Ymddiriedolaeth Gerddi Hanesyddol Cymru Welsh Historic Gardens Trust
Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2024
Patron: HM King Charles III
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Chairman’s Report Joanna Davidson
2024 was a mixed year, hard work and energy going into local projects, grants and planning with an impressive programme of events taking place in many branches. However some branches are finding it difficult to continue in the way of many voluntary organisations throughout the country due to a mixture of ageing volunteers, lack of younger members and a lingering inertia following Covid.
It is good to report that the Carmarthenshire branch has been rejuvenated, and we are very pleased that our new trustee Stewart Wright has been working with the remaining committee members to re-establish a functioning branch. We still need to integrate West Glamorgan into the remaining S Wales branches and re-establish the Pembrokeshire branch if at all possible. Our other branches seem very healthy at the moment due to committed volunteers and imaginative programmes.
During 2024 there was the major loss of a C20th garden on the Register for Parks and Gardens. The John Summers Garden in Shotton, Flintshire designed by Brenda Colvin, has been mostly destroyed and a C21st generic garden created in its place. Despite the location of the original plans, all relevant authorities including Cadw seem disinclined to take a stand over this action and our protests have gone unheeded. You will find details of this case in the Bulletin. This does call into question the whole process of protecting an important landscape and is one that we will be revisiting in future Trustee meetings.
During 2024 we were delighted to learn that HM King Charles III has retained his Patronage of the WHGT. This follows a review of Royal Patronages and the announcement made by Buckingham Palace. His Majesty is a life-long champion of garden culture in the UK, and the positive contribution that parks and gardens make towards enriching society.
We have continued our meetings with Lisa Fiddes, Cadw Inspector of Historic Areas (Registered parks & gardens), which have proved mutually beneficial, and our occasional meetings with Patrick Swan, National Trust Gardens Advisor, will resume shortly.
The former Chair of WHGT, Michael Tree made the suggestion that we compile a Gardens at Risk register for Wales. We are at the early stages of creating a database of these parks and gardens brought to our attention by the branches.
A meeting was held at Nanhoron with members of the Council and some interesting issues were discussed including the future of voluntary organisations generally, and the benefits of not being a statutory consultee. This was in light of financial and workload problems being experienced by the Gardens Trust in England. The need to promote greater access to historic parks and gardens was raised by Bettina Harden and she agreed to investigate the possibility of a lottery grant to further these aims in line with our earlier very successful Gateway project.
In September we were sad to learn of the death of John Borron, a stalwart member who was a highly regarded from the Trusts’ early days; for a time John served as Treasurer and more recently on the Council, and will be much missed.
The AGM in Aberystwyth was very successful, with an excellent speaker, Trish Gibson, who gave a talk on Brenda Colvin, the C20th landscape designer responsible for the John Summers Garden and the original campus landscape at Aberystwyth University. This was particularly poignant as we were simultaneously celebrating the career of a
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pioneer woman landscape designer and mourning the loss of one of her major achievements. Caroline Palmer and her team made an incredible effort to ensure that this was a memorable and satisfying weekend.
Clwyd hosted a Heritage Orchard study day, with lecturers from throughout the country, this was very well received and followed on from our previous conference on trees.
I would like to thank all the Trustees for their hard work throughout the year and to those who have continued in roles which they had hoped to relinquish, this includes Vicki Jordan who has wrestled valiantly with the minutes for the last few years.
Glynis Shaw has continued to produce Bulletins of a consistent quality which are highly regarded by members and by the heritage sector generally.
It is a privilege to have Stephen Lacey as our President, and I hope he will continue in the role for many years.
I have very much enjoyed my time as Chair, but it is imperative that we find a successor. I will continue until the spring but other commitments are proving too great for me to continue beyond then. I had hoped to be replaced at this AGM but this has not proved possible.
Finally, I would like to thank all the members for their continued support, friendship and loyalty.
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National Planning 2024 Sarah Green
Planning Policy Wales (PPW) 2024 sets out the land use planning policies of the Welsh Government. PPW Edition 12, published in 2024, includes significant changes to Chapter 6, Distinctive and Natural Placemaking and Well-Being, which came into effect in October 2023. These changes focus on addressing the nature emergency and require a Green Infrastructure Statement for all new planning applications, demonstrating how green infrastructure is incorporated. Additionally, there are updates related to net benefit for biodiversity, the ‘step-wise approach’, protection for Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), and trees and woodlands.
The Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023, also known as the 2023 Act, came into full force on 4th November 2024 and has given Wales the most up-to-date historic environment legislation amongst the UK nations. For the first time there is an Act free of confusing references to other UK regimes, completely bilingual in Welsh and English and expressed, as far as possible, in plain, everyday language. While the new legislation makes it easier for everyone to find, understand and apply the law, it makes no changes to the current management and protection of the Welsh historic environment.
The Infrastructure (Wales) Act 2024 (IWA 2024) came into force in June 2024, creating a new consenting process for significant infrastructure projects in Wales. The aim is to provide a one-stop-shop for obtaining consents, licences, and other requirements in a single consent, similar to a Development Consent Order (DCO). These changes aim to further streamline the process for consenting significant infrastructure projects in Wales - Developments of National Significance (DNSs). It should also make it easier for cross-border developments and developers to understand what their significant infrastructure project needs for approval.
It is important that we continue to monitor these large-scale energy and infrastructure projects. Our branch reports from around the country highlight the potential issues, particularly visual, that may result from the growing number of large energy projects and their infrastructures. A second concern remains the possible landscape and visual effects of large agricultural developments particularly chicken sheds with the associated potential problems of pollution affecting water quality in streams and rivers.
On 28th November 2024 the Welsh Government announced that Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) will assume new decision-making responsibilities some renewable energy projects. These changes in decision-making responsibilities took effect on 6th January 2025. Inspectors at PEDW will be able to determine applications related to the construction, alteration, or extension of electricity-generating stations where the installed generating capacity, or the increase in installed generating capacity, is anticipated to be below 50 megawatts.
The PEDW website usefully lists DNSs and the stage each has reached in the decision-making process. One example of current concern is the Green GEN Towy Teifi Grid Connection https://planningcasework.service.gov.wales/dnsdetails DNS CAS-03094-T7D9G0 .
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The website has links to all documents so far submitted including Environmental Impact Assessment scoping reports. The documents include descriptions of the consultation process and who the prescribed and non-statutory stakeholders are. This does not necessarily include the WHGT but does include Cadw, although as a heritage group we certainly fall within the local stakeholder group for many of these energy projects.
