THE WISBECH AND FENLAND MUSEUM

Registered charity 311307 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

It is a registered museum.

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

Latest income

£92k

Latest spending

£107k

Registered

1963

Accounts read

FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported an operating deficit of £11,347 for the year ended 31 March 2025, resulting in an overall loss of £8,211 after investment gains. The trustees note that while the charity is not currently threatened by these losses, financial resilience is under pressure due to reducing government grants and the cessation of investment growth. Total funds carried forward were £205,403, with unrestricted funds at £151,894.

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

What the accounts disclose

Reserves policy: 12 months' operating expenditure (£70,000) plus building maintenance reserve (£30,000) (held: £152k)

“the Charity should have general funds in reserve and readily available equating to 12 months' operating expenditure - a figure of £70,000 is currently appropriate. The Charity should also have general reserve funds available to meet unexpected and significant building maintenance costs - a figure of £30,000 is currently considered appropriate.”

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The Hudson Foundation, of which trustee D W Ball is a trustee, made grants of £11,000.

“During the year, The Hudson Foundation (Registered Charity No. 280332), of which Mr D W Ball is a trustee, made grants of £11,000 (2024 - £19,310) to the Wisbech & Fenland Museum.” — page 24

“During the year, the Robert Hall Charity (Registered Charity No. 1015493), of which Mr D W Ball is a trustee, made donations of £4,444 (2024 - £5,000) to the Wisbech & Fenland Museum.” — page 24

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Related-party transaction: The Robert Hall Charity, of which trustee D W Ball is a trustee, made donations of £4,444.

“During the year, The Hudson Foundation (Registered Charity No. 280332), of which Mr D W Ball is a trustee, made grants of £11,000 (2024 - £19,310) to the Wisbech & Fenland Museum.” — page 24

“During the year, the Robert Hall Charity (Registered Charity No. 1015493), of which Mr D W Ball is a trustee, made donations of £4,444 (2024 - £5,000) to the Wisbech & Fenland Museum.” — page 24

Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

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

Funders the charity credits

Named as funders/supporters on the charity’s own website (the charity’s claim, distinct from accounts-verified grants).

Fenland District Council — “For many years the Wisbech & Fenland Museum has been dependent on funding from the local authorities – largely the Fenland District Council …” (source page)
Wisbech Town Council — “The Wisbech & Fenland Museum is very grateful to the Wisbech Town Council for their financial support which they quadrupled in 2018” (source page)

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

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2022)

Total income

£548k

Total spending

£736k

Cost of raising funds

£2k

Reserves (reported)

£80k

Employees

Trustees · trustee networks

WISBECH AND FENLAND MUSEUM TRUSTEE COMPANY LIMITED

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

Operates in: Cambridgeshire

Income and spending

Financial year end	Income	Spending
31/03/2025	£92k	£107k
31/03/2024	£105k	£155k
31/03/2023	£182k	£303k
31/03/2022	£548k	£736k
31/03/2021	£495k	£271k

Common questions

Is THE WISBECH AND FENLAND MUSEUM financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported an operating deficit of £11,347 for the year ended 31 March 2025, resulting in an overall loss of £8,211 after investment gains. The trustees note that while the charity is not currently threatened by these losses, financial resilience is under pressure due to reducing government grants and the cessation of investment growth. Total funds carried forward were £205,403, with unrestricted funds at £151,894. Its FY2025 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	01/04/2021	£348k	Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Museum Square, Wisbech PE13 1ES
UK government	01/04/2020	£11k	ALB-HISTORIC ENGLAND - Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Museum Square, Wisbech PE13 1ES
UK government	01/04/2020	£235k	ALB-HISTORIC ENGLAND - Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Museum Square, Wisbech PE13 1ES
UK government	01/04/2020	£22k	ALB-HISTORIC ENGLAND - Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Museum Square, Wisbech PE13 1ES
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	26/02/2019	£93k	"Sharing Cultures Â– Exploring Our Museum"
The National Lottery Community Fund	12/04/2018	£10k	Discovery Days - Wisbech & Fenland Museum Community Volunteer Project
UK government	01/04/2018	£32k	Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Cambridgeshire
UK government	01/04/2018	£9k	Wisbech and Fenland Museum, Cambridgeshire
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	06/10/2016	£94k	"Wisbech and Fenland Museum: Fit for the Future"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	19/07/2012	£26k	"Charles Dickens Bicentenary Great Expectations 2012"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	26/01/2007	£49k	"A Giant with One Idea': Thomas Clarkson and the anti-slavery movement"
The National Lottery Community Fund	21/06/2006	£3k	Peep into the past
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	28/07/2005	£50k	"Fenland Museums' Community Learning & Access Project"
The National Lottery Heritage Fund	31/10/2002	£50k	"Community Education and Access Project"
UK government	—	£43k	Repair Grants for Heritage at Risk