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2026-03-31-accounts

THE HOLLY LODGE CENTRE

a charitable company limited by guarantee

Charity No: 1076741 Company No: 3663780

Annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2026

The Holly Lodge Centre

Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

Contents

Contents Page
Reference and administrative information 1
Trustees’ Annual Report 2
Report of the Independent Examiner 14
Statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 March 2026 15
Balance sheet as at 31 March 2026 16
Notes to the accounts 17

The Holly Lodge Centre

Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

Reference and administrative information

Registered charity number 1076741
Registered company 3663780 (England and Wales)
number
Registered office Holly Lodge
Richmond Park
Richmond-Upon-Thames
Surrey
TW10 5HS
Royal Patron HRH Princess Alexandra
Trustees/Directors J Middlehurst (Chairman)
A Dennez (Treasurer)
F Fong
R Hillyer
R Holmes
H Parker
A Roberts
R Scalzo
Company Secretary J Walsh
Independent Examiner Mary Ryan FCCA, DChA, Cert PFS
Ark Accountancy Limited
56-58 High Street
Ewell, Surrey
KT17 1RW
Solicitors Russell-Cooke LLP
2 Putney Hill
London
SW15 6AB
Website www.thehollylodgecentre.org.uk

1

Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

The Holly Lodge Centre

Trustees’ Annual Report

The Trustees, who are also Directors for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026. The reference and administrative information set out on page 1 forms part of this report. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the Charity’s Memorandum and Articles of Association and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

Structure, governance and management

The Holly Lodge Centre is a company limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006. It was incorporated on 6 November 1998 and registered as a charity on 26 July 1999. It is governed by a Memorandum and Articles of Association. As a charity, in the opinion of the Trustees, it complies with the provisions of Section 60 of the Companies Act 2006, which exempts it from the requirement to end its name with “Limited”. Throughout this report it will be referred to as “the Charity”.

The Charity does not have any share capital. In the event of the Charity being wound up, its members, who are its Trustees, are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £10 each. The Charity is regulated by the Charity Commission.

Trustees

Responsibility for the governance of the Charity resides with the Trustees. Under a rotation policy introduced in 2015/16, Trustees serve a three-year term, with a maximum of three terms (i.e. nine years). Trustee meetings are held quarterly.

Employees

The Centre has the equivalent of 3.2 FTE staff. These are the Centre Manager, currently operating as a job share between two individuals, and the Education Coordinator role, currently 5 individuals are employed with this role.

The Centre’s staff team bring the combined benefits of many years' experience of working with disabled children, vulnerable families and classroom teaching.

Volunteers

The Centre was also supported by over 75 volunteers who deliver most of the education activities (many are former teachers), organise fundraising events, develop relationships with donors, manage marketing and communications and do much of the administration and facilities maintenance. The volunteers, who have considerable expertise and knowledge, also provide input and feedback into the Centre’s development and service. Many have been with the Centre for over ten years.

During the year, volunteers donated over 4,500 hours of work. This equates to over 2.8 full-time roles: an equivalent donation in excess of £96,000 (calculated using the London Living Wage).

Training

A programme of training is in place for staff and volunteers to ensure that a consistently high standard of education delivery takes place. The programme includes safeguarding and health and safety and the Centre has detailed policies for both of these and other areas.

Aims and objectives

The Charity’s object is to advance the education of the public and in particular those members of the public who have learning difficulties or other special needs, in subjects such as the environment and history especially in relation to Richmond Park. It welcomes children from both specialist SEND schools and mainstream schools and has visits from schools and groups from surrounding London boroughs and parts of Surrey.

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Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

The Holly Lodge Centre

Annual Education Report 2025 – 2026

The Holly Lodge Centre is a small local charity, hidden away on the site of an 18th century farm, in the heart of Richmond Park. We are a unique education centre and have been the learning partner for The Royal Parks in Richmond Park since 1994.

Whilst small, we are mighty, with several thousand local children and adults visiting each year to learn about the wildlife and heritage of Richmond Park. The Centre was founded with the aim of increasing access for all to Richmond Park and specialises in working with children and adults with disabilities, providing bespoke sessions devised to meet their needs and allowing them to get up close to nature. All our facilities and teaching sessions are adapted for use by visitors with disabilities, and groups of all ages and abilities are welcome. Every learning session we offer can be tailored to meet the needs of children from specialist schools for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), both primary and secondary school age.

The Centre also provides interactive opportunities for all primary school children to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum in science, geography and history and offers a range of marginalised communities and visitors close encounters with the diverse wildlife, flora and distinct heritage of the park.

Delivery context and recovery

2025-26 was another strong and rewarding year for Holly Lodge Centre, marked by significant achievements, vibrant activity, and the introduction of innovative new programmes. Despite substantial building works across our site – which temporarily reduced our capacity for educational delivery – we continued to provide high-quality experiences and welcomed as many groups as possible during the transition.

‑ In addition, we proactively invested in our long term growth and resilience by dedicating time within our schedule for staff and volunteer training, consultation, engagement activities, and strategic planning. Although this required stepping back from a small portion of delivery time, this intentional focus ensures that Holly Lodge Centre remains a sustainable, forward-thinking organisation – well-equipped to expand our impact in the years ahead.

Highlights and achievements

Item No. / %
Total number of learner visits 7,491
5,569 Children
Total number of learner hours 14,982
Total number of sessions 278
Total number of SEND/disability sessions 124 (45%)
Percentage of learner satisfaction 100%
Percentage of learners benefitting from free, discounted or
bursary experiences*		 17% learners
(25% sessions)

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The Holly Lodge Centre

Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

SCHOOLS PROGRAMME

Our schools programme is a fundamental part of Holly Lodge Centre and forms the largest part of our delivery, representing 72% of total delivery. In this programme we deliver half day workshops to mainstream and SEND schools reaching audiences across 15 London Boroughs, and engaging young people from as young as nursery, up to college and Higher Education institutions for SEND. As a result of our wide reach, our audiences are very diverse. In 25/26 we focussed on engaging new schools with high levels of pupil premium and increasing our connection to visiting SEND schools.

Item Number
N of learners (mainstream and SEND) 5,708
N of school sessions 200
N of mainstream school sessions 134 (59 schools)
Number of SEND school sessions 66 (16 schools)

Mainstream Schools

Mainstream delivery accounted for 67% of our schools programme delivery in the last year with 134 mainstream school workshops delivered to 59 different schools. Victorian School remains our most popular heritage session and Living Things and their Habitats, our most popular outdoor session.

We have worked hard this year to review and refine our mainstream sessions, ensuring each plan is thorough and supported by notes and pre/post visit resources. We also developed an extreme weather offer, self-led activities in the park, a new garden-based offer, and created an educational growth plan aligned with our strategic goals.

Supported access for pupils from areas of deprivation

Holly Lodge Centre is pleased to be supported by The Royal Parks Bursary scheme, and Wates Foundation funding, enabling us to welcome schools with a Pupil Premium of over 30% to benefit from free sessions. This year we supported 15 schools to access 34 sessions, supporting over 600 learners from areas of deprivation to benefit from the opportunity to develop skills through outdoor based learning.

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Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

The Holly Lodge Centre

Transport Bursaries

Holly Lodge Centre continues to see an increasing need around supporting transport costs, year on year and to ensure schools with limited funding can reach Holly Lodge Centre, in our somewhat remote location, we maintain a transport bursary, supported by funders. This year, free transport was offered to schools with a Pupil Premium of over 30% with each school having access to up to £500 to support increasingly inhibitive coach hire costs. Six schools benefited, enabling over 200 children to participate in workshop sessions.

Junior Citizens programme

We also hosted the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames Junior Citizen programme, which works to reduce child deaths and educates Year 6 pupils on Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), safe road crossing, using public transport and much more. Over 1400 pupils visited our site over two-week benefit to participate in safety scenarios and training.

SEND Schools

SEND school groups accounted for 23% of our overall delivery in 25/26, and 33% of our school programme, with a total of 66 SEND school visits and 759 pupils and carers engaged.

SEND Outdoor workshops

We have seven outdoor workshops for SEND groups which are popular year around. This year we were fortunate to receive repeat funding from Help Nature Thrive, a Royal Parks project supported by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery. Through this funding we were able to offer 20 entirely free sessions to school children with SEND. Over 150 children and young people benefitted from 10 schools, participating in session including Frogs, Toads and Newts, Nocturnal Animals, and Birds.

