Charity Accounts Intelreading the accounts so you don’t have to

OLD KILN MUSEUM CIO

Registered charity 1200370 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · also known as RURAL LIFE CENTRE

The Old Kiln Museum CIO owns and operates the Rural Life Living Museum, Farnham Surrey. The Museum was founded in 1973 by Madge and Henry Jackson. (Old Kiln Museum, then Rural Life Centre.) The CIO keeps and continues to develop the museum collection, operating the museum for the benefit of the public telling the story of how we lived, tools trades and professions in the English countryside.

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · Arts/culture/heritage/science · Environment/conservation/heritage · Recreation · website · Get email alerts

Latest income
£500k
Latest spending
£380k
Registered
2022
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity achieved a surplus of £120,749 for the year, driven significantly by a £166,870 public fundraising campaign, resulting in healthy unrestricted reserves of £129,069. While operational trading generated a small surplus of £29,382 after adjusting for bad debts, the charity notes that expenditure on maintenance remains high and the funding situation is still difficult. The trustees report a positive outlook with improved visibility and a more secure financial position following the successful campaign.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: three months unrestricted expenditure (held: £129k)
“It is the policy of the CIO to maintain unrestricted funds at a level equating to approximately three months unrestricted expenditure whenever possible.” — page 4
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Trustee John Cooksley rented the blacksmith's forge from the charity.
“During the year, the blacksmith's forge was rented to one of the trustees, John Cooksley, for £1,170, including reimbursement for electricity of £210 ((2024:£537 including £207 for electricity).” — page 27
Per its FY2025 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 · linkedin

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)

Total income
£500k
Total spending
£380k
Cost of raising funds
£33k
Reserves (reported)
£1.1m
Employees
8

Reported reserves equal ~34.7 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 5.2 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Donations and legacies (35% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 6.6% of total income — above the median for charities its size (4.9%) (benchmarks).

Register events

Trustees · trustee networks

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

Operates in: Surrey

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/03/2025£500k£380k
31/03/2024£281k£301k
31/03/2023£0£0

Common questions

Is OLD KILN MUSEUM CIO financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity achieved a surplus of £120,749 for the year, driven significantly by a £166,870 public fundraising campaign, resulting in healthy unrestricted reserves of £129,069. While operational trading generated a small surplus of £29,382 after adjusting for bad debts, the charity notes that expenditure on maintenance remains high and the funding situation is still difficult. The trustees report a positive outlook with improved visibility and a more secure financial position following the successful campaign. Its FY2025 accounts were independently examined.

Who funds OLD KILN MUSEUM CIO?

Funders whose own accounts filings name OLD KILN MUSEUM CIO as a grant recipient include THE BILLMEIR CHARITABLE TRUST.

Known funders

Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

FunderYearAmountPurpose (as stated by the funder)
THE BILLMEIR CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£4k