Sussex Archaeological Society

Sussex Archaeological Society – Organisation map

Sussex Archaeological Society Performance SAS Historical financial performance 2003-13 2003 £ 56 081 2004 £ 36 377 2005 -£ 30 000 2006 -£ 32 961 2007 -£ 226 444 2008 -£ 309 367 2009 -£ 288 982 2010 -£ 334 000 2011 -£ 188 000 2012 -£ 220 000 2013 - £170 000 (?) Hidden progress Nature of the challenge Controls and limitations

SAS Achievements 2013 Welcomed 140 000 visitors to our properties, a 5% increase over 2012 Supported almost 4000 member visits to our properties, an increase of 30 % over 2012 and supported over 500 member visits to our library Raised roughly £ 300 000 in grants and donations Raised our membership by 8% - at highest level in ten years Supported almost one thousand research enquiries from a wide number of professionals, individuals, students and academic institutions. Created over 1500 new records on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database. Supported visits to our sites by over 25 000 schoolchildren and students

SAS strategic aims 2013/14 To continue to develop the Society’s role as the leading body in learning, research, publication and public engagement with regard to the archaeology and history of Sussex.
To ensure that the Society operates on a sustainable financial basis.
To continue to develop and grow our membership by at least 5% year on year for the next three years.
To ensure the generation of a stable investment income through the establishment of a long term fundraising campaign, to be launched during 2013/4.
To continue to support a wide range of research enquiries.
To enhance and strengthen the historical elements of the Society’s activities.
To significantly develop the commercial activities across the Society – in particular to increase the catering, functions and retail income in our eastern properties.
To ensure that a major audience development project for Fishbourne Roman Palace is launched during 2014.
To generate sufficient grant income to ensure that all major capital and revenue projects are fully funded during the next three years.
To strengthen the role of Friends’ groups and partnerships so that they support the fundraising and delivery of activities across all of the Society’s sites.
To aim that all properties/museums managed by the Society operate on a cost neutral basis from 2015.
To ensure that all our activities are run to the highest professional standards and that we meet the requirements set by all relevant professional bodies.

Major challenges for Sussex Archaeological Society Lack of funds to deal with contingencies, to make necessary development investments and to re-engineer business. Pensions cessation and increased payment following triennial valuation in 2014. Potential inability to seek long term project funding for major projects if reserves depleted Pre-emptive loss of key staff and supporters Concern and resistance Opportunities and Positives Quality of staff Quality of physical assets Number of stakeholders Maximisation of margins within existing models Options within existing resources New opportunities such as the Maltings Works undertaken in last ten years Economic recovery

Fishbourne 2013 2013 700 more visitors – increase of 1.3% Success of café Successful delivery of HLF project Successful consolidation of the educational service. 2014 – launch of major new interpretation project

The way forwards - a grand arrival

Fishbourne – a vision for the future Cafe Car park

LEWES CASTLE 2013 Increase of 1600 visitors on 2012 (5%) Continued delivery of Battle of Lewes project

Lewes Castle and Barbican House Museum Future Plans Culmination of Battle of Lewes activities and 2014 events Consolidation of progress arising from capital project. Development of major refurbishment of ground floor, installation of toilets, opening up and major expansion of retail and meet and greet area.

Over 18 000 visitors – best in ten years Anne of Cleves House Museum 2013 2013 performance Over 18 000 visitors – best in ten years 8.6% increase over 2012

Anne of Cleves House Museum Future Development 2014 £ 130 000 investment in new café, new garden new access museum, new accessible toilet, new enhanced interpretation. All fully funded by external funding

£ 100K of Friends and external funding invested in MP Michelham Priory 2013 performance 2700 more visitors 11 % £ 100K of Friends and external funding invested in MP

Michelham Priory 2014 Developments - Full roll out of new shop Continued development of wedding and function business, supported by full planning permission Continued development of weddings and functions business - Develop of major traditional crafts and environmental project for 2016 onwards -

Priest House 2013 Performance Increase of 8.4% in visitor numbers over 2012 2014 Investigation of new models for Priest House

Increase in visitorr numbers oveer 2012 of 1.8% Marlipins Museum 2013 performance Increase in visitorr numbers oveer 2012 of 1.8% Development model for 2014 New exhibition and promotional programme. Based on maritime collection and heritage

2014 – key actions Restructure of organisation to take place in 2013 and 2014. This will involve reductions in staffing, reallocation of roles and new working models. The effect will be to minimise annual deficit so that reserves last as long as possible and to give time for new actions to take effect. Continued implementation of investment in conservation, capital and interpretative initiatives which support aims and Development of fundraising programme to rebuild reserves and provide investment capital.

Strategic Sustainability Plan 1.Develop and support key income streams at Fishbourne Roman Palace and Michelham Priory which have a proven track record of income generation for the Society. 2. Ensure existing income generation projects which are underway, such as Anne of Cleves community cafe, are successfully taken through to completion. 3. Maintain and support development of successful income streams in Membership and at Lewes Castle 3.Make changes to two smaller properties with immediate effect. 4. Prepare planning and other processes to enable sale of properties. 5.Make significant staff cost reductions with immediate effect. 6. Target fundraising around agreed specific project or organisational needs. 7. Prepare full documentation for members and stakeholder meeting in new year (mem – 27/02/14, 1/03//14,6,03/14)

The object for which the Society is established is to promote, encourage and foster the study of archaeology and history in all their branches (with special reference to the Counties of East and West Sussex) and in furtherance of such object:- (f)To maintain and manage buildings, open spaces and places of historical or archaeological interest or of natural beauty or public resort, as places of resort for recreation, education and instruction…. To sell, improve, manage, develop, lease, exchange, dispose of, turn to account, or otherwise deal with all or any part of the property and rights for the time being of the Society, provided that (subject to any trusts declared in any transfer to the Society) no sale, exchange or absolute disposition of any real property shall be made without the consent of a General Meeting of the Society.