Festive winter

For the last week in November and throughout December, we welcomed 181 children, 24 adults and 141 carers to the centre for a series of Festive Winter workshops. These workshops cater for young people and adults with a wide range of needs, including speech, language and communication difficulties, learning needs, visual impairments and severe health conditions. The programme was funded by National Lottery Community Fund for the second year running and 28 sessions were delivered. The sessions this year were designed to be even more sensory and engaging for participants. We introduced a range of activities to engage participants on arrival, to ease transition into the centre, which for some can be a stressful time. We also offered a calm sensory space that had low lighting, music and soft cushions and blankets. This programme spans both our school and community programme with both SEND schools and SEND community groups attending.

'Thank you for a lovely session! We have enjoyed this trip previous years and are always impressed with how many fun, engaging activities there are. This year there seemed to be even more fantastic activities for the children and the children seemed even more engaged.' 'It was wonderful seeing everyone singing around the Christmas tree!'

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The Holly Lodge Centre

Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

Gardening

On Friday mornings from April to July and again from October to November we welcomed sixth form pupils from a local school for pupils with severe learning disabilities (SLD), to join us for gardening sessions. The pupils sow, tend and harvest produce which they then take back to school for use in their pupil run café. This programme has been running for many successful years at Holly Lodge Centre but in the last year we have been working closely with the school and its specialist teachers to tailor the programme to the pupil's individual learning needs, incorporating Makaton and pecs signage into our communications and developing individualised learning outcomes for each participant. In the past year we have observed huge developments in pupils who grew in confidence and ability, benefitting from the outside learning environment and consistency offered by Holly Lodge Centre and our wonderful gardening volunteers.

‘H transformed into a student who was happy and excited to be at Holly Lodge Centre. Signs of distress and anxiety disappeared entirely... He laughed, smiled, and confidently sat within the main group, no longer on the periphery - another goal fulfilled. He took part in a wide variety of gardening activities such as cutting back daisies, planting bulbs, picking strawberries, pulling radishes, sieving soil, harvesting mint and lemon balm and watering. The culmination of his journey was a moment of immense pride for everyone: he stood in front of the entire group to accept his certificate of achievement, a testament to his incredible progress and the power of a supportive environment’.

Higher Education groups

This year we delivered a number of sessions to two new higher education groups: Dramatize, who support adults with learning disabilities to develop skills, gain employment experience and connect with their community through programmes, hands on training; and Green Corridor, a Specialist SEN College for young people aged 16–25 with SEND and an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Through their sessions at Holly Lodge Centre, we supported students to develop greater skills to support their confidence and growing independence. Both these groups were new to Holly Lodge Centre and went on to access a number of sessions during the year, representing new relationships we hope to further build upon in 2026/27.

Anstee Bridge

This school came to us for the first time in March 2026. The unit offers an alternative, creative programme for young people who are struggling with their social, emotional and mental health and are unable to attend mainstream secondary school on a full-time basis. With its roots in a creative curriculum, and understanding from staff that pupils from one site in particular have no access to outdoor space, we designed a bespoke session that took in the best of our outdoor provision, integrating learning across different outdoor spaces, with creative activities to ensure pupils were not too out of their comfort zone. Pupils’ levels of engagement surpassed all expectations and each went away calm and content, having learnt about the natural world and wonder of Richmond Park.

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The Holly Lodge Centre

Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

Green Futures

This year saw us support the last two Green Futures SEND sessions in partnership with Royal Parks. Inspired by the flagship TRP programme Holly Lodge Centre, is now developing an initiative specifically for secondary SEND and Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) provisions.

Beneficiaries from the local area

Funding from Richmond Foundation, has supported us to deliver 30 workshops to specialist schools in the Richmond Foundation area of benefit, ensuring we play our part in reducing inequality locally, and bringing the community together through our impactful work.

PUBLIC PROGRAMME

PUBLIC PROGRAMME PUBLIC PROGRAMME PUBLIC PROGRAMME PUBLIC PROGRAMME
This year, Holly Lodge Centre's public programme consisted of our weekly Art Group, Family Roadshow days out
in the wider park,with Help Nature Thrive, and two in-house Open Days aimed at Alton Estate families.
Item Number
N of learners 1,241
N of sessions 33
N / % of sessions for SEND/Disability groups 26 / 79%

Adults

Art Group

Our weekly Art Group opens its doors to adults with disabilities, offering a warm and creative space where nature becomes the spark for imagination. Each session invites participants to explore the textures, colours, and forms of the natural world – transforming them into vibrant 2D and 3D artworks that bring our classroom to life. The group flourishes thanks to three remarkable volunteers whose passion shapes every term. They dream up inspiring themes, introduce new artistic techniques, and gently support each participant to engage and express themselves with confidence and joy. This year, the group met on 26 occasions, made possible through generous funding from The Blackford Charitable Trust. Their support has enabled us to nurture the group’s growth, deepen its impact, and open the door to even more creative possibilities.

