IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUM TRUST LIMITED
The principal activities of the Trust are the preservation of historic properties and the development and management, as an educational charity, of Museums relating to the industrial, social and economic history of the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site and related areas, with particular reference to the Industrial Revolution.
Financial health, per its FY2024 accounts
The accounts state that the Trust reported an unrestricted surplus of £1,257,992 for the year, though this included transfers from restricted and endowment funds to repay borrowing. Per the trustees' report, free reserves were in deficit by £1,198,900, and the Trust is heavily reliant on visitor income which has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. The Trustees are in advanced discussions to transfer the Trust's operations to a large heritage charity, which has led to a material uncertainty regarding going concern.
What the accounts disclose
“Trustees feel that reserves equivalent to 6 months of core expenditure or £3m is desirable.” — page 15
“These events indicate that a material uncertainty exists that may cast significant doubt on the Trust's ability to continue as a Going Concern.” — page 23
Year-over-year changes
- Going concern: no going-concern doubt (FY2023) → material uncertainty (FY2024).
Property (HM Land Registry)
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/12/2024)
Register events
- Received assets from another charity (15/06/2023)
- Received assets from another charity (08/02/2014)
- Received assets from another charity (16/11/2012)
Trustees
- BETH HELEN FOSTER
- Christopher Brook Walker
- Christopher Mark Pemberton
- David Anthony Brammer
- Dr Elizabeth Nicholson
- Eleanor Catherine Appleby
- HOWARD TREVOR THORNE
- Jennifer Anne Francis
- Karen MacKenzie
- Michael Peter Kirk
- Rupert Kenyon-Slaney
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 31/12/2024 | £9.2m | £9.6m |
| 31/12/2023 | £13.4m | £9.3m |
| 31/12/2022 | £10.1m | £13.5m |
| 31/12/2021 | £8.9m | £7.7m |
| 31/12/2020 | £7.3m | £6.5m |
Common questions
Is IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUM TRUST LIMITED financially healthy?
Per its FY2024 accounts: The accounts state that the Trust reported an unrestricted surplus of £1,257,992 for the year, though this included transfers from restricted and endowment funds to repay borrowing. Per the trustees' report, free reserves were in deficit by £1,198,900, and the Trust is heavily reliant on visitor income which has not returned to pre-pandemic levels. The Trustees are in advanced discussions to transfer the Trust's operations to a large heritage charity, which has led to a material uncertainty regarding going concern. Its FY2024 accounts were audited by WR Partners.
Who funds IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUM TRUST LIMITED?
Funders whose own accounts filings name IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUM TRUST LIMITED as a grant recipient include THE HEADLEY TRUST, THE EDWARD CADBURY CHARITABLE TRUST, THE SACKLER TRUST, THE KIRBY LAING FOUNDATION, THE GEORGE CADBURY TRUST (EDWARD CADBURY SECTION).
Known funders
Government & lottery funding
| Funder | Date | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK government | 01/04/2024 | £3k | Reviewing Collection of Nationally Designated Industrial Sites Preserved |
| UK government | 01/04/2024 | £30k | National Capacity Building: Industrial Heritage Support Officer (IHSO) |
| UK government | 01/04/2024 | £2k | Everyday Heritage - Celebrating the workers of the Ironbridge Gorge |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 27/04/2023 | £678k | "IGMT Building Resilience" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 15/12/2022 | £250k | "Maintaining Ironbridge" |
| UK government | 14/03/2022 | £33k | ALB-Historic England-Industrial Heritage Support Officer (IHSO) |
| UK government | 09/02/2022 | £1.1m | Museum Estate and Development fund |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 24/03/2020 | £100k | "Recovering from Ironbridge Flooding" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 22/11/2019 | £100k | "Reinvigorating Ironbridge Gorge Museums" |
| UK government | 01/04/2019 | £736k | Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust |
| UK government | 01/04/2019 | £308k | West Midlands Museum Development |
| UK government | 01/04/2018 | £77k | West Midlands Museum Development |
| UK government | 01/04/2018 | £736k | Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust |
| UK government | 01/04/2018 | £55k | ALB-HistoricEngland-Industrial Heritage Support Officer (IHSO) |
| UK government | 01/04/2018 | £184k | Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust |
| UK government | 01/04/2018 | £308k | West Midlands Museum Development |
| UK government | 08/06/2017 | £313k | National Portfolio Organisations |
| UK government | 08/06/2017 | £750k | National Portfolio Organisations |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 20/03/2017 | £1.1m | "Conserving the Coalbrookdale Landscape" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 22/05/2009 | £50k | "Coalbrookdale 2009 - Lifelong Learning Programme" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 21/06/2005 | £328k | "The Coalbrookdale Literary & Scientific Institute" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 23/03/2004 | £2.0m | "Jackfield Tile Museum & Factory - Phase III" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 17/03/1999 | £2.0m | "Jackfield Tile Museum & Factory" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 17/03/1999 | £4.0m | "Coalbrookdale Project" |
| The National Lottery Heritage Fund | 07/05/1997 | £31k | "Coalbrookdale Project: Development Study" |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| THE ADRIAN SWIRE CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £50k |
| THE NISBET TRUST | 1 | £31k |
| THE 29TH MAY 1961 CHARITY | 1 | £30k |
| LLOYD'S REGISTER FOUNDATION | 1 | £10k |
| THE ROGER & DOUGLAS TURNER CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £10k |
| EDITH MURPHY FOUNDATION | 1 | £10k |
| THE NINEVEH CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £5k |
| ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT MUSEUMS | 1 | £5k |
Charities like this
- SEVERN GORGE COUNTRYSIDE TRUST
- BRYMBO HERITAGE TRUST
- BRAINTREE DISTRICT MUSEUM TRUST
- SS GREAT BRITAIN TRUST
- THE BLACK COUNTRY LIVING MUSEUM TRUST
- CLEVELAND IRONSTONE MINING MUSEUM
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUM TRUST LIMITED | £9.2m | — | — | unclear | — | material uncertainty |
| SEVERN GORGE COUNTRYSIDE TRUST | £412k | — | 0 | unclear | — | no doubt |
| BRYMBO HERITAGE TRUST | £1.5m | — | 0 | below | — | no doubt |
| BRAINTREE DISTRICT MUSEUM TRUST | £451k | — | 0 | above | — | no doubt |
| SS GREAT BRITAIN TRUST | £5.1m | £90,001 - £100,000 | 2 | below | — | no doubt |
| THE BLACK COUNTRY LIVING MUSEUM TRUST | £10.8m | £110,001 - £120,000 | — | unclear | — | no doubt |