Obviously, our remit lies purely with sites which are on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Historic Parks and Gardens in Wales. Local members will be aware of which sites fall within proposed route corridors and are likely to be impacted.It is also probable that due to the nature of the developments the impacts are likely to be visual rather than physical and will include both direct and indirect impact assessments on these heritage assets and their settings. Useful high-level guidance can be found in the updated Design Commission for Wales guidance for large-scale onshore wind and solar farm development, which reflects the changes to national policy introduced by Future Wales: National Plan 2040.
( https://dcfw.org/designing-for-renewable-energy-in-wales/ ).
The guidance recommends, sensibly, a holistic consideration of power generation infrastructure (i.e. wind turbines and solar panels) and associated infrastructure to ensure schemes are considered in their entirety.The new guidance is not a policy document but it may be relevant in the decision-making processes for such developments.
A very useful summary of large-scale energy projects as they stood at the end of 2024 can be found on the Council for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW) website. Some of the projects are at a more advanced stage in the planning system than others ( https://cprw.org.uk/what-we-do/energy-map ).The site is useful as it also highlights issues of mutual concern for WHGT and CPRW, for instance at sites like Penrhos on Anglesey, where the landscape has an important designed and historic element.
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Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements
For the year ended 31 December 2024 WHGT trustees, also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act, present the Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022. The trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) Accounting and Reporting by Charities March 2005
Reference and Administrative details
Registered Company number: 02829630 (England and Wales) Registered Charity number: 1023293
Registered Office 2024
The Rendezvous, Haimwood, Llandrinio, SY22 6SQ admin@whgt.org.uk
www.whgt.wales
Trustees
Joanna Davidson Chairman Elaine Davey Vice-Chairman Leigh O’Connor Treasurer Jennie Macve Membership Secretary
Angela Adams Rice, Merilyn Anderson, John Edmondson, Sarah Green, Judith Holland, Vicki Jordan, Caroline Palmer, Maldwyn Rees, Jonathan Reeves, Sue Reeves, Glynis Shaw, and Anthony Tavernor.
President
Stephen Lacey
Council
Elizabeth Banks CBE, John Borron, Bettina Harden MBE, Gwyneth Hayward, John Dixon Hunt, David Lambert, William Wilkins CBE, Elisabeth Whittle, Lady Auriol Linlithgow.
Bankers
Barclays Bank PLC, Llandeilo
Independent Examiner
Appointed by Trustees at AGM 12 September 2023.
Daphne Jeffreys. Rochelle, Four Crosses, Llanymynech, Powys SY22 6RB
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Structure Governance and Management
Governing document
The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006. The annual report is prepared according to the small companies regime (Section 419(2)) Companies Act and the Statement of Recommended Practice Accounting and Reporting by Charities issued March 2005.
Ymddiriedolaeth Gerddi Hanesyddol Cymru - Welsh Historic Gardens Trust was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee (company registration number 02829630) on 23 June 1993 and registered with the Charity Commission (registration number 1023293) on 1 July 1993.
The company and charitable trust are governed by its Articles and Memorandum of Association and is a membership organisation with branches throughout Wales. The Trust’s governing documents provide for the day-to-day administration to be undertaken by the Trust Committee, whose members are thus trustees of the charity and directors of the company which is limited by guarantee. Ultimate authority rests with the Trust’s members at either the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting; such meetings to be conducted as provided for in the foundation documents.
Recruitment and Appointment of new Trustees
The directors of the company are also charity trustees for the purposes of charity law and under the company’s Articles are known as members of the Trust Committee. The trustees are either elected at the Annual General Meeting or nominated by the branches as their representative.
Organisational structure
The Trust Committee meets four times throughout the year and the Trust is also managed through the branch committees.
Risk Management
The major risks, to which the charity is exposed, as identified by the trustees, are constantly being monitored and systems have been and are being established to mitigate those risks. It is recognised that systems can only provide reasonable but not absolute assurance that major risks have been properly managed.
Membership
In 2024 we had 830 Members,
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Annual General Meeting 2024
The 35th Annual General Meeting was hosted by the Ceredigion Branch and held at Aberystwyth University on 8 Saturday September 2024.
MINUTES
1.The AGM was chaired by President Stephen Lacey
President Stephen Lacey welcomed everyone to Aberystwyth and thanked Caroline Palmer for organising the AGM at the University and Hafod. He remarked on the difficulty of protecting historic gardens and landscapes which are in constant state of threat from neglect and insensitive development and sometimes with very powerful forces at play where pylons and power lines threaten many of Wales’s beautiful valleys. It is vital to eyes and ears alert in every County and thanked members, officers, and supporters for all their good work.
In reference to the seminar at Gresford on Heritage Orchards he noted the depletion of varieties of plants available as nurseries and gardens centres become homogenised and how our botanical heritage is shrinking before our eyes.
2. Warm Welcome to the University by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Jon Timmis
3.Chair’s report Jo Davidson
Jo Davidson welcomed everyone to Aberystwyth. She thanked the vice chair, Elaine Davey, for stepping in at the last minute to take last year’s AGM, as she had been struck down with Covid. Jo thanked Caroline Palmer and her committee for setting up this prestigious AGM which has done much to strengthen our links with Aberystwyth University. The University has currently a little recognised asset, one of just three 20th Century gardens in Wales which made their way on the CADW Parks and Gardens Register when Ceredigion was surveyed 20 years ago. Brenda Colvin contributed design to part of this landscape with her philosophy of varied shrub planting. Caroline, Ros Laidlaw and Peter Woodbeard have worked hard over the last seven years to protect this landscape and persuade the university to recognise it as an asset.
Great Designers of the 20th Century are just as important as the early designers. We have been active in the last year to save another important Brenda Colvin landscape at Shotton which has been a thankless task and extremely dispiriting. Listing has done nothing to preserve this garden and prevent the destruction of the layout, the planting and the features. It has been replaced with a 21st Century pastiche planting scheme. Cadw have done little to help. The local authority has welcomed the development and WHGT has been completely powerless.
Tomorrow, we visit Hafod, now secured for posterity by the National Trust after 30
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years of uncertainty. There seems to be a greater threat to our historic gardens than ever. It is time for us to publish a Gardens at Risk Register, a focus for our campaigning in future.
I would like to thank all the branch officers who have been so generous with their time and support over the year, all the branch committees powering away against the odds and especially to all our loyal members.
4.Attendance
35 Members attended and the meeting was therefore quorate.
5.Apologies
Mrs Jan Harris, Mrs Susan Harley, Mrs Gillie Keown-Boyd, Robin and Marcia Gibson-Watt, Rosa Andrew, Michael Norman, Joanna Robertson, Richard and Fran Pymm, Jill Griffith, Kate Howell, Paul Brighton, Angela Adams Rice, Helen Harrison.
Agenda:
6. The Approval of the Annual Report 2023.
The Annual Report 2023 is distributed to all members, which contains the Financial Review 2023 approved by the Committee by vote, and the minutes of the AGM 2023 held at The National Botanic Garden of Wales.