‘All the staff are very chatty and friendly and like talking to them. I love painting activities the best. I have made new friends and it gets me out the house. I like the times when the music man came. I like the art, but for me the socializing is more important’.

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Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

The Holly Lodge Centre

Families

Roadshows

Over the Easter and Summer breaks, we supported Help Nature Thrive with three family roadshows, delivering sensory educational activities for families to learn about the nature and heritage of Richmond Park. The roadshows took place at Roehampton gate enclosure and Petersham gate playground, reaching over 800 people across three dates.

Alton Estate

In July 2025, we proudly opened our doors to Alton Estate Families , welcoming local families to two vibrant ‑ drop in sessions. Although the Alton Estate in Roehampton sits right on the edge of Richmond Park, many residents have told us they rarely visit – some feel the park isn’t meant for them, while others simply don’t know how to access it. Building on previous work seeking to impact upon this picture, Holly Lodge Centre partnered with Wandsworth Council to create a programme that would open the park – its nature, history, and its sense of belonging – to the whole community. We organised the Park Bus to bring families directly to our doorstep and crafted bespoke activities that brought our nature trail and garden to life. Children and parents alike explored, played, learned, and experienced the wonder of Richmond Park – many for the very first time. The day was filled with laughter, curiosity, and connection, and its success inspired us to hold a second dedicated Wassail event during the February 2026 half-term. Once again, families stepped into nature, and once again, the park opened up new possibilities.

“It was a magical afternoon full of wonder – children and adults discovering new plants, catching baby newts, pond dipping, picking broad beans, and spotting bugs and wildlife they’d never noticed before. Families told us they had never seen their children so happy and engaged, learning new skills, asking questions, and feeling a real sense of belonging in nature. With volunteers and staff guiding small groups, sharing fascinating facts, and adapting brilliantly when the rain came, the whole experience felt personal, warm, and full of joy. As one child said, ‘Thank you for showing me the wonders of nature’ - and for many, it truly was a hidden treasure they can’t wait to return to.”

COMMUNITY PROGRAMME

This year, Holly Lodge Centre’s community programme consisted of workshops delivered to both formal and informal community and voluntary sector (CVS) groups, charities and care homes. The programme delivers sessions to children, young people and families, sessions for adults with disabilities, and adults and older people with additional needs. All those accessing our community programme experience disadvantage in one form or another, and for some there are multiple layers of disadvantage.

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The Holly Lodge Centre

Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

Item Number
N of learners 542
N of sessions 45
N / % of sessions for SEND/disability groups 31 / 69%

Children, Young People and families

Holiday programme

During the school holidays, Holly Lodge Centre teams up with local organisations to offer children – especially those who might not otherwise have the chance – rich, nature-based experiences in the heart of Richmond Park. This year’s gardening theme brought our Kitchen Garden and the Holly Lodge wildflower meadow to life, giving young visitors hands-on horticultural learning and the chance to explore the plants and wildlife that make the park so special. The garden also became a springboard for creative and sensory activities, sparking curiosity and imagination in every session. Our holiday programmes this year were kindly funded by the Kaye Pemberton Trust.

Charitable Trust

Across the summer, we welcomed families from Skylarks Charity, supporting children with disabilities and additional needs, as well as groups from Richmond Young Carers, Kingston Young Carers, and Brentford FC Young Carers. Each group took part in tailored workshops designed to meet their interests and needs. We also hosted a Home Education group, two Cub/Scout groups, Activity Station, Knots Arts, Happy Holiday Hub, and several informal groups of families with children with disabilities – each visit adding its own energy and enthusiasm to the garden.

Refugee Action Kingston

This year we strengthened our partnership with Refugee Action Kingston, welcoming their members for multiple visits that brought fresh energy and purpose to our programmes. Throughout the summer, participants joined our gardening sessions, taking real joy in harvesting from the kitchen garden. These moments did more than fill baskets – they helped tackle food insecurity while creating space for connection, hands-on learning, and confidence-building. Their enthusiasm brought them back again during the February 2026 half-term, tools in hand and ready to get stuck in. Together, we revitalised our bug hotel, deepening their understanding of local habitats and leaving a lasting mark on our shared outdoor space.

