallery. It entails replacing The Brangwyn Gift (an advisory body) and its existing trustees with a new Brangwyn Trust, a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and trustees with powers to seek external funding for major projects and provide advice on the collections and exhibitions. The Friends would continue to support the collection by, for example, financing purchases. It was suggested and agreed that a representative of the Friends would be included among the Trustees. As yet, registration with the Charity Commission is still underway. When completed, we will put forward our nominee.
COMMITTEE VISIT TO GALLERY: Members of the committee toured the Gallery in February with senior curator Rowan Bain and Hadrian Garrard, to learn about proposed alterations to the display and share views and ideas.
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THE ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS OF THE WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY
FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2023
THE MORRIS NETWORK
The Friends, as founder members of the Morris Network, continue to play an active part in an organisation that has brought together a number of Morris related organisations in the UK including the William Morris Gallery, William Morris Society, the Pre-Raphaelite Society, the Emery Walker Trust, Wightwick Manor, Kelmscott Manor, Red House, Standen, the Victoria & Albert Museum and the William Morris Internet Archive.
WEBSITE
The Friends’ website can be found at www.friendsofthewmg.org.uk.
INVESTMENT POLICY
Funds surplus to day-to-day requirements are invested in the COIF Charities Ethical Investment Fund, and attract money-market rates but are available on demand. The investment return achieved is regarded by the Committee as satisfactory in the context of the interest and dividend rates prevailing.
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THE ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS OF THE WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY
FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2023
RESERVES
As administrative expenses are covered by subscriptions, the Association does not need to establish material reserves in order to be able to continue functioning on a day-to-day basis. However, the effectiveness of funding made available to the William Morris Gallery to enable the Gallery to bid at auctions for potential acquisitions depends very much upon the ability of the Association to provide, on suitable occasions, larger amounts than would be generated by a single year’s subscriptions and donations. It is therefore the policy of the Committee to allow surpluses arising from an excess of net income over funding requests in the General Fund in a given year to accumulate in order to be able to respond more generously to funding requests in subsequent years.
GIFT AID
There has continued to be an encouraging response by members to the Gift Aid scheme which the Government introduced with effect from 6 April 2000 to encourage charitable giving by individuals who pay UK income tax, by offering a tax recovery equivalent to the basic rate of income tax. The current basic rate of 25% enables a recovery to be made by a charity of 25p for every £1 donated.
Members who are UK taxpayers, but have not yet signed a Gift Aid declaration in favour of the Association, are urged to apply to the Membership Secretary for the necessary form.
RISKS
The Committee does not consider the Association is exposed to any major risks. The investment policy adopted does not lead to any market risk, and credit risk is considered to be minimal as Lloyds Bank plc and CCLA Investment Management Limited, which manages the COIF Charities Deposit and Investment Fund, are authorised and regulated by the Prudential Supervision Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority under the Financial Services Act 2012. Third party liability arising from events organised is covered by insurance obtained as a benefit of membership of the British Association of Friends of Museums (BAFM).
RESULTS AND FINANCIAL POSITION
The financial statements for the year ended 31st March 2023 are set out on pages 6 to 11.
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THE ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS OF THE WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY
FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2023
Statement of Financial Activities
INCOMING RESOURCES Subscriptions Gift Aid Received Donations and Gifts Publications (Note 4) Interest Bank + COIF Income from Meetings and Visits Other Incoming Resources RESOURCES USED Administrative Costs Gifts Paid Out c. Expenditure on Events and Visits Subscriptions to others Resources Used Net Resources (Loss) COIF Investment Gain/Loss NET RESOURCES Net Incoming Resources Opening Balance Closing Balance Total Funds at the end of the year |
2022/23 £ 3,387 0 144 0 0 0 23,636 27,167 2,005 28,363 0 0 30,368 (3,201) (450) (3,652) 31,983 28,331 28,331 |
2021/22 £ 3,401 1,206 789 0 2 0 375 5,773 763 11,601 0 100 12,464 (6,691) 1,491 (5,200) 37,183 31,983 31,983 |
|---|---|---|
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THE ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS OF THE WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2023
Balance Sheet
| ASSETS | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed Assets | £ | £ | |
| COIF Charities deposit Fund | 22,518 | 22,972 | |
| Current Assets | |||
| Bank Balance | 4,908 | 8,104 | |
| Taxation Recoverable | 1,206 | 1,206 | |
| 6,114 | 9,310 | ||
| Net Current Assets | 28,632 | 32,282 | |
| LIABILITIES | |||
| Current Liabilities | |||
| Events in Advance | 299 | 299 | |
| Other Creditors | 2 | 0 | |
| Total Liabilities | 301 | 299 | |
| Total Assets Less Liabilities (Loss) | **28,331 ** | 31,983 | |
| Represented by: | |||
| GENERAL FUND | 28,331 | 31,983 | |
| APPROVED BY FoWMG Members | DATE:**12th ** | July 2023 | |
| Signed on behalf by the Chair | Signature |
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THE ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS OF THE WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2023
NOTES ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
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a. These financial statements have been drawn up on an accruals basis in accordance with the provisions of 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).
