OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

← Hill Close Gardens Trust Limited

2024-12-31-accounts

HILL CLOSE GARDENS

u&2s ls WA 6. POSE Ae ay ANNUAL i. a / hy yee "4 , | ‘ ~ a 7 REPORT

FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2024 VFree, Cink. CR : : . ! Y ; “Ox= ie Stan4ageVa2| ™~> RYE It gives the Trustees great pleasure to reflect on y .a4ae J Ae. > ep <M a 2024; another dynamic and productive year for Hill Close Gardens Trust; and we do so with enormous gratitude to the staff, volunteers, members and visitors to the Gardens.

Despite the challenges posed by weather, resource pressures, and the broader economic climate, 2024 was a year marked by growth, adaptability, and continued dedication to our mission.

Hill Close Gardens Trust Bread & Meat Close Warwick CV34 6HF

01926 49 33 39 hello@hcgt.org.uk Hill Close Gardens Hill Close

Registered Charity: 1085278 Registered Company: 03981067

Hill Close Gardens is a unique heritage site in the heart of Warwick —16 beautifully restored Victorian leisure gardens that offer a rare glimpse into the past and a tranquil green space for our community today.

Managed by a passionate small team of amazing staff and an amazing group of dedicated volunteers , our work is underpinned by a mission to preserve, protect and promote this living historical landscape for education, wellbeing, and enjoyment.

We continue to champion sustainability, community connection, and heritage stewardship in all that we do.

The Trustees

Hill Close Gardens Trust

2

OUR OBJECTIVE

What we do & how we do it

Objective of the Trust

The objective of the Trust is to manage, preserve and maintain Warwick’s restored 16 Victorian pleasure gardens as a charitable trust.

We aim to develop the site as a welcoming,

Board of Trustees

The Directors of the Trust, as defined in the Companies Act 2006, are also Charity Trustees for the purposes of charity law. At the date of this report the Trustees are (alphabetically by surname):

environmentally responsible, and

financially sustainable , visitor attraction for all ages and abilities.

We aim to inform, engage, and inspire people so they enjoy the Gardens’ horticultural relevance and social history. We recognise and support the importance of a visit to the gardens as being important and beneficial to peoples’ health and wellbeing .

Public Benefit

The Trust has provided a public benefit to Warwick townspeople and its visitors by:

In accordance with the Articles of Association Warwick District Council can nominate up to four Trustees, and Plant Heritage one Trustee but both have chosen not to do so.

The Warwick Society, as an organisation that supports the Trust, may also nominate one. This body is represented on the Board by Jenny Lamb. She is the only Trustee with disclosable interests.

3

STRUCTURE & GOVERNANCE

Safeguarding the Charity’s assets

Trustees are selected and appointed to bring a balance of skills to the board, including horticultural, legal, and financial skills.

Trustees hold office for a period of three years and retire by rotation at the Annual General Meeting. A trustee may be appointed mid-term to fill a casual vacancy but must be elected by the members at the subsequent Annual General Meeting.

The Trustees are responsible for policy and strategic governance, safeguarding of the Charity's assets, provision of adequate funding to maintain the Gardens, fulfilling its legal obligations, and its obligations to stakeholders including the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage, Warwick District Council and Warwick Town Council.

The Trustees have a risk strategy which comprises of:

Bankers

CAF Bank

Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4TA

Solicitors

Blythe Liggins

Edmund House, Rugby Road, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 6EL

Accountants

Duo Accountants 11 Dormer Place, Leamington Spa, CV32 5AA

Independent examiner

Henry Leaver BA (Hons) MAAT 26 Minster Road, Coventry,

CV1 3AF

4

GROWING OUR IMPACT

Admissions and Visitor Growth

In 2024 we welcomed more than 8,500 visitors , exceeding 2023’s figures despite prolonged periods of inclement weather that impacted our peak seasons.

Thanks to strategic adjustments in pricing, our admission income rose by a strong 21% . We are particularly proud to have achieved this with minimal marketing expenditure (£337), showing the power of our focused outreach utilising social media and partnerships.

We strengthened our connections with like-minded organisations , most notably Garden Organic, who ran a composting workshop for our volunteers and joined us for a volunteering day.

We are now a Garden Organic Member Site , offering their members special entry deals, along with continued 2-for-1 offers to other partners including Gardeners’ World and the Visit Warwick campaign.