“ All fantastic once again. I just wanted to say a huge thank you for all that you did to make our visit yesterday so fantastic and so memorable. I know the weather was lovely, but we were all blown away by the activities that you organised and the wonderful setting. There were so many wow moments, and the children and parents had a super time. It was very telling that no one wanted to come home! I have had lots of thank yous from the parents too. We really do appreciate your time and the funding that you put in place for the activities.”

Adults and older people

Our community programme for adults and older people is wide ranging, encompassing sessions for young people and adults with SEND and other physical and learning disabilities, adults disadvantaged through physical and mental health conditions and their carers, and older adults and the elderly who may experience isolation, dementia and have a range of other additional support needs. This year visiting groups included Kingston EcoOp, Richmond Borough Mind, The Royal Parks Learning Disabilities group, Tennyson Grange Care Home, Camberwell Lodge Care Home, Evergreens Club, Richmond Good Neighbours, Teddington Voluntary Care Group, and Twickenham Hands Care neighbourhood charity, who enjoyed their sessions so much they have already booked three new sessions for next year.

FiSH

This year we continued to grow our relationship with FiSH, the Barnes-based community group supporting older residents. Building on their involvement in our Art Reminiscence programme, members returned for a new series of nature-inspired creative sessions that sparked conversation, curiosity, and shared memories. They also explored Richmond Park’s rich history through our World War II and Victorian Artefact workshops, and rounded off the programme with a joyful spring pond-dipping session. All sessions for FiSH are carefully tailored for people in the early stages of dementia, ensuring every activity is accessible, engaging, and rooted in the needs of our local community.

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The Holly Lodge Centre

Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

Full of Life

In October 2025, we secured funding from Richmond Council’s Full of Life Programme, enabling us to host a dedicated ‘Full of Life’ day in October in partnership with Richmond Good Neighbours. We guided participants along our nature trail, where they enjoyed the peace, spotted natural wonders, and experienced the restorative power of being outdoors. One attendee shared, “We were comfortable and cared for. I haven’t walked so far for a - long time. Nature is so good for my well being.”

For some, the day brought unexpected joy. As one participant admitted, “I didn’t really want to come as I thought it wasn’t for me, but being outside in nature today – you don’t know what it’s done for me.” Another described the experience with delight, calling the Centre “a hidden gem… I’m blown away.”

It was a memorable session that truly showcased the calming, uplifting benefits of connecting with the natural world, reflected in the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received.

OTHER KEY DEVELOPMENTS

Holly Lodge Centre Education provision sits alongside other key developments across our strategy priority areas. Our staff, volunteers, funding activities and work to improve our facilities are all vital aspects of the charity’s work and success. Highlights this year include:

Staff and Volunteers

This year we said goodbye to temporary Project Officer who supported a number of key projects during her time with us. We also welcomed a new part time staff member who joined Holly Lodge Centre in November 2025 as a part time Administrator, providing support for the service across the board and is a great addition to our growing team.

Volunteers continue to be the lifeblood of Holly Lodge Centre. The charity was first established by volunteers back in 1994 and over 30 years later we could not deliver our service without the dedicated support of over 75 volunteers. They play a key role in each and every area of our work and functions, and this year collectively contributed an amazing 4,500 hours of support - this is the equivalent of over 2 full time members of staff.

This year we also sadly lost Hugh Bostock, a special volunteer who supported Holly Lodge Centre, in instrumental ways, for over 20 years. We shall miss him greatly.

Fundraising

In 2025 we were lucky to receive pro bono support from branding expert Henry Chilcott to develop a brighter, bolder brand for Holly Lodge Centre. The new brand was developed over many months, with input from volunteers, staff, trustees and service users, and is inspired by the heart of Richmond Park, and our values of wonder, curiosity, difference and sanctuary. Building on the new brand and the need for greater funding, we also developed a new fundraising campaign. The funds raised will help us increase our vital work with SEND children and vulnerable groups, including funding a new teacher, expanding our offer, improving outdoor learning spaces and developing additional accessible facilities.

Site and Facilities

Due to essential underpinning works to our main classroom and office spaces, Holly Lodge Centre temporarily relocated from its premises between May and October 2025. During this period, staff operated from our transformed pharmacy block, while a purpose-built marquee was installed to serve as a classroom. Additional temporary facilities were provided, including toilets and new pathways, alongside adapted educational provision to ensure continuity of delivery. This transition enabled us to use the site in innovative and engaging ways throughout the summer and into the autumn. In October 2025, we returned to newly refurbished spaces, now enhanced with new ceilings and windows, providing an improved environment for both staff and visitors.