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b. The Association has no permanent endowment and the whole balance on the General Fund, which represents an unrestricted income fund, is available to be applied towards its objects.
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c. £28,363 was gifted to the Gallery from donations abroad and FoWMG resources, for the restoration of Brangwyn paintings.
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d. Post Covid our Newsletter production was resumed.
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e. Membership of BAFM entitles us to their Insurance.
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f. Taxation recoverable represents amounts reclaimable from HM Revenue & Customs in respect of payments received under the Gift Aid scheme. The most recent Gift Aid claim submitted was 31 March 2022.
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g. Where a member joins the Association between 1 January and 31[st] March in any year the subscription is deemed to cover the period up to the 31[st] March the following year.
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h. No visits or meetings were held due to the pandemic.
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THE ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS OF THE WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY
FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH 2023
NOTES ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT
| TURNOVER | 2021/22 3,401.00 0.00 3,401.00 1,206.00 788.75 0.00 788.75 0 0 0 3.69 0.00 3.69 (374.81) 5,774.00 1,490.70 8,103.95 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income | 2022/23 | ||||
| Subscriptions | 3,387.00 | ||||
| Life Members | 0.00 | ||||
| 3,387.00 | |||||
| Gift Aid refunds | f. | 0.00 | |||
| Donations | 143.50 | ||||
| Gifts | 0.00 | ||||
| 143.50 | |||||
| Meetings IN | 0 | ||||
| Visits IN | 0 | ||||
| 0 | |||||
| Interest Bank | 0.00 | ||||
| Interest COIF | 0.00 | ||||
| 0.00 | |||||
| Other 23,636.44 Total Incoming Resources 27,166.94 COIF Investment (Gain/Loss) (450.44) Bank Balance 4,908.22 |
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| NOTES TO ACCOUNTS | ||
|---|---|---|
| EXPENDITURE | 2022/23 | 2021/22 |
| Accountancy Fees | 592.20 | 310.96 |
| Zoom + Web | 252.73 | 152.00 |
| Postage d. |
655.05 | 0.00 |
| Printing and Stationery d. |
439.02 | 0.00 |
| Insurance e. |
0.00 | 300.00 |
| Advertising & Marketing | 65.62 | 0 |
| 2004.62 | 762.96 | |
| Gifts paid out | 28,363.44 | 11,600.91 |
| Subscriptions to others | 0.00 | 100 |
| Direct Charitable Activities | 28,363.44 | 11,700.91 |
| Total Expenditure | 30,368.06 | 12,463.87 |
| Total Income | 26,716.50 | 7,264.25 |
| Total Expenditure | 30,368.06 | 12,463.87 |
| Net Income | (3,651.56) | (5,199.62 |
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| INVESTMENTS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CURRENT ASSETS | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | ||||
| COIF Investments | 22,517.57 | 22,972.00 | ||||
| Bank Account | 4,908.22 | 8,103.95 | ||||
| Taxation Receivable(GA) | 1,206.00 | 1,206.00 | ||||
| 28,631.79 | 32,281.95 | |||||
| CURRENT LIABILITIES | ||||||
| Creditors payable in one year |
2.14 | 0.00 | ||||
| Events in advance | 299.00 | 299.00 | ||||
| 301.14 | 299.00 | |||||
| TOTAL ASSETS | 28,330.65 | 31,982.95 | ||||
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REPORT OF THE TREASURER TO THE COMMITTEE OF
THE ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS OF THE WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY
I report on the financial statements of the Association of Friends of the William Morris Gallery for the year ended 31st March 2023 which are set out on pages 5 to 8.
Respective responsibilities of the Committee
The Charity’s Committee is responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. The Committee considers that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Charities Act”) or an Independent Examination.
It is my responsibility:
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to examine the financial statements under section 145 of the Charities Act;
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to follow the procedures specified in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act); and
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
1[st] June 2023
Adrian Stannard
Treasurer
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