There were no amendments and no matters arising.
Proposed by Elaine Davey and Merilyn Anderson seconded the motion.
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Approval of the Minutes of the AGM 2023 .
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Proposed by Helena Gerrish and Sarah Green seconded the motion.
7. To Appoint the Independent Examiner.
Daphne Jeffreys, Rochelle, Four Crosses, Llanymynech, SY22 6RB
The motion was carried.
8. To Elect Officers and Trustees.
For a term of one year as listed below:
Chairman: Jo Davidson (nominated by Anthony Tavenor seconded by Merilyn Anderson).
Vice-Chair: Elaine Davey: (nominated by John Edmondson and seconded by Jennie Macve).
Treasurer: Leigh O’Connor Treasurer and Company Secretary (nominated by Maldwyn Rees and seconded by Glynis Shaw).
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9. Elected Trustees
Merilyn Anderson, John Edmondson, Sarah Green, Vicki Jordan, Jennie Macve, Maldwyn Rees, Sue Reeves, Glynis Shaw, Anthony Tavenor, and Stewart Wright was elected as a new Trustee, for a term of one year each. Nominated by Judith Moss, seconded by Caroline Palmer.
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10. Appointments made by the Committee.
Glynis Shaw Publications Officer Sarah Green Conservation and Planning Officer Jennie Macve Membership Secretary Elaine Davey Administrator
11. Our Patron
It was acknowledged that we are extremely honoured to have King Charles continuing as our Patron.
13. AOB
No other business.
Jennie Macve - Membership Secretary
14. Date of the 2025 Annual General meeting
The 36th Anniversary AGM will be hosted by Pembrokeshire on 13 September 2025.
The meeting was followed by a talk given by Trish Gibson on Brenda Colvin (1897-1981) - A Career in Landscape.
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Small Grants Scheme 2024
Phyteclub (The University of Aberystwyth Botanical Society) has been awarded an Education Grant for tools and equipment, including irrigation, to care for the plant collection and continue the work of maintaining and restoring the Botanic Garden, which has been underfunded in recent years.
Noyadd Trefawr, Ceredigion has been awarded a grant towards further work on the site’s historic lake, to rebuild and reinforce part of its boundary and to trace and stop a leak. To achieve this it will be necessary to divert the inflow and pump out water from the lake.
Nantclwyd y Dre Orchard, Ruthin (also known as the Lord’s Garden) is a Grade II Registered site which dates from the early 1600s. A grant has been awarded towards restoration of the path layout of the garden and a more historic planting, following the collapse of a wall. The Clwyd Branch has contributed to the garden by supplying heritage orchard trees.
The Friends of Linda Vista Park (a public park in Abergavenny, registered Grade II, belonging to Monmouthshire County Council) This volunteer group has been awarded a grant towards the cost of repairing a crazy paving path and steps. The date of the path is unknown, but it sits within a formal garden largely developed in the early decades of the 20th century. It is currently in an uneven condition with trip hazards.
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Brecon, Radnor & Montgomery Chair Jonathan Reeves
The year started in early February to the Allensmore Nurseries just outside Hereford, one of the largest growers and suppliers in the UK. The variety and sheer colours of the plants growing in the most enormous glass houses was staggering. After lunch at the Kilpeck Inn we went on to The Laskett Gardens. The Laskett Gardens are one of Britain’s great autobiographical gardens. Over almost four decades the historian, Sir Roy Strong, and his late wife, the designer Dr Julia Trevelyan Oman, transformed a four-acre field into a series of stunning garden rooms, vistas, ascents and descents. In January 2021 Sir Roy Strong gifted this beautiful garden to the charity Perennial.
We held our AGM in late April at Treberfydd House overlooking Llangorse Lake and The Black Mountains. The garden and the adjoining walled garden, which is run as a rather special separate enterprise, were both very fine and much appreciated by our members as was the tea supplied by our committee.
In early May a party of thirty members went to Scotland. Our first visit was to Dumfries House, where we stayed in the original Factors House, in some state, and saw around both the delightful gardens and the very splendid house the next morning. After lunch we made our way north for a quick and energetic visit to Ardkinglas where we saw some British Champion trees. Our tour continued with visits to Inveraray Castle and gardens, Crarae Gardens and we finally arrived at Crinan Hotel where we stayed for the remainder of the week. We explored Duntrune Castle and garden and had a tour at Ardmaddy Castle before a final lunch by The Bridge over the Atlantic and a visit to Arduane Gardens. Our only drama was being unable to get to Kilchoan where the road proved too steep and narrow for our bus. On the way home we squeezed in a fleeting visit to Drumlanrig Castle Gardens and spent the night in an hotel near Penrith that used to be a German POW camp!
In late May we visited the superb National Trust Gardens at Hidcote followed by tea with old friends at Kiftsgate Court, just up the road.
In early June we were fortunate to have a day looking round Madresfield Court garden and then the house. This was one of the two settings for Brideshead Revisited, the other being Castle Howard which we hope to visit in 2025. After lunch we went for a short visit to the spectacular ruins at Great Witley Court and a visit to the magnificent Baroque church.
At the end of June, we went to Monmouthshire to visit Veddw House, buried in thick woodlands overlooking the Wye Valley and the home of the reluctant gardener Anne Wareham and her husband. It was fascinating and belied its owners’ reputations! A sumptuous tea at Wyndcliffe Court followed and we were shown around the very lovely Arts and Crafts garden with wonderful views down over the Bristol Channel.
At the end of July some of our members helped with the WHGT stand at the Royal Welsh Show. One of our neighbours at the show was a voluntary organisation called Pickups for Peace based in Scotland. They collect elderly but serviceable 4x4 trucks, fill them with all manner of farm related stores and equipment and arrange for them to be driven out to Ukraine where they are taken over by the organisation operating there.There is a huge demand for this and it was decided that the Branch should try and help such a good cause.
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Our September event was a visit to St Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff. This consists of a large area of woodlands and gardens, totalling over 100 acres, with an endless succession of old historical buildings generally connected with countryside-living within Wales. The site and original buildings were donated to the people of Wales in 1946 by the Earl of Plymouth. Although the entrance was free the cost of parking was substantial! Because of this generosity we asked all members who were intending to come to St Fagans if they would be prepared to donate £5 each to Pickups for Peace and the branch would match this. It proved to be a fascinating day and £220 was raised hence allowing our branch to forward £ 440 for the Pickups.
The winter lecture held at Peterstone Court near Brecon was given by James Bolton on the story of the historic friendship between Sir Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll and what they achieved - and was much appreciated by a large number of members. Generally, it has been a good year. We have lost some old and loyal friends which is sad and we shall particularly miss John Borron who died in the autumn and had been a mainstay within the Trust for many years.