Looking ahead, our 2025 pricing model introduces tiered admission rates, including discounted ticked for our local community in Warwick, which we believe will offer better value and flexibility for visitors while sustaining vital income.

We will continue to monitor the success of these tiered admission rates and make any necessary adjustments to ensure we are delivering both value-for-money for visitors while also sustaining income for the Trust.

5

DIVERSIFYING INCOME

Enhancing Access and Events

Our room hire operations delivered a standout performance , with income increasing by 38% to £41.5k. This growth was primarily driven by increased occupancy.

In response to rising costs and demand, we will implement updated hire rates in 2025.

While we remain sensitive to our regular hirers’ needs , these adjustments are necessary to maintain the quality of our spaces, the increased costs we endure from energy suppliers and to fairly resource our hardworking team.

Engaging our Community

Events continue to be a joyful and impactful part of our calendar. Extending

Apple Day to a full weekend proved a resounding success , with a 62% increase in income over 2023.

Bee Weekend, Snowdrop Weekend, and our open-air theatre also drew strong attendance and community enthusiasm.

While we won’t host theatre performances in 2025, we’re excited to trial a new “ Blossom Fortnight ” in May and convert our Bee Weekend into a donation-based fundraiser supported by Gift Aid, titled “Bee Wild!”

6

OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE

2024: A Year of Working Smarter

We invested in essential systems and infrastructure , including enhancements to our website, CRM systems, and roombooking platforms.

These improvements have streamlined operations and helped us do more with limited resources.

Our staff rose to significant challenges, including a three-month absence of one of our caretakers during a peak period.

The flexibility and dedication of our team - particularly Matt, Neil and May - were instrumental in keeping everything running smoothly. However, it is clear we are operating at full capacity.

As we look forward to the future, we will prioritise a new operational strategy ; one that relieves pressure on staff, builds our volunteer base, and secures the long-term sustainability of the Trust.

Thank you to you all!

The Trustees wish to express their deepest thanks to everyone who contributes to Hill Close Gardens – our volunteers, our staff, our members and visitors.

We all appreciate the dedication and enthusiasm the Trust receives and witness first-hand the extraordinary care, collaboration, and creativity that drives this special place forward.

Together, we have much to celebrate and even more to look forward to.

7

2024 IN THE GARDENS

Improving garden care and efficiency

2024 saw progress in both the care of our historic gardens and the efficiency of how we manage them. Investment in new equipment and systems has not only reduced the workload for staff and volunteers but also improved the sustainability of our operations.

Early in 2024, the arrival of our robot mower transformed lawn management across the site, significantly reducing manual mowing needs and saving around £500 per month.

We also added a compact electric mower, which has further supported lawn maintenance while aligning with our commitment to environmentally responsible practices.

Irrigation has also taken a step forward, with much of the Nursery now benefiting from new low-level sprinkler systems .

Our composting operation has become more effective thanks to the introduction of a shredder, which allows hedge clippings and prunings to be used directly as mulch.

This has eased storage pressures, improved soil health, and will help with weed suppression into 2025.

8

2024 IN THE GARDENS 0559: 0 Improving garden care and efficiency

Plant and produce sales were another highlight of the year. Plant sales just over £11,377 , a 1% increase on 2023; this is encouraging given that the Horticultural Trades Association reported a 10% national decline.

Produce sales performed even more strongly, increasing by 17% to £2,756. These results are a testament to the quality of the plants we grow and the dedication of those who nurture them.

Volunteer support continues to be the

heartbeat of the gardens, with an average of 12 volunteers working on site on both Wednesdays and Thursdays, alongside further support throughout the week.

Their hard work and enthusiasm make an extraordinary difference to everything we achieve.

Among our staff, Alison has continued to manage the Nursery and oversee the Martinique contract one day per week. With this contract concluding in 2025, we look forward to her expertise being more available to the wider gardens .

Neil continues, as always, to provided invaluable leadership as Head Gardener , while WRAGS trainee, Louisa Hart, successfully completed her year-long placement in September 2024.

While some planned tree work was deferred to 2025, the progress made in 2024 in modernising systems, reducing costs, and improving efficiency has laid a strong foundation for the care and resilience of Hill Close Gardens for years to come.

9

ENGAGEMENT & EDUCATION

Involving families & younger gardeners

The Children & Families Education team continued to champion our mission to inspire learning, creativity, and a connection with nature.

