The Trust

STATUTORY POSITION

The Mills Archive Trust is an educational charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Registered as a Charitable Trust in April 2002 (registration no 1091534) the charity was incorporated as a foundation Charitable Incorporated Organisation (registration no 1155828) in February 2014.

OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATIONS FOR THE COLLECTION POLICY

The objects of the charity (CIO) are defined in our constitution as:

  1. to advance the education of the public in the subject of mills and milling by establishing and preserving, and facilitating the public use of, the Archive comprising the Collection;
  2. to form, establish and support, and to aid in the formation, establishment and support of, any other charities and voluntary bodies, established for, or advancing, charitable purposes the same as, or similar to, those of the CIO, for the benefit of the public.

For the purpose of this clause:

“The Archive” means a collection of historical and contemporary material on mills and milling, including millwrighting and the place of the mill in social as well as technological and architectural history. There is a strong emphasis on traditional mills, which includes mills and similar structures that are or were powered by wind, water or muscle.

“The Collection” means all items and materials of a historical, scientific or artistic nature held for preservation, together with any other items and material which the trustees may from time to time decide to preserve. In this sub-clause, items and materials include, but are not limited to, photographs, slides and negatives, documents (such as field notes, drawings and plans), published material (such as books and reports), electronic information (such as databases and digital images), audio and video recordings, mill-related ephemera and small artefacts.

Nothing in this constitution shall authorise an application of the property of the CIO for purposes which are not charitable in accordance with section 7 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and section 2 of the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008.

GOVERNING BODY

The Governing Body comprises up to twelve trustees from the voluntary sector, assisted by an honorary officer.

Trustees

  • Dr Ron Cookson MBE (Chairman)
  • Mrs Mildred Cookson (owner of a Foundation Collection)
  • Mr Mike Evans
  • Mr Graham Hackney
  • Mr Charles Pinchbeck (appointed by the SPAB Mills Section)
  • Mr Martin Savage
  • Dr Margaret Simons
  • Dr Ashok Vaidya (Vice-Chairman)

Officers

  • Honorary Treasurer : Mr Glenn Barrett

FINANCIAL HISTORY

From the date of our conversion to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, our accounts are visible on the website of the Charity Commission. We also publish, on this site, our financial history for the five years prior.

OBJECTIVES

  • To establish and maintain a permanent record repository for historical and contemporary material on traditional mills and milling;
  • To ensure the records are properly cared for in an appropriate environment and such conservation as may be required is provided;
  • To facilitate and encourage public inspection of the records and their use in research and learning;
  • To employ information technology to allow users not only to examine material remotely but also to add new relevant information online;
  • To comply in so far as is practicable with the appropriate standards for archives and to maintain the archive using sound financial and management principles.

STANDARDS

The Mills Archive Trust has been accredited by The National Archives, a form of national recognition indicating that we meet national standards relating to management and resourcing; the care of our unique collections and what we offer to our users. We attempt to ensure that the physical care of the archive accords as closely as is practicable with British Standard PD5454:2012, Guidance for the storage and exhibition of archival materials. This standard covers matters such as the site and structure of the repository; its security from fire, damp, unauthorised entry and vandalism; the control of its internal environment; and methods of storage and display.