Conservation and Planning
The main planning issues in Brecon and Radnor are windmills and the River Wye. Neither are directly the concern of the WHGT but both are of great concern to to those who live there. The turbines are the largest in Great Britain and will affect what is considered a rather a special part of Wales.
The problem on the Wye is based on effluent entering the rivers from the large number of poultry farms affecting the quality of water in one of our greatest rivers. Both concerns are of national importance, and we need help now.
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Ceredigion Chair Caroline Palmer
The Branch AGM was held at the Waun Fawr Community Hall on 16 March 2024. We were delighted to welcome a new committee member, Peter Wootton Beard. It was followed by a talk on the Historic Gardens of Pembrokeshire by Sarah Green. The Branch organised three garden visits in the county, but was not entirely successful in their accomplishment, as the visit to Monachty and Ty Glyn Garden planned for 22 May had to be postponed at the very last minute due to ill health, and co-incidentally avoided a really unpleasantly wet day. It was rescheduled for what turned out to be a glorious afternoon on 26 June, there was a good attendance by members, and the tea served at Ty Glyn was outstanding. The visit to Gogerddan grounds which was planned for 10 July had to be cancelled because the University proved not willing to allow access without very substantial advance notice.
The branch also visited Llanllyr on 16 October. Neither of these latter events attracted many members other than committee.
A very heavy demand on the Branch was the organisation of the National WHGT AGM on the weekend of 6-8th September. This involved organising and hosting a reception at the School of Art on the Friday, a Lecture from Trish Gibson on the work of landscape architect Brenda Colvin, and three special interest tours of the University campus, offering insights into the 20[th] C Penglais Campus planting, the historic gardens of Plas Penglais and the tropical glasshouse, and antiquarian books in the Hugh Owen Library special collections. Penny David and Caroline Palmer also produced a WHGT pamphlet on the history and character of the Penglais Campus gardens for distribution to delegates. On the Sunday two guided walks at Hafod were arranged. The weekend did prove a very successful event and was much appreciated by delegates who came, but attendance was low and it was disappointing that despite the opportunity to sign up for the visits individually and at little or no cost very few of our Branch members took the opportunity to join us.
At our committee meeting in November the Branch decided that the time has come for a new committee to take on the work of the local Branch. It was also agreed to offer a number of grants out of accumulated Branch funds. The Committee resolved to hold a celebratory AGM lunch event at Llanerchaeron and to seek nominations for all posts to create a renewed Committee. Existing members would be willing to serve on a temporary and advisory basis to aid the handover of responsibilities.
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Conservation and Planning
The Branch offered two grants to try to bring forward two essential works on university grounds. In winter 2023 floods damaged the footings of one of the two historic stone bridges in the woodland garden of Plas Penglais.The Branch offered £1500 towards emergency repairs. The visits during the National AGM drew attention to the overgrown condition of the very choice collection of conifers in what was once the Botanical Order beds in the grounds of the Plas. In support of the personal efforts of the new Vice Chancellor Jon Timmis, the Branch offered to fund the work of an arborist to attend to these trees and remove the weed trees amongst them.The branch also contributed £200 towards the purchase by the Ceredigion County Archive of a historic drawing of Hafod.
During the year Caroline Palmer and Philip Ellis continued to serve on the National Trust Hafod Advisory group, and Peter Wootton Beard and Caroline Palmer have been active in liaising with Aberystwyth University. Ros Laidlaw has monitored planning applications affecting listed gardens and conservation areas. Penny David continues to volunteer at Llanerchaeron maintaining strong links between WHGT and the National Trust.
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Clwyd Chair Glynis Shaw
2024 began with a snowdrop walk at Rhug Hall, Corwen in February kindly hosted by Lord Newborough. Although the snowdrops had finished unseasonably early members had an interesting walk around the Repton landscape.
Some members managed to visit Dolhyfryd just outside Denbigh to see the acres of naturalised crocuses - it is a glorious sight. However, as the flowering of these plants is unpredictable it is not possible to set a date, so members make an appointment with our very kind host Virginia Cunningham.
In May we visited Plas Nantglyn kindly hosted by Jannette and Richard Welch. The house was built in 1573 and has a pretty and extensive spring garden surrounding the house. We enjoyed tea on the terrace in the sun.
We held our AGM in June at Gresford Memorial Hall.The meeting was followed by a by Ruth Tesdale who described how a local group are developing gardens at Wrexham Maelor Hospital. They are also hoping to restore the walled garden at Croesnewydd Hall, a grade II* building built as a small brick mansion in 1696. Croesnewydd was purchased by Clwyd County Council in 1980s to house hi-tech services for the neigbouring medical institutions. The group hope to secure a lease for the walled garden.
The AGM was followed by a garden tour at Erddig led by Louise Nicholls the new Head Gardener.
In June committee member Jane Parry-Evans organised a wonderful visit to gardens in Rowen. We began at Llanerch-y-Felin where Jane and her partner Frank Chambers showed us round their lovely garden surrounding the ancient property which they have restored. We then then visited the Johnston gardens, laid out by A.T. (Arthur Tysilio) Johnson, a well-known gardening writer in the 1930s. The popular Johnson’s Blue Geranium is named after him. We finished the day at Gilfach, an acre of glorious garden on a south facing slope above the Conwy valley where James and Isoline Greenhalgh hosted us for tea.
We enjoyed a lovely visit to Langlands in July hosted by Stephen Lacey, our WHGT Chairman. Stephen gave a tour of his beautiful town garden in Wrexham, which is horticulturally rich with choice planting, developed over more than 40 years. Stephen also has a wonderful collection of lilies. After tea, Stephen gave everyone a copy of The Startling Jungle, and many of us were tempted by Aaron’s plant stall!
Our August visit to Plas Uchaf, Llannefydd took us to a garden dating from at least the seventeenth century which is now being restored. Owners Kerrie and Bleddyn generously hosted us in their sixteenth century house as well as the garden. The property lies at the foot of Mynydd Gaer Hill Fort and the garden has been designed with a water course flowing underneath and across the garden to cascade into the river below. This would have been seen from the parapet walk and banqueting house in the walled garden. Kerrie has carefully identified the paths and now is planting along the restored walls. The branch aims to contribute some espaliers trees in the next planting season.
In September we visited Cerrig Llwydion in Llandyrnog near Denbigh, a wonderful garden surrounding an 18th century house, hosted by member Charlotte Howard. The surrounding garden has many mature trees, and an interesting pond or reservoir now
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derelict but has since become a lovely bog garden. The grounds have a number of large, strange stones.
