Chairperson’s Report VALEWAYS AGM 21 November 2025
Introduction. This AGM covers the period between October 2024 and October 2025.
As I reported last year, Valeways continues to thrive. We are lucky to have competent (volunteer) management in most areas, as well as sufficient numbers of willing volunteers.
All the key areas of Valeways’ activities continue to prosper, several major projects have been completed and others are still in progress.
Here are the highlights:
Led Walking
Following on from last year, our led walks have continued to flourish. The nine stroller groups remain active, with consistently good attendance being reported. All of our 1, 2, and 3-boot walks are also very well supported, often attracting more than 25 participants.
A particular highlight has been the continued success of the Book Walk, originally devised by Lynne Frugtniet and now run by Judy and Jon Chambers. We are especially pleased to welcome back two of our stalwart walk leaders, Lynne Frugtniet and Sheila Vaquerizo, who have both returned to leading walks after facing serious health challenges.
Our thanks go to Carolyn Gully for her outstanding work in producing the walking programme, maintaining the Guided Walks page on the website, and compiling statistics for both our regular walks and the Walking Festival. Carolyn also provides invaluable support to the Treasurer by preparing financial data for monthly and annual reports.
Walk and Clear
Participation in the Walk and Clear programme has grown significantly, with two or three work parties often taking place each Tuesday. These are excellently organised and coordinated by Huw Allaway, who has developed a strong working relationship with the Public Rights of Way (PROW) team. Together, we now have a regular schedule of work that benefits the local path network.
Thanks are also due to the Walk and Clear volunteers who, alongside Huw, survey many of the work areas in advance of each Tuesday session. Last winter, the entire Millennium Heritage Trail (MHT) was surveyed and route-marked in preparation for the highly successful MHT event, during which 13 people completed the full 100 km route.
The Walk and Clear team has now also taken over responsibility for Adopt a Path surveys. This means that anyone can report a footpath problem, which the team will either address directly or forward to PROW. Full details on how to report issues can be found on the Valeways website.
Social Media and Public Engagement
Our thanks go to Alan Simmonds, Huw Allaway, and Owen Leach for their continued efforts in maintaining Valeways’ presence across social media and ensuring that our work remains visible to the public.
Valeways has also strengthened its partnership with the Age Well Organisation. A recent highlight was a visit from Dawn Bowden, Welsh Minister for Older People, who joined the Barry Strollers for a walk. The event was filmed and used to promote the International Day for Older Persons.
We are also proud that Valeways has been chosen as one of the Mayor of Barry, Dennis Clarke’s charities. Several successful coffee mornings and fundraising events have already taken place, with more planned for the coming months.
Projects .
The ‘IT Renewal project’ is still in progress and has moved on to consider securing our assets through improved access control and backup arrangements Thanks as usual to Mike Angove, who has led these initiatives.
Age Well .
Valeways organised a walk around the Barry waterfront for International Elder People Day in October, with Dawn Bowden the Welsh Government Minister for Children and Social Care.
Management. The trustees continue to act as the management team, and worked effectively to stabilise the charity’s main activities and deliver on the key projects.
Having recently lost (well, mislaid) three of our trustees we are delighted to welcome Stef Bell and Mike Ivins to our confident and committed group of trustees. I must thank them all for all their good work.
Not forgetting all the non-trustee volunteers who are adding valuable support and assistance in a number of areas.
I’d like to thank all those who have contributed so much time and effort towards ensuring that Valeways continues to go from strength to strength and can look to the future with confidence.