Engagement Highlights

Family Events and Workshops

School Partnerships

We welcomed visiting classes from:

Attendance & Financial Overview

Children’s Garden Sign

Thanks to a generous £500 donation from The Warwickshire Woodloes

Townswomen’s Guild we reinstated a handmade wooden sign at the entrance to the Children’s Garden

Looking Ahead to 2025

We aim to Expand sessions for very young children and babies

Recruit additional volunteers

10

FUNDRAISING & THE EFFECT

Fundraising for recovery & renewal

Recovery & Renewal 30 Campaign

Launched in April 2024, the purpose of our R&R30 appeal was to raise funds for repairs and renewals . We are proud to report £13.5k was raised by the end of 2024. The appeal will close in 2025.

From the R&R appeal, £10k will fund the much-needed new heat pump . This major installation should deliver more than 20 years of energy-efficient heating , and we expect to see significant reductions in our energy bills, which have grown substantially in recent times.

We will continue fundraising in 2025 with a refreshed strategy and team. Capital investment in our historic infrastructure remains a top priority. We will continue to look to match funding opportunities and explore creative ways to engage donors and supporters.

Ongoing Maintenance

A special thank you goes to all the team whose dedication and skills have made an invaluable difference in addressing maintenance issues , enhancing sustainability (through water harvesting innovations), and supporting our long-term planning efforts. We are committed to

commissioning a full professional

evaluation of the site to inform a multi-year maintenance and fundraising plan.

11

VOULTEER-RUN OPERATION

We appreciate & thank our volunteers

Volunteers and the Path Ahead

Our volunteers remain at the heart of Hill Close Gardens.

Their skills, commitment, and warmth shape every visitor’s experience and support every corner of our operations. From front desk and tearoom cover, to gardening, events, and fundraising. Going forward, attracting more proactive volunteers will be essential —not only to grow footfall and income, but to ensure a healthy balance for everyone involved.

Looking Forward

We entered 2025 with optimism, realism,

and renewed purpose . Some of the key developments to look forward to including:

12

OUR MISSION & VISION

For today & for our future

OUR MISSION: What we do every day & always will

OUR VISION:

Working towards a successful future

13

A FINCIALLY STRONG 2024

~~Treasurer’s introduction to the Accounts~~

Financially, 2024 marked an important turning point for Hill Close Gardens Trust as we saw encouraging signs of recovery and renewed strength .

When depreciation (a non-cash accounting expense) is set aside, the Trust recorded a welcome operating surplus .

This growth demonstrates t he value of diversifying income and the resilience of the Trust’s operational model.

Of course, every year brings its own challenges, but 2024 has shown that we are moving firmly in the right direction . The task ahead is to build on this.

A positive financial trajectory allows us to reinvest in the site and ensure the care, maintenance, and development of Hill Close Gardens is secure for the future.

These results are only possible thanks to the hard work and dedication of our small staff team and our extraordinary volunteers.

Our trading income grew, reflecting strong performance across admissions, room hire, memberships, merchandising, and other activities.

Their energy, commitment, and creativity remain the cornerstone of Hill Close Gardens’ success.

John Gates, Treasurer

The following accounts as prepared by the Independent Examiner were approved by the Trustee’s of Hill Close Gardens Trust

Signed: RichEddy Dated: 9th September 2025

14

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL AcfiviTIES For the year ended 31 December 2024 Restrkted 2024 202J INCOME Donatlons and lega¢les 12.595 12,595 13,$44 Gift in kind Incomelrom choritoble octiwties Grants recel¥able 3.313 27.313 9,106 39.406 6.292 Membership fees 9,106 Income Jrom irgdlng ortivliie5 Fundralsin8 acrfvites Merthandisln8 Lettin8 Admi5sloTh fee5 10,126 38,999 410,432 25,434 10,126 38.999 40.432 25.434 8,157 32,420 30.030 21.662 Income from banl inierest Other Income 5,114 S.114 Tot•1 In(orn• 166. 2.313 169.120 155.505 E¥pend￿Vre C05t of 8enerntiVd 7Ailuntary IrKom• Costs of 8enéfating funds Costs of charitable actl¥iti•s 9.698 67.210 13S.369 212.277 10,548 66.505 152.893 229.946 67,210 85,667 162.575 49.702 Total eMpen¢lture Nrr INCOMEIIÉXPÉI4DITUAÉI TraDsfers between fvnds 4.233 147.3891 143.1561 174.4411 Other reco8niseJ gainslllossesl NEf MOVEME14T IN FUNOS 4,233 147,3891 143,1561 174.4411 Funds at I lanuory io 125.1711 528.825 YJ3.653 578.092 FUNDS AT 31 DECEMBER 120,9381 481.436 460.497 503.651