The branch held a Heritage Orchard seminar in Gresford. Huge thanks to all our speakers including David Bouch, head gardener at Cotehele in Cornwall, who bought a great apple display; Wade Muggleton who intoduced us to the Worcester Black Pear and bought samples for members; also Andrew Omerod, Glyn Smith and Tom Adams contributed enormously to the interest of the day with some members keen to visit Tom’s agro-forestry nursery.
In November we were delighted to have a talk by Dan Bristow in Theatr Twm o’r Nant, Denbigh on The Size of Wales Garden which was awarded a gold medal at the Chelsea.Flower Show.
Conservation and Planning
We have been assisting at Nant Cwyd y Dre in Ruthin with garden restoration after collapse of a high retaining wall and have contributed a heritage orchard and supported work on a Conservation Management Plan with Andrew Davidson formerly of the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust.
Steve Emery has sourced roses for Plas Newydd in Llangollen, where the Head Gardener was also delighted to pick up plants donated by Anthony Tavenor from Plas Cadnant.
We continue to be concerned at the state of the folly tower and grotto at Talacre, Flintshire, the state of the gardens at Kinmel, Denbighshire and John Summers.in Flintshire.
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Gwynedd Chair Christine Newsham
We started our year with our AGM in April at Plas Tan Y Bwlch, which was well attended. We welcomed our new treasurer Christina Linford, who was duly voted in. Philip Ashurst was thanked for all his hard work in 9 years as treasurer. We enjoyed an informative talk on the subject of invasive garden species, which can spread from our gardens into the wild, given by one of the researchers from the North Wales Wildlife Trust. Following lunch, we toured the gardens looking out for invasive species and noticed that the gardens were in a very sorry state. The place is currently up for sale and is looking neglected both inside and out. A donation was given to the Trust as a thank you for the talk.
Later in April we visited Bettina Harden’s splendid garden at Nanhoron, to view the Bluebell woods. Bettina gave us a tour of the extensive grounds showing us interesting new plantings which have been done recently. The bluebell woods were amazing.
A very small group of members attended our coffee morning at Gwydir Castle in May. Our chairman planted an oak tree with a lead plaque provided by the branch, at a cost of £257, to commemorate the late Queen Elisabeth’s Platinum Jubilee. The branch presented the owners with a cheque for £500 to help with the restoration of the Rose Garden, which had recently been replanted and was looking good. We saw the high wall, which had been built with sandbags by volunteers, which it is hoped will help to keep the flooding, which has caused so much damage to the historic trees, at bay.
In June we held an afternoon tea party at the home of Jennifer Rickards’ wonderful garden. It was a very su ~~c~~ cessful, enjoyable event, thanks to Jennifer’s generosity in allowing us to use her garden. At the age of 90 Jennifer is a great supporter of our branch attending many of our events and still gardening.
July saw our four-day garden trip to the Cotswolds starting with Spetchley Gardens, visiting Hidcote and Kiftsgate, ending with Arley Arboretum on the way home.
In late July a group of us were privileged to be invited to visit our President, Stephen Lacey’s wonderful garden, In a leafy suburb of Wrexham. Although Stephen was disappointed that the garden had not reached its full summer glory for our visit, as many of the later perennials had been held back by the weather, this in no way marred our visit. After a tour of the garden guided by Stephen and his gardener Aaron, we enjoyed coffee and cake in the stunning conservatory. We left via Aaron’s plant stall, each with a copy of The Startling Jungle, a present from Stephen. On our way home we stopped at Erddig for lunch and a walk round the garden, and some plant purchases.
On November 2nd we held a study day at the Telford Centre, on the subject of Why we need Public Spaces, Parks and Gardens with three excellent speakers, followed by a lively discussion. After a hot lunch, members took a walk to see the proposed scheme for work on the garden at the Princes Pier gardens, Menai Bridge. An enjoyable event, unfortunately not well supported by our members.
The last event of the year was a Christmas lunch held at Caernarfon Golf Club, an enjoyable end to what was a busy year for the branch.
18
Conservation and Planning
Members of the branch continue to monitor planning applications for Gwynedd and Anglesey, for schemes which would have an effect on historic parks and gardens. The proposal for a holiday development at Penrhos Park, Holyhead goes on, and is still of great concern.The local campaign managed to secure and fund a judicial review, but unfortunately, this was unsuccessful.The Branch gave a donation of £100 towards this.The Park has now changed ownership, and this makes the future even more uncertain.
Cestyll gardens have sustained a huge amount of damage in recent storms, and we will be advising them on replanting a shelterbelt. It was hoped to open under the National Garden scheme next year, but this seems unlikely as things stand.
Plas Tan y Bwlch’s garden is in a very neglected state and it is hoped that any future owners will restore it to its former glory. Currently the sale has been deferred after public protest and concerns over ownership.
19
South and Mid Glamorganshire Chair Elaine Davey
We began the year with a committee meeting in January to discuss proposed events for the year aware that the support for our branch is declining, as we are still feeling the impact of the lockdowns and that we are all ageing. Also we have a lot of competition for participants at events due to being effectively located in the capital City where there are myriad distractions and other societies wanting support.
Bronwen Thomas kindly compiled an online publication of ‘Members Musings’ an informal newsletter for our branch. It was meant to be an inaugural compilation to encourage a regular news sheet of contributions of articles, photos, comments and anything else related to historic parks and gardens in the manner of the Lockdown News that were sent out during the pandemic. It contained some really interesting articles by members of the committee but unfortunately, as noted above, we are all too busy to organise this regularly. It was sent out with details about our first event, a coach trip to the Newport Ship Centre and lunch there, before going on to Dewstow Gardens and Grottoes in May. The trip was well supported but only possible by partnering with other garden groups. Dewstow Gardens have sadly subsequently closed, at the end of the season. The Park is Registered Grade I, for having the most important, best preserved and extensive Pulham garden in Wales, unusual in consisting partly of underground grottoes and tunnels.
We met again in March and May to make arrangements for our AGM in June. It was decided after investigating potential venues to meet in Pontypridd Lido in Ynysangharad Memorial Park, as so many other venues e.g the visitor centre at the Llanishen and Lisvane Reservoirs are so expensive or too familiar!
We received many apologies for absence for this meeting in June, so we were a small group that I led around the Grade II Registered Park to the Grade II* memorial to Evan and James James, composers of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau sculpted by Sir William Goscombe John, after the AGM, in glorious sunshine.
Unfortunately, three members of our committee resigned due to health issues and too many other commitments. Grateful thanks for their service over many years and for the remaining members of the committee.
Some of us joined a U3A visit to Hampton Court gardens in Hereford in July. The weather wasn’t too kind, but the gardens are very beautiful and so interesting, that the Grade II designation may need re-assessment.