[_]
Peter Weston, Chair
Valeways Receipts and Payments Account
| Year start date | Year end date 31st March 2025 |
Year end date 31st March 2025 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For the year from |
1st April 2024 | To | 31st March 2025 |
|||
| Receipts and payments | ||||||
| Receipts | 2024/25 Unrestricted funds £ |
2024/25 Restricted funds £ |
2024/25 Total funds £ |
Last Year Total funds £ |
||
| Donations, legacies and similar income | ||||||
| Friends subscriptions | 1,915 | - | 1,915 | 1,955 | ||
| Donations | 1,948 | - | 1,948 | 3,912 | ||
| Ticket Sales-walking festival | 1,295 | - | 1,295 | - | ||
| Gift Aid | 359 | - | 359 | - | ||
| Refund | 100 | - | 100 | - | ||
| Sub total | 5,617 | - | 5,617 | 5,867 | ||
| Grants | ||||||
| Grant-Walking Festival | - | - | - | 325 | ||
| Other grants | - | - | - | - | ||
| Sub total | - | - | - | 325 | ||
| Fundraising (gross) | ||||||
| Publications | 10 | - | 10 | 52 | ||
| Detail 2 | - | - | - | - | ||
| Other fundraising activities | - | - | - | - | ||
| - | - | - | - | |||
| Sub total | 10 | - | 10 | 52 | ||
| Investment income | ||||||
| Bank interest | - | - | - | 283 | ||
| Building Society interest | - | - | - | - | ||
| Other investment income | - | - | - | - | ||
| - | - | - | - | |||
| - | - | - | - | |||
| Sub total | - | - | - | 283 | ||
| Total Gross Income Asset and investment sales, etc. Total receipts |
||||||
| 5,627 | - | 5,627 | 6,527 | |||
| - | - | - | - | |||
| 5,627 | - |
5,627 | 6,527 |
Receipts and Payments
Valeways Receipts and Payments Account
| Year start date | Year start date | Year start date | Year start date | Year end date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For the year from |
1st | April | 2024 | To | 31/03/2025 | |
| Receipts and payments | ||||||
| Payments | 2024/25 Unrestricted funds £ |
2024/25 Restricted funds £ |
2024/25 Total funds £ |
Last Year Total funds £ |
||
| Charitable Payments | ||||||
| Training | 1,030 | - | 1,030 | - | ||
| Rent | 1,900 | - | 1,900 | 1,811 | ||
| Water | - | - | - | - | ||
| Electricity and Gas | 946 | - | 946 | 455 | ||
| Insurance | 2,476 | - | 2,476 | 1,134 | ||
| Repairs and Renewals | 1,421 | - | 1,421 | - | ||
| Materials and equipment | 51 | - | 51 | 242 | ||
| Printing and photocopying | 1,217 | - | 1,217 | 618 | ||
| AGM and trustee expenses | 299 | - | 299 | 206 | ||
| Office phone | 614 | - | 614 | 747 | ||
| GVS Membership | - | - | - | 18 | ||
| Volunteer expenses | 947 | - | 947 | 1,710 | ||
| Web housing | 504 | - | 504 | 408 | ||
| Tools and equipment | 356 | - | 356 | |||
| Event advertising | 150 | - | 150 | - | ||
| Sub total | 11,911 | - | 11,911 | 7,349 | ||
| Fundraising expenses | ||||||
| Detail 1 | - | - | - | - | ||
| Detail 2 | - | - | - | - | ||
| Detail 3 | - | - | - | - | ||
| Other fundraising costs | - | - | - | - | ||
| Sub total | - | - | - | - | ||
| Total Gross Expenditure Asset and investment purchases, t Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
||||||
| 11,911 | - | 11,911 | 7,349 | |||
| - | - | - | - | |||
| 11,911 | - | 11,911 | 7,349 | |||
| - 6,284 | - | - 6,284 | - 822 | |||
| - | - | - | - | |||
| - 6,284 | - | - 6,284 | - 822 |
Receipts and Payments
| Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the year | Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the year | Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the year | Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 31/03/2025 Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total funds £ £ £ 15,073 4,038 19,111 - - - - - - - - - - - - 15,073 4,038 19,111 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5,304 - 5,304 7,750 - 7,750 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 13,054 - 13,054 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Last Year Total funds £ |
|||
| Cash funds | ||||
| Bank current and Savings accounts | 15,073 | 4,038 | 19,111 | 25,097 |
| - | - | - | - | |
| Cash/Floats | - | - | - | - |
| - | - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | - | |
| Total cash funds (Agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
15,073 | 4,038 | 19,111 | 25,097 |
| Other monetary assets | ||||
| Tax claim | - | - | - | - |
| - | - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | - | |
| Sub total | - | - | - | - |
| Investment assets | ||||
| - | - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | - | |
| Sub total | - | - | - | - |
| Non monetary assets for charity's own use |
||||
| Tools and Equipment with volunteers - |
5,304 | - | 5,304 | - |
| ~~(~~ ~~l~~ ~~d J~~ ~~2025)~~ Office equipent - IT and furniture etc |
7,750 | - | 7,750 | - |
| Motor vehicles | - | - | - | - |
| Other | - | - | - | - |
| - | - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | - | |
| - | - | - | - | |
| Sub total | 13,054 | - | 13,054 | - |
| Liabilities | ||||
| Accounts not yet paid | - | - | - | - |
| Expenses incurred but not invoiced | - | - | - | - |
| Subscriptions not yet paid | - | - | - | - |
| Loan - detail | - | - | - | - |
| Other liabilities | - | - | - | - |
| Sub total | - | - | - | - |
Contingent liabilities and future obligations
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
| Signature | Print Name | Date of approval |
|---|---|---|
Receipts and Payments