Funding from Pensford Field Environmental Trust has enabled us to plan for the creation of a new sensory garden area just outside our main classroom. Designed with soil and plants kindly gifted by The Royal Parks, this area will be a great addition to our classroom, particularly for those SEND and community groups that are less able to access the main garden and nature trail.

A generous donation of £12,500 was received from Sheen Mount School Parent Staff Association. This vital funding has enabled us to maintain and expand our wonderful Nature Trail, including establishing a brand new habitat area.

The Holly Lodge Centre

Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

ISSUES, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Main issues and challenges

As a small charity, the organisation faces several structural and operational barriers that limit delivery and engagement. Session costs remain a major obstacle for some schools and groups, especially when combined with transport expenses. The site’s location inside Richmond Park, with limited public transport and reliance on costly minibus or coach hire, further restricts access.

A small staff team focused mainly on frontline delivery also limits capacity for outreach, marketing and fundraising, contributing to low public and funder awareness.

Site constraints – including limited space and toilet facilities – affect access and inclusion, particularly when hosting multiple groups or supporting learners with additional needs.

Opportunities

Several pilots and new approaches tested in 2025/26 will be expanded next year.

Gardening holiday programmes proved highly popular, offering creative, sensory learning; these will inform new seasonal gardening lesson plans for Key Stage 1 and 2.

A creative, flexible learning session inspired by the Anstee Bridge model successfully engaged young people with social, emotional and mental health needs, suggesting potential for further development.

Targeted Open Days, such as those for Alton Estate families, demonstrated the value of opening the site to specific community groups, offering a promising route to broaden engagement.

Key learning, emerging needs and identified gaps

Demand currently exceeds capacity due to site limitations, particularly toilet facilities and logistical constraints that prevent hosting two groups simultaneously. Work is underway to test dual-provision models and explore options for expanding facilities, alongside securing the funding required to support this growth.

PLANS FOR 2026/27

The 2026/27 academic year marks Holly Lodge Centre’s transition into the second phase of its Four-Year Strategic Plan. While the first two years focused on stability and consolidation, the next stage is all about thoughtful, ambitious growth. With a refreshed brand launching during the year and a new fundraising campaign to match, Holly Lodge Centre is stepping confidently into its next chapter – strengthening its position as a unique, specialist SEND provider.

Our strategic priorities include:

Education: We will expand our educational offer by developing, piloting, and launching new self-guided sessions out in the park, a Green Futures style offer for specialist groups and by exploring solutions that allow us to host two groups simultaneously. We will also refine elements of our community programme and enhance our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provision and continue our mission to expand our relationship with existing SEND schools with engage new SEND schools and groups.

Staff and Volunteers: Our focus will be on embedding new training and development pathways for staff and volunteers, growing our volunteer community, and ensuring smooth succession planning as long-standing volunteers begin to step back. We will also strengthen our Corporate Volunteering and work-experience opportunities.

Facilities: To support our growth, we will seek funding for additional toilet facilities, enabling us to welcome two groups on site simultaneously. We will also create a new Centenary Glade on our nature trail – celebrating our Patron Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday in 2026 – and complete development of two new garden spaces: a sensory garden beside the main classroom and an Education Garden to expand opportunities for our popular horticultural sessions.

The Holly Lodge Centre

Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

Funding: To build long-term financial resilience, we will launch a major fundraising campaign in 2026, aiming to raise £200,000 over three years. Alongside this, we will develop a corporate fundraising strategy and broaden our network of funding partners, forging new relationships with regional and national funders to support the Centre’s next phase of growth.

THANK YOU

Thank you to all our funders this year: The Royal Parks; Richmond Foundation; Sheen Mount Parent Teacher Association; National Lottery Community Fund; Wates Foundation, Blackford Charitable Trust, The Barnes Fund; Wandsworth Council; London Borough of Richmond Full of Life Fund; Holly Lodge Centre donors and event attendees.

Thank you to Holly Lodge Centre Volunteers whose support has strengthened our programmes, enriched the experiences of the people we serve, and helped us deliver work that would not be possible without their support.

Financial review

Total income for the year was £152k, a decrease of 5% compared with the previous year. This was largely attributable to a six-month programme of classroom repairs, which temporarily reduced the number of education sessions that could be delivered. The associated disruption also meant that the charity was unable to hold its main fundraising event in the year.