In September we enjoyed very good support for part two of our study of the
20
Grade I gardens at St. Fagans National Museum of History, led by Juliet Hodgkiss, the Museum’s Senior Garden Conservator. This time we learnt about the traditional produce grown in the small gardens, some before the introduction of potatoes!
The talk scheduled for the autumn had to be postponed until February 2025 and our Christmas gathering was cancelled due to various health problems amongst us.
Conservation and Planning
As noted last year, the gardens and grounds (Grade II) around Whitchurch Hospital continue to be of concern (as do the hospital buildings). Also the adjacent Northern Meadows development is still exercising many of us.
I was also informed about reordering of spaces at Insole Court, the emergency removal of failed roof glazing and replacement with slate at Ty Gwyrdd at the National Museum of History. Repairs and replacement work to the two Glass Houses at the NMH. Finally we were informed about an extension to Ty Hosbis, Whitchurch.
Finally, thank you to our loyal members for their continued support and, of course, many thanks to the committee for all of their hard work.
21
Monmouthshire and Gwent Chair Helena Gerrish.
2024 was a successful year but apart from the AGM the events were not very well attended.
We started off with the AGM on March 14 with a lecture about The Making of the Abergavenny Millennium Tapestry with afternoon tea and tour of the tapestry. This was well attended, and it was amazing how many members had never visited the tapestry before. A donation was given to the organisers.
The next event in April was a trip to Castell Coch and Parc Cefn Onn which was good.
On May 22nd we visited Boo Vaughan’s garden at Blackbrook in pouring rain, and had a very interesting tour with Kathryn Owen, who has created the garden with the owner Boo Vaughan over the last ten years.
On 8th July we visited Tretower Court, where we offered advice on the historic planting to update Elizabeth Whittle’s restoration many years ago. We had a really fascinating tour of the Court with the curator who was exceptionally knowledgeable.
Our Annual Autumn lecture and supper took place in November with a very enjoyable lecture by James Bolton the owner of Border Lines, the oldest garden tour company in Britain, on Formal Gardens in England and Wales followed by a very social supper.
We are delighted to report that we have several new members.
22
Financial Statements
for the year ended 31 December 2024
This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
Approved by order of the board of trustees on 28th April 2025 and signed on its behalf by
Leigh O’Connor Director
23
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees
I report on the accounts for the year ended 31st December 2024 set out on pages 22 to 35.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees (who are also the directors for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year (under Section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act)) and that an independent examination is required.
Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
-
Examine the accounts under Section 145 of the 2011 Act;
-
To follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given
-
by the Charity Commission (under Section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act);
-
To state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of the independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a “true and fair view” and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statements below.
Independent examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
• Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006; and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of Sections 394 and 395 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities have not been met;
or
• To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached
Signature D Jeffreys Date 23rd May 2025
Daphne Jeffreys
Rochelle, Four Crosses, SY22 6RG
24
Statement of Financial Activities (Incorporating an Income and Expenditure Account) for the Year Ended 31 December 2024
| Notes | Notes | 31.12 24 | 31.12 23 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incoming resources | Unrestricted | Restricted | total Funds | Total funds | |
| from gernerated funds | funds | funds | |||
| Voluntary income | 2 | 2,176 | 2,176 | 2,798 | |
| Activities for generating funds |
3 | 57,979 | 57,979 | 69,583 | |
| Investment income | 4 | 1,131 | 1,131 | 734 | |
| Incoming resources from charitable activities |
5 | 13,858 | 15,647 | 15,647 | |
| Total incoming resources | -------------- | ------------- | --------------- | ------------- | |
| 75,144 | 75,144 | 88,762 | |||
| Resources Expended | |||||
| Charitable expenses | 6 | ||||
| Branch | 55,768 | 55,768 | 70,322 | ||
| Head Offce | 4,819 | 1,000 | 5,819 | 11,583 | |
| Governance costs | 7 | 13,557 | - | 13,557 | 9,912 |
| Total resources expended | _______ | ____ | _______ | ______ | |
| 74,144 | 1,000 | 75,144 | 91,817 | ||
| _____ | ____ | ____ | ______ | ||
| Net income the year | |||||
| before transfers | 1,000 | (1,000) | 0 | 3.055 | |
| Gros transfers between | |||||
| funds | - | - | - | - | |
| Net income/(expenditure) | |||||
| for the year | 1,000 | (1,000) | 0 | (3,055)) | |
| RECONCILIATION OF | |||||
| FUNDS | |||||
| Total funds b/f | 110,837 | 23,210 | 134,047 | 137,102 | |
| _____ | ____ | _____ | _____ | ||
| TOTAL FUNDS C/F | 111,837 | 22,210 | 134,047 | 134,047 | |
| ======= | ======= | ======== | ======= |
The notes on pages 28-35 form part of these financial statements 25
Balance Sheet at 31st December 2024
| 31.12.23 | 31.12.22 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Notes | £ | £ | |
| FIXED ASSETS | |||
| Tangible assets | 9 |
- | - |
| CURRENT ASSETS | |||
| Stocks | 10 | - | - |
| Debtors | 11 | 2,102 | 15,884 |
| Cash at bank | 12 | 134,348 | 134,921 |
| ---------- | ---------- | ||
| 136,450 | 150,805 | ||
| CREDITORS | |||
| Amounts falling due within | |||
| one year | 13 | (2,403) | (16,758) |
| ---------- | ---------- | ||
| NET CURRENT ASSETS | 134,273 | 137,047 | |
| ---------- | ---------- | ||
| TOTAL ASSETS LESS | |||
| CURRENT LIABILITIES | 134,047 | 137,047 | |
| ---------- | ---------- | ||
| NET ASSETS | 134,047 | 137.047 | |
| ====== | ====== | ||
| FUNDS | 14 | ||
| Unrestricted funds | 111,837 | 110,837 | |
| Restricted funds | 22,210 | 23,210 | |
| ---------- | ---------- | ||
| TOTAL FUNDS | 134,047 | 137,047 | |
| ====== | ====== | ||
| *** restated** |
The notes on pages 28-35 form part of these financial statements
26
Balance Sheet at 31st December 2023 (continued)
The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31st December 2023.
The members have not required the charitable company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31st December 2023 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for:
- a Ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006
and
- b Preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the require ments of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the require ments of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements so far as is applicable to the charitable company.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small charitable companies and with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective January 2015).
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and were signed on its behalf by Leigh O’Connor on 11th March 2024.
Leigh O’Connor Director,
The notes on pages 28-35 form part of these financial statements
27
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st December 2024
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Accounting convention
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, and in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective April 2008), the Companies Act 2006 and the requirements of the Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting and Reporting by Charities.
Incoming resources
All incoming resources are included on the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
Resources expended
Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year-end date are noted as a commitment but not accrued as expenditure.