Hill Close Gardens Trust BALANCE SHEET at 31 December 2024 2024 TANG18LE FIXED ASSETS 440,789 493,135 CURRENT ASSETS Stock5 Debtors 3,075 23.083 26.758 3,714 18.593 22.907 Cash at bank arKI In hand Credltors. falllng due wlthin l yeaf 12.388 NET CURRENT ASSETS 19.n 10.518 Credltors. lon8 term TOTAL ASSETS 460.497 503.6S3 FUNDS Unrestricted io 168,3281 528,825 125.1711 528,825 Restricted li 460.498 503,654 Exceptlon from •udll For the year endin8 31 December 2024, the company was entitled to exemp¢ion Irfttn audit under sertitsn 477 of the Companles Art 2006 relatin8 to small companSes. The company Is also exempt from audit under the Charity Commlsslon requirements. Responsibllites of Trustees and Direttors: - The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts lor the year in question in Kcordance with section 476,. - The direciors acknowledge their responsibilities for complyin8 with iht requirements ol the Aci with respect to accountin8 records and ihe preparation of accounts. These a¢touftts been prepared in ac¢ord•nc¢ wilh the wo¥is1￿$ appli¢able to ctynpanies, subje¢t to the small ¢omp•n*s' ￿lme and in ¥c¢ordance with FPS 102 SORP.

Notes tt¥ the I￿Ounts 2024 2023 Warwick Dtstrkt C(￿nCIl 25.(IXI National Heritage Lottery Fund. TVE Naiional LOt￿ry Hedtsge Fund- emergency lund WFGA Grani Severn Trent Warwitk T¢)wn Coun¢ 1313 27.313 Donaied 8oods. Gift in klrnl Volwitsry Incon Ch•rhab 2014 2023 Dlrert costs Merchandlsln8 Gorden Costs Adveruslna stsll and Projects MaIn￿nanCe 337 337 1.154 7.407 35.441 7.407 35.441 23,983 35.441 Depreciauon 91.728 91.728 105.426 Shared costs Mana8emeni tkprectatlon 8.￿7 36,033 .073 I6.￿6 86,018 19.463 105.481 229,946 43.640 135,369 9,698 67,210 212,277 2024 2023 Go¥ernance- Independent exaMI￿'S fee Depreciatlon SC 54.904

Hill Close Gardens Trust Notes to the a¢counts- ¢•ntinued 4. Stsff costs 2024 2023 Salaries 102.681 95.750 The •¥erakè weekly number of empbyeesokulattd ort • fvll time ¢quiv•lent basis was: No employee re¢eived emolumtnts in excess of £60.(W in th• ye•r. 5. Trust••s' r•mun•rntlort Trustees were reimbursed for ￿ltImate expenses Irthrred by them on behattof the trust 6. Flxed AsMts L••s•hold Garden Restor•tlon Pl•nt & EquFpment Total Cost l January 2024 AdditlOn5 848,￿17 348,639 169,386 1,366,932 Dlssy)sals 31 Oecember 2024 1366 932 Oepre(iotion At l January 2024 Chorgefor the yeor Depr￿latIOn on dtSP05al 310ttember 2024 {494,8871 135A411 1213.3591 113.5281 1165,5521 13,3781 1873.7971 152,3461 530.328 226.887 168.929 926.143 Net Book Volues 31 December 2024 318.580 354,020 121,752 135,280 457 440.789 493,135 I January 2024 3,834

Hill Close Gardens Trust Note$to the a¢¢ounts. ¢otttlnued 7. Stocks Goods for r•sèl* Nurnery plants 8. ￿btort Trade debtors 3,075 1.561 Other dethors Prep3yment5 2.153 3,714 3,075 9. Credhtys Trade credltors 1.761 3.1 8.978 4.290 Taxation & Social Security Accru￿$ VAT Payablt 598 7.049 2,380 12.388 9a. c￿•￿￿￿￿- k>ryt•rm 10. Funds Totll l January 2024 Incoming resources loryt•r Re$ources expended Transfer 125.1711 166. 1162.$7SI S28￿25 2,313 149.7021 503.654 169.120 1212.2771 31 December 2024 120.938 481.436 460.498 Reyesented bv Tangible Ilxed a55ets Net current assets 4.673 436.IlS 440.789 24.382 436,115 460,497