Total costs rose during the year, largely due to inflationary increases across a range of expenditure categories, including utilities, supplies and service costs. Despite these increases, the charity continued to manage its resources carefully to ensure the effective delivery of its activities.

Looking ahead, our increased focus on fundraising has begun to yield positive results, providing a strong start to the 2026/27 financial year.

Funds and reserves policy

The Board of Trustees has reviewed the reserves policy in line with Charity Commission guidance. As at year-end, unrestricted reserves, all of which were unrestricted, stood at £68,000. The Trustees consider this level to be sufficient to ensure The Holly Lodge Centre can continue operating as a going concern, providing financial stability and flexibility to meet ongoing commitments and unforeseen needs. Fundraising is underway to maintain the reserves and build up reserves for future growth.

Risk management

The Charity maintains a risk register which identifies the key risks and how these are managed. The Trustees review and approve this document annually.

Every educational activity has a current risk assessment, which is reviewed on a regular basis. In addition, there are policies and procedures for more general matters such as health and safety and safeguarding.

Public benefit

The Trustees confirm that they have paid due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission. They are of the opinion that the activities of the Charity provide public benefit within the spirit of that guidance.

Responsibility of Trustees

The Charity is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2026. The Trustees have not required the Charity to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2026 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

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The Holly Lodge Centre

Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

Statement of financial activities for the year ended 31 March 2026

Unrestricted
funds
Note
£
Income and endowments from:
Donations and grants
3
48,099
Fundraising events
4
19,593
Investment income
5
4,161
Educational activities
6
14,852
Total income
86,705
Expenditure on:
Educational activities
81,924
Fundraising and event costs
37,522
Total expenditure
7
119,446
Net movement in funds
(32,741)
Total funds brought forward
98,019
Total funds carried forward
65,278		 2026
Restricted
income
funds
£
65,635
-
-
-
65,635
63,240
-
63,240
2,395
-
2,395		 Total this
year
£
113,734
19,593
4,161
14,852
152,340
145,164
37,522
182,686
(30,346)
98,019
67,673		 2025
Total last
year
£
111,582
24,908
1,252
23,362
161,104
138,925
32,978
171,903
(10,799)
108,818
98,019

The notes on the following pages form part of these accounts.

The above results derive from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above.

15

The Holty Lodge Centre Annual reW and accounts 31 March 2026 Balance sheet as at 31 March 2026 2026 2025 Flxed asse18 Tangible fixed assets Current assots Debtors Ca8h at bank arKI in hand 1.137 971 17,146 96.123 7&108 113.269 Credltors falllno due wmhln OM year Deferred income Creditors ocuued eyp8nditwo 10.799 4.451 10 10836 15,250 98,019 Total not a•s•ts 67,673 98,019 Funds Unrestrlct•d funds General Designated 38,519 81,500 98,019 ReJtrlct8d fund• Transport 1396 Total fun 11 67,673 98.019 The notes on the folky￿ pages part ofthese Approvod ty Ihe TnHtees .trl .1 2t726 aThJ L￿￿11 ty. James Middlehutst- Chairnan 18

The Holly Lodge Centre

Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

Notes to the accounts

1. Accounting policies

2. Taxation

The Trustees are of the opinion that the Charity is exempt from Corporation Tax on its charitable activities.

3. Donations and grants
Restricted grants
Unrestricted grants
Gifts and donations, including Gift Aid
Total donations and legacies		 2026
£
65,635
26,243
21,856
113,734		 2025
£
63,741
40,436
7,405
111,582

The Holly Lodge Centre

Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

Notes to the accounts (continued)

4. Fundraising events
Income raised from ticket sales and other event income
5. Investment income
Bank interest
6. Educational activities
Income generated by visitors attending educational activities
7. Total expenditure
Educational
activities
Fund-
raising
Activity costs
7,282
-
Cost of events
-
7,155
Marketing
-
4,511
Payroll
124,557
21,981
Volunteer expenses
788
-
Training
913
-
Repairs and maintenance
1,980
660
Office costs
7,487
2,496
Professional fees
845
282
Finance charges
682
227
Trustee expenses
-
-
Independent examination fees
630
210
Total expenditure
145,164
37,522		 2026
£
19,593
2026
£
4,161
2026
£
14,852
Total
2026
£
7,282
7,155
4,511
146,538
788
913
2,640
9,983
1,127
909
-
840
182,686		 2025
£
24,908
2025
£
1,252
2025
£
23,362
Total
2025
£
7,396
7,137
1,404
142,423
1,251
-
1,074
8,882
622
840
34
840
171,903

18

The Holly Lodge Centre

Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

Notes to the accounts (continued)

8. Tangible fixed assets

Cost
At 1 April 2025
Additions/(disposals)
At 31 March 2026
Depreciation
At 1 April 2025
Charge for the year
At 31 March 2026
Net book value
At 31 March 2026
At 31 March 2025		 IT
equipment
£
5,923
-
5,923
5,923
-
5,923
-
-		 Garden
equipment
£
3,156
-
3,156
3,156
-
3,156
-
-		 Office
equipment
£
8,061
-
8,061
8,061
-
8,061
-
-		 Other
assets
£
12,101
-
12,101
12,101
-
12,101
-
-		 Total
£
29,241
-
29,241
29,241
-
29,241
-
-

Tangible fixed assets have been fully depreciated but are still in use by the Holly Lodge Centre on a daily basis, with appropriate maintenance.

9. Debtors

9. Debtors
Debtors
Other debtors
Total debtors
10. Creditors
Accounts payable
Accruals
Total creditors		 2026
£
1,137
-
1,137
2026
£
5,425
3,560
8,985		 2025
£
16,306
840
17,146
2025
£
2,399
2,052
4,451

19

The Holly Lodge Centre

Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

Notes to the accounts (continued)

11. Movement in funds
At
1 April
2025
£
Unrestricted funds
General funds
36,519
Designated funds
61,500
Total unrestricted funds
98,019
Restricted funds
Transport
-
Other
-
Total restricted funds
-
Total funds
98,019
12. Analysis of net assets between funds
As at 31 March 2026
Fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets
Current assets
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Current liabilities
Creditors
Deferred income
Net current and total assets
As at 31 March 2025
Fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets
Current assets
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Current liabilities
Creditors
Deferred income
Total assets		 Incoming
resources
Outgoing
resources
£
£
86,705
119,446
-
-
86,705
119,446
-
2,746
65,635
60,494
65,635
63,240
152,340
182,686
Unrestricted
£
-
1,137
74,576
8,985
1,450
65,278
Unrestricted
£
-
17,146
96,123
4,451
10,799
98,019		 Transfers
£
19,000
(19,000)
-
5,141
(5,141)
-
-
Restricted
£
-
-
2,395
-
-
2,395
Restricted
£
-
-
-
-
-
-		 At
31 March
2026
£
22,778
42,500
65,278
2,395
-
2,395
67,673
Total
£
-
1,137
76,971
8,985
1,450
67,673
Total
£
-
17,146
96,123
4,451
10,799
98,019

Notes to the accounts (continued)

20

The Holly Lodge Centre

Annual report and accounts 31 March 2026

13. Related parties

The Holly Lodge Centre was founded in 1994 as part of The Royal Parks education programme. Its aim was to provide an inspirational space to experience Richmond Park. It became a separate charity in 1999 but maintains a close relationship with The Royal Parks and operates in and from land and buildings managed by The Royal Parks. That property is occupied under a licence which was renewed on 4 June 2015 and under which a notional rent is paid (which also covers services provided). The licence expired on 1 June 2025 and was renewed for a further three years. The Trustees recognise that the value to the Charity of the occupation exceeds the notional rent. Due to the unique nature of the property, however, it has not been possible to attribute a value in the accounts. The Trustees would like to express their thanks to The Royal Parks for this continuing and essential support.

14. Trustees

The Trustees who served throughout the year are listed on page 1. No Trustee received remuneration during the year (2025: nil). Expenses amounting to £nil were reimbursed to Trustees (2025: £0).

15. Employees

No employee received emoluments in excess of £60,000 during the period (2024: nil). The average number of people employed during the period was:

Full-time equivalent
Employee costs were:
Salaries
Social security costs
Pension contributions
Total employee costs		 2026
3.2
2026
£
131,690
4,893
9,955
146,538		 2025
2.8
2025
£
126,452
5,114
10,857
142,423

16. Pension schemes

The Charity operated a money purchase occupational pension scheme with the Smart Pension. This is open to all employees.

17. Volunteers

The Trustees recognise the invaluable support of its volunteers, without whose work the Charity could not operate. Expenses amounting to £787 were incurred in respect of, or reimbursed to, volunteers, of which £335 were spent on CRB checks. (2025 £829). During the period under review volunteers worked over 4,500 hours.