Tangible fixed assets
Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.
Plant & machinery etc – 25% on cost and 20% on cost.
Stocks
Stocks and work in progress are valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value, after making due allowance for obsolete and slow-moving items.
Cost includes all direct expenditure and an appropriate proportion of fixed and variable overheads.
Taxation
The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund in included in the notes to the financial statements.
28
For the year ended 31 December 2024
| 31.12.24 | 31.12.23 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| 2. Voluntary Income | ||
| Grants – branches | - | - |
| Donations – branches Donations – Head Offce Grants – Head Offce |
30 270 - |
700 115 - |
| Gift aid | 1,876 | 1,983 |
| ---------- | --------- | |
| 2,176 | 2,798 | |
| ====== | ===== | |
| 3. Activities for generating funds | ||
| Fundraising events – branches | 57,936 | 69,288 |
| Sundry income – branches | - | - |
| Sales of books- branches Sundry income – Head Offce |
43 - |
295 - |
| --------- | ---------- | |
| 57,979 | 69,583 | |
| ===== | ===== | |
| 4. Investment income | ||
| Deposit account interest – branches Deposit account interest – Head Offce |
453 678 |
389 345 |
| ---------- | ---------- | |
| 1,131 | 734 | |
| 5. Incoming resources from | ||
| charitable activities | ||
| Membership fees | 11,106 | 10,788 |
| Lectures, visits, meetings | 0 | - |
| AGM | 2,752 | 2,303 |
| ---------- | ---------- | |
| 13,858 | 15,647 | |
| ---------- | ---------- |
29
For the year ended 31 December 2024
31.12.24 31.12.23 £ £ 6. Direct Costs of Charitable activities Insurance 308 278 Postage and stationery 1,040 834 Sundries 100 - Lectures, meetings and visits 51,306 65,932 Administration expenses and publicity 670 3,253 Bulletins and literature 4,046 2,966 Website 454 94 Grants payable 1,000 2,975 Donations 3,587 1,700Write Off Stock of Books - 1,986 ----------- ------------ 61,587 81,811 ====== =====
7. Governance costs
Accountancy 400 400 Administration expenses and AGM 4,510 4,002 Honorarium 4,503 2,500 Annual Report 3,690 3,010 ----------- ---------- 13,557 10,006 ====== =====
8.Trustees’ Remuneration and Benefits
Honorarium totalling £2,500 were made to trustees for additional services undertaken during the year (2023 - £2,500). These payments were agreed by the remaining trustees in line with section 6 of the Memorandum of Associ ation.
Trustees’ Expenses
Expenses totalling £0 (zero) (2023 £0- zero) were paid to none (2023 none) of the trustees during the year.
30
For the year ended 31 December 2024
| 31.12.24 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 9 Tangible fxed Assets | Plant and machinery etc | |
| Cost | ||
| At 1st January 2024 | 12,934 | |
| Additions | - | |
| Disposals | - | |
| ----------- | ||
| At 31st December 2024 | 12,934 | |
| ======= | ||
| Depreciation | ||
| At 1st January 2024 | 12,934 | |
| Charge for year | - | |
| Eliminated on disposal | - | |
| ------------- | ||
| At 31st December 2024 | 12,934 | |
| ======= | ||
| Net Book Value | ||
| At 31st December 2024 | - | |
| At 31st December 2023 | - | |
| ------------ | ||
| - | ||
| ======== | ||
| 31. 12. 24 | 31. 12. 23 | |
| 10. Stocks | ||
| Books - Ceredigion | - | - |
| Books - Carmarthenshire | - | - |
| * Restated | ----------- | ------------ |
| - | - | |
| ======= | ====== | |
| 11. Debtors: amounts falling | ||
| due within one year | ||
| Prepayments | - | 13,912 |
| Other debtors | 2,102 | 1,972 |
| ------------ | ||
| --------- | ||
| 2,102 | 15,884 | |
| ======== | ======= |
31
1 2. Cash at Bank
| General | General | Contingency | Develoment | Conservation/ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fund | Fund | Fund | Fund | Fghting | |
| Head | Branches | Fund | |||
| Offce | |||||
| Barclays Cur- | 14,199 | - | - | ||
| rent Account | |||||
| Virgin Money | 1,615 | - | 7,000 | 5,500 | 15,062 |
| Deposit | |||||
| Brecon, | - | 13,835 | - | ||
| Radnor & Mont- | |||||
| gomery | |||||
| Ceredigion | - | 5,389 | - | ||
| Clwyd | - | 12,365 | - | ||
| Pembrokeshire | - | 507 | - | ||
| South & Mid | - | 4,195 | - | ||
| Glamganshire | |||||
| Gwynedd | - | 12,534 | - | ||
| Monmouthshire | - | 10,605 | - | ||
| & Gwent | |||||
| Carmarthen- | - | 5,412 | - | ||
| shire | |||||
| Bonus Saver / | 89 | - | - | ||
| Paypal | |||||
| ----------- | ------------- | ----------------- | ------------ | ----------- | |
| Total | 15,903 | 64,842 | 7,000 | 5,500 | 15,062 |
| ===== | ====== | ======== | ======= | ====== |
32
1 2. Cash at Bank continued
| Restricted | Small | Research | 31.12.24 | 31.12 .23 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fighting | Grants | & | Total | Total | |
| Fund | Fund | Education | Cash | Cash | |
| Fund | |||||
| Barclays Current | - | ||||
| Account | 14,199 | 9,825 | |||
| Virgin Money De- | 16,979 | 5,233 | 3,830 | 55.218 | 61,218 |
| posit | |||||
| Brecon, Radnorshire | 13,835 | 11,049 | |||
| & Montgomeryshire | |||||
| Ceredigion | 5,389 | 5,675 | |||
| Clwyd | 12,365 | 14,173 | |||
| Pembrokeshire | 507 | 506 | |||
| South & Mid | 4,195 | 3,941 | |||
| Glamganshire | |||||
| West Glamorgan- | - | - | |||
| shire | |||||
| Gwynedd | 12,534 | 12,892 | |||
| Monmouthshire & | 10,605 | 10,134 | |||
| Gwent | |||||
| Carmarthenshire | 5,412 | 5,402 | |||
| Bonus Saver / | 89 | 96 | |||
| Paypal | |||||
| ------------ | ---------- | ------------- | ------------- | ------------- | |
| Total | 16,979 | 5,232 | 3,830 | 134,348 | 134,922 |
| ====== | ===== | ====== | ====== | ====== |
33
13. CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one year
| 31.12.24 | 31.12.23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Bank loans and overdrafts | - | - |
| Other creditors | 2,403 | 16,758 |
| ----------- | ------------ | |
| 2,403 | 16,758 | |
| ======== | ====== |
14. Analysis of Net Assets between funds
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total |
Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funds | Funds | Funds |
Funds | |
| Fixed assets | - | - |
- | |
| Current assets | 114,240 | 22,210 | 136,450 |
150,805 |
| Current liabilities | (2,403) | - | (726) |
(16,758) |
| -------------- | ------------ | ----------- |
---------- | |
| 111,837 | 22,210 | 134,047 |
134,047 | |
| ======= | ====== | ====== |
====== |
15. Movement in Funds
| 5. Movement in Funds | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted Funds | At 01.01.24 | Net Movement | At 31.12.24 |
| in funds | |||
| General fund Head Offce | 16,750 | (921) | 15,829 |
| General fund Branches | 62,695 | 1,921 | 64,616 |
| Contingency fund | 7,000 | - | 7,000 |
| Development fund | 5,500 | - | 5,500 |
| Research and Education | 3,830 | ( | 3,830 |
| Conservation Fighting fund | 15,062 | - | 15,062 |
| ------------- | ------------- | ----------- | |
| 110,837 | 1,000 | 111,837 | |
| Restricted Funds | |||
| Restricted fghting fund | 16,979 | - | 16,979 |
| Small Grants fund | 6,231 | (1,000) | 5,231 |
| ------------- | ------------ | ------------ | |
| 23,210 | (1,000) | 22,210 | |
| -------------- | ------------ | ----------- | |
| Total Funds | 134,047 | 0 | 134,047 |
34
Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:
| Incoming | Resources | Fund | Movement | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resources | Expended | Transfer | in Funds | |
| Unrestricted funds | ||||
| General Fund-Head Offce | 15,671 | (16,592) | - | (921) |
| General fund -Branches | 59,473 | (57,552) | - | 1,921 |
| Contingency fund | - | - | - | - |
| Development fund | - | - | - | - |
| Research & Education | - | - | - | - |
| fund | ||||
| Conservation Fighting fund | - | - | - | - |
| ----------- | ----------- | ---------- | ---------- | |
| 75,144 | (74,144) | - | 1,000 | |
| Restricted funds | ||||
| Restricted fghting fund | - | - | - | - |
| Small Grants fund | (1,000) | - | (1,000) | |
| ----------- | ----------- | ----------- | ------------ | |
| - | (1,000) | - | (1,000) | |
| ----------- | ------------ | ----------- | ----------- | |
| Total Funds | 75,144 | (75,144) | - | (0) |
| ======== | ======== | ======== | ======== |
The general funds reserve represents the free funds of the charity which are not designated by the trustees for particular purposes.
General fund – Branches is broken down as follows: Ceredigion £5,163 Carmarthenshire £5,412 Brecon, Radnor & Montgomery £13,835 Gwynedd £12,534 South & Mid Glamorgan £4,195 Clwyd £12,365 Pembrokeshire £507 Monmouthshire £10,605
35
This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements Detailed Statement of Financial Activities, for the Year Ended 31st December 2024
| Incoming Resources | 31.12.24 | 31.12.23 |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Voluntary Income | ||
| Grants branches | - | - |
| Donations - Branches | 30 | 700 |
| Donations - Head Offce | 270 | 115 |
| Grants Head Offce | - | - |
| Gift Aid | 1,876 | 1,983 |
| --------------- | --------------- | |
| 2,176 | 2,798 | |
| Activities for generating funds | ||
| Fundraising events - branches | 57,936 | 69,288 |
| Sales of books - branches | 43 | 295 |
| Sundry income - branches | - | |
| Sundry income - Head Offce | - | - |
| --------------- | --------------- | |
| 57,979 | 69,583 | |
| Investment income | ||
| Deposit account interest – branches | 453 | 389 |
| Deposit account interest – Head Offce | 678 | 345 |
| ----------- | -------- | |
| 1,131 | 734 | |
| Incoming resources from charitable activities | ||
| Membership fees | 11,106 | 10,788 |
| Lectures, visits meetings | - | - |
| AGM | 2,752 | 2,303 |
| -------------- | -------------- | |
| 13,858 | 15,647 | |
| -------------- | --------------- | |
| Total incoming resources | 75,144 | 88,762 |
| ======== | ======= |
36
This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements Detailed Statement of Financial Activities For the Year Ended 31st December 2024
etailed Statement of Financial Activities or the Year Ended 31st December 2024 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Resources Expended | 31.12.24 | 31.12.23 |
| £ | £ | |
| Charitable activities | ||
| Insurance | 308 | 278 |
| Postage and stationary | 1,041 | 834 |
| Sundries | 100 | - |
| Lectures Meetings and Visits | 51,306 | 65,932 |
| Administration and Publicity | 670 | 3,253 |
| Bulletins and Literature | 4,046 | 2,966 |
| Website | 94 | - |
| Small equipment | 135 | |
| Donations | 3,116 | 3,587 |
| Write off stock | - | 1,986 |
| Grants to institutions | 1,000 | 2,975 |
| --------------- | --------------- | |
| 61,587 | 81,811 | |
| Governance costs | ||
| Accountancy | 400 | 400 |
| Website | 454 | 94 |
| Administration expenses and AGM | 4,510 | 4,002 |
| Annual Report | 3,690 | 3,010 |
| Honorarium | 4,503 | 2,500 |
| --------------- | -------------- | |
| 13,557 | 10,006 | |
| --------------- | -------------- | |
| Total resources expended | 75,144 | 91,817 |
| --------------- | --------------- | |
| Net income | 0 | (3,055) |
| ======== | ======= |
37
WHGT CONTACT DETAILS
President Stephen Lacey
mail@stephenlacey.com
Chair Joanna Davidson 07786 214100 jo.davidson57@gmail.com Vice Chair Elaine Davey 029 2038 7384 elainemdavey@gmail.com Treasurer Leigh O’Connor 01691 830079 leigh@netaccountancy.co.uk Membership Secretary Jennie Macve 01686 639460 jennie.macve@btinternet.com Publications Glynis Shaw 01745 710261 glynisshaw@icloud.com Planning Sarah Green 07717 522761 lsg.caerfarchell@gmail.com
Branch contacts:
Brecon, Radnor & Montgomerysshire Jonathan Reeves 01982 560205 jhwreeves@outlook.com Ceredigion Caroline Palmer 01970 615403 carolinepalmer.wales@ gmail.com Clwyd Dee Jones 01745710495 dee@valeside.co.uk Gwynedd Joanna Davidson 07786 214100 jo.davidson57@gmail.com> Monmouthshire & Gwent Merilyn Anderson 01600 780389 m.anderson666@btinternet.com South and Mid Glamorgan Val Caple 01446 775794 Val.t.caple@care4free.net
General Enquiries admin@whgt.wales
38