Hill Close Gardens Trust 11. R•llrk￿d ￿rtd# l Jvry Educaiion 12,>)5 6.W3 12.305 6.9)3 163.958 103.6Jl 94.$76 Garden Centre bulldlni Gwden bulldkn85 Garden% 120.8911 17.2?91 114.7301 110.913 109.X Gwden xtMiie5 24.658 Z4.658 Garden shetter 8,87S 872 IS321 1.343 872 Sheldc HLF (Bleasedèkl NHIF 1637ll S9.738 4.135 4,135 528.824 149.7021 479.122 Fund Education SpecifK edth u>stsor For tOf•SioritrG¥d C•ntri byildiny Garden ￿lld C•ptt41 I¥￿1 lor ihtC•nir•8uUdb¥ C•piial I¥￿1 lor ihe wmThthyJ5es •￿10th￿ yrden bL41d￿J ca￿11 I¥￿1 lor ih• Ir• G¥d•ns For use GxthnsTeam lor pffjlects G•rdens Gwden art￿￿1￿5 Garden shelter SPld Herlta¢e L(rftry Fund ITVEI tkni•ik)nsi¢)¥Mds a •ew Fuhth for TTrhslorml￿ thè ¥i￿tOr Ewritthte. to Yi uthsiar•j1￿0f the soc￿1 ol the of i 14•¢ion¥ H•rf¢W Loff•ry Fund Fw15forth TrtDskn￿vrtI¢ty%. Exper••proJert WVEI. 10 Uthr51•￿1nq0f the sorial Come￿ •nd hi5torK¥ impvunceol th• 2023 Aulhorl5¢41 •nd ¢or%tr•rftd fty The Garden5 art subieu 31>year lease frnm Wawk rkntrKtCow eXFI￿n￿ory 9 December 2034 annual fern of Él.

HILL CLOSE GARDENS TRUST LIMITED Registered Number 03981067 (England and Wales) Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year ended 31 December 2024

HILL CLOSE GARDENS TRUST LIMITED Company Information for the year from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024 Directors BEGG, George Henry Christopher BLEASDALE, Robert Vivian CATHCART, Alison EDDY, Richard John HAUGHTON, Sue LAMB, Jennif8r WAINWRIGHT, Christine Registered Address Hill Close Gardens Bread And Meat Close Warwick CV34 6HF Registered Nurnber 03981067 (England and Wales)

HILL CLOSE GARDENS TRUST LIMITED Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2024 2024 2023 Assets Fixed Assets 440,789 493.135 Current Assets 26,758 23.134 Prepayment5 and accrued income 2,153 467,547 518,422 Capital, Reserves and Liabilities Capital and reserves Creditors amounts falling due within one year Accruals and deferred income 460,498 503,654 5,549 13,768 1,500 1,000 467,547 518,422 The company is a private company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales. 11 was entitled to exemption from audil und8r saction 477 of th8 Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in ac¢ordanTr wilh section 476 of the Companies Act 2006. The Directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts. These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the mlcro-entity provlslons and delivered In accordance with th8 provisions applicable to companies subject to Iha small companies regime. Average number of employees The average nurnber of persons employed by the company in the period was 4 (previous period.. 4), The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Directors on 17 Seplember 2025, and are signed on its behalf by: EDDY, Richard John Dirèctor Registered Cornpany No. 03981067

This document was delivered using electronic cornmunications and authenticated in accordance ivith the registrar's rules relating to electronic fomi, authentication and manner of delivery under section 1072 of the Cornpanies Act 2006.

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to tho trusteesl members of Charity Hill Close Gardens Trust Ltd On accounts for the year ended 31st December 2024 Charlty no (if any) Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trusf) for the year ended Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {°the Acr). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5Xb) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed below ') in conn8Ction with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examinerfs statement I have no COn￿mS and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. . Please delete the words in the brackets rf they do not apply. Signed: Date: 1810812025 Name: Henry Leaver Relevant professlonal qualification{s) or body (if any): AAT Address: IER October 2018

Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32. Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Glve here brlef detalls of any items that the examiner wishes to dlsclo89. IER October 2018