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← Songbird Survival

2025-09-30-accounts

SONGBIRD SURVIVAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30TH SEPTEMBER 2025

A company limited by guarantee | Registered Charity No. 1085281 | Company No. 4078747 ial

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SONGBIRD SURVIVAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2025

CONTENTS

Pied flycatcher

SUMMARY INFORMATION

DIRECTORS

Tom Leicester (ret March 2025) Clive Sherwood

(ret March 2025) Colin Strang Steel

(ret March 2025) Peter Roberts

(ret March 2025) Nicky Oliver Nick Forde Steve Guest Alison Spottiswoode Julia Schroeder

Gerald Kaye (from March 2025) Keith Cowieson (from March 2025) Sam Fuller (from March 2025) Chris Story (from March 2025)

CEO Susan Morgan

INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS

Eric Southwick & Co Chartered Accountants 51 The Avenue Seaham Co Durham SR7 8NS

BANKERS

Handelsbanken 1 Prince Of Wales Road Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1BD

CHARITY ADDRESS PO Box 311, Diss IP22 1WW

REGISTERED OFFICE 50 Princes Street Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 1RJ

REGISTERED NUMBER 4078747

CHARITY NUMBER 1085281

(Charity Commission for England and Wales)

(from March 2025)

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INTRODUCTION FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

THIS REPORT ACCOUNTS FOR ACTIVITY FROM OCTOBER 2024 TO SEPTEMBER 2025.

wenty-five years ago, SongBird Survival was founded with a simple but powerful vision: to ensure that the songs of our gardens, towns and countryside never fall silent. T Today, as we celebrate our silver anniversary, that vision feels more urgent than ever. This year’s report reflects progress, innovation, and hope - delivered in a world that is changing faster than ever. The external environment is challenging. Economic pressures mean we must work harder to secure the income that sustains our mission. Susan Morgan

From October 2024 to September 2025, we have taken bold steps to tackle the complex challenges facing UK songbirds. Our research programme continues to break new ground, with studies on nest predation, veterinary drugs, and environmental pollutants shining a light on hidden threats. These findings are driving real-world change, influencing policy and shaping conservation strategies.

We have reached millions through campaigns and events. Our Veterinary Drugs campaign sparked national debate and policy action. National Robin Day brought communities together to help garden birds through the harsh winter months. And our SongBird Survival Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show - created with the generous support of Project Giving Back and awarded a Silver-Gilt medal - captured imaginations and inspired practical action for wildlife-friendly gardens.

Education remains at the heart of our mission. The Ruby Robin Award engaged 28,000 children, doubling participation and proving that the next generation cares deeply about nature. These moments of connection give us hope for the future.

Supported by a strong reserves policy and financial resilