BIRMINGHAM PEN TRADE HERITAGE ASSOCIATION

Registered charity 1176955 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as BPTHA, THE PEN MUSEUM

The Pen Museum tells the story of the Steel Pen trade in Birmingham during the 19th and 20th Centuries and the impact it had on its workers, the people of Birmingham and globally.

Causes: Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · website · Get email alerts

Latest income

£82k

Latest spending

£80k

Registered

2018

Accounts read

FY2026

Financial health, per its FY2026 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a net decrease in unrestricted funds of £1,784 for the year, resulting in a total deficit before restricted fund movements. However, unrestricted reserves stood at £23,268, which is below the trustees' stated policy target of approximately £32,000 (six months of operating expenditure). The trustees remain satisfied with the ability to continue as a going concern despite the operational deficit.

Automated summary of the FY2026 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £23k; policy: six months of operating expenditure (approximately £32,000))

“As of 31 March 2026, the general funds balance was £23,268. Therefore, the Trustees have the aim of improving the amount of general funds.”

Per its FY2026 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: Mr A C Munro, a trustee of the Museum, is the director of Midlands Industrial Association Limited. During the year, The Birmingham Pen Trade Heritage Association paid Midlands Industrial Association Limited £34,829 (2025: £27,509) relating to rent and service charges for three units and electricity charges for one unit.

“Mr A C Munro, a trustee of the Museum, is the director of Midlands Industrial Association Limited. During the year, The Birmingham Pen Trade Heritage Association paid Midlands Industrial Association Limited £34,829 (2025: £27,509) relating to rent and service charges for three units and electricity charges for one unit.” — page 16

Per its FY2026 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts independently examined (not a full audit). Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): facebook · instagram

Register events

Received assets from another charity (24/05/2019) — per the register’s event history; asset transfers typically record mergers or reorganisations.

Trustees · trustee networks

Paul Richard Lindsellchair
Andrew Casebourne Munro
Carmel Girling
Craig Edmondson · trustee of 1 other charity
Dr Laura Dudley · trustee of 1 other charity
Helen Amy Shute
Nigel David Evans
Sergio Isaac Torres Velazquez

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Birmingham City

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2026	£82k	£80k
31/03/2025	£75k	£82k
31/03/2024	£67k	£87k
31/03/2023	£55k	£82k
31/03/2022	£135k	£77k

Common questions

Is BIRMINGHAM PEN TRADE HERITAGE ASSOCIATION financially healthy?

Per its FY2026 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a net decrease in unrestricted funds of £1,784 for the year, resulting in a total deficit before restricted fund movements. However, unrestricted reserves stood at £23,268, which is below the trustees' stated policy target of approximately £32,000 (six months of operating expenditure). The trustees remain satisfied with the ability to continue as a going concern despite the operational deficit. Its FY2026 accounts were independently examined.

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

Funder	Date	Amount	Purpose
UK government	22/10/2021	£31k	Culture Recovery Fund: Continuity Support
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	17/08/2020	£8k	"COVID19: Birmingham Pen Trade Heritage Association"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	30/11/2015	£90k	"A Flourishing Museum"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	23/01/2015	£20k	"Write into the Future - Steps to Sustainability"
The National Lottery Community Fund	23/09/2010	£9k	Library and Community Room
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	04/12/2002	£101k	"Write Here, Write Now', Birmingham"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	13/01/2000	£5k	"A project to provide promotion and regular public exhibitions to generate awareness of the work done by this group on the art of writing bot"