## **Trustee Annual Report for the Financial Year 1[st] April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025** ## **Introduction** The Derwent Valley Trust CIO is a registered charity number 1058609. The Derwent Valley Trust was converted, to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, on 20 January, 2023. ## **The Trustees, as at 1[st] April, 2024, were:** - Derek James Latham (Chair) - Dr John Joseph Hambley - Dr David John Moreton - Clive John Pegg (Secretary) - Dr Tanya Spilsbury (Chair Cycleway) - Timothy John Wilmshurst (Vice Chair & Project Lead) ## **Purpose and Main Activities of the Charity** The Derwent Valley Trust was founded in 1996. It is exclusively charitable and the objects of the trust are, amongst other things, to enable and encourage active travel and to identify, preserve and enhance, for the public benefit, the area comprised in the Derwent Valley in Derbyshire and the abutment area and whatever natural, historical, cultural, geological, architectural and constructional heritage may exist in the area of benefit. The trust established the Derwent Valley Heritage Way in 2003 which enables the public to benefit from the experience and exercise when walking along this trail. The trust has also actively promoted the potential to develop an offroad multi-user trail (for cycling, walking, mobility vehicles and horse-riding) to be known as the Derwent Valley Cycleway from the old port of Shardlow to Hathersage, a paddle trail down the length of the River Derwent and a horse trail to extend the Pennine Bridleway 1 to Derby. The trust partners with other organisations to achieve these goals. ## **Structure, Governance and Management** The governing document of the Charity is a constitution which was last amended on 20[th] January, 2023. The Derwent Valley Trust is a small charity with responsibilities clearly defined, between the trustees and other members, to set objectives, plan implementation, track progress and to deliver. The Board of the charity meets once every three months and the Steering Group every six weeks. The Board comprises the trustees and the Steering Group comprises the trustees plus any other members with specific responsibilities. Minutes are prepared, circulated and approved for each of the meetings and this includes important meetings with third parties. ## **Financial Policies and Financial Review** At the 31st of March 2024 the Trust had £2,565.74 credit; there were no restricted funds. During the financial year under review, the Charity did not hold any funds as custodian trustee for others. The charity continues to keep up to date with its responsibilities and current financial controls. ## **Achievement and Performance** The Steering Group focused on tracking progress and recommending corrective measures to progress towards the main deliverables for the charity in terms of creating a new trail along the Derwent Valley, maintaining and promoting the Heritage Way and to developing Strategic Partnerships and governance. - **Derbyshire County Council** (DCC): funded a study, by Aecom, on the feasibility of constructing the **Derwent Valley Cycleway** . The final report, on the study, was completed by 31[st] March, 2024. Further discussions, between DCC and 2 Derbyshire County Council, are planned and the final report will be subject to approval, by the County Council, later in 2024. - **Belper West Bank** : a section of the Derwent Valley Cycleway, has continued to be a priority for the trust and an application, for planning permission, has been submitted in June 2024. - **The Heritage Way (HW)** : the established network of Rangers continued to work well, with regular inspections of the Heritage Way leading to a well maintained and signposted route. Biennial reports by the Rangers, covering the route, were compiled. Sales of the HW guidebook continued to be our most important source of income. Sales of the new third edition, published last year, increased this year. Sponsorship of advertising, by local companies in this new edition, were a valuable extra source of income this year. - **Paddle Trail:** (a representative from Paddle Peak, a separate charity, is a Board Member) worked on various initiatives including a proposed “Joint Community on the River”, and a “Paddlers Code”. - **Derwent Valley Trust Newsletter** : the participation of the trust in relevant local shows and the trust website were used to promote the trust. ## The Directors very much appreciate: - Support in kind by the county, local and parish councils. - The substantial contribution of Lubrizol to a range of initiatives - The on-going services of David Higley advising on our business software. - The support of volunteers. ## **Financial summary 1[st] April 2024 – 31[st] March 2025** On 1[st] April 2024 we had **£2,565.74** credit On 31[st] March 2025 we had **£1,290.54** credit. Over the period, the trust had income of **£4,704.37** ## Income: £1,597.42 Derwent Valley Heritage Way guidebook sales 3 £1028.00 grant from Derbyshire Community Fund to help towards planning application of proposed Belper West Bank cycle path £1000 grant from Belper Town Council to help towards planning application of proposed Belper West Bank cycle path £850.00 Sponsorship by local companies for adverts in new edition of the Derwent Valley Heritage Way guidebook £203.95 Easyfundraising £25.00 Derwent Valley Heritage Way completion badge sales Over the accounting period, the Trust had expenses of **£5,979.57** ## Expenses £2635.00 Planning application fees to Amber Valley Borough Council for the planning application of proposed Belper West Bank cycle path £1,764.00 Ecological survey for the planning application of proposed Belper West Bank cycle path £530.88 Public Notice fees for the planning application of proposed Belper West Bank cycle path £397.60 Insurance £390.00 IT services £187.59 Derwent Valley Heritage Way guidebook P&P £74.50 Meeting room bookings All projects, carried out by the Derwent Valley Trust, enhance the Social Capital value of the Derwent Valley and the wider community of Derbyshire. The trustees continue to have due regard for their duty to comply with guidance of the Charity Commission on public benefit in the exercise of their powers or duties. 4 Signature Derek Latham Chair of Derwent Valley Trust CIO 1[st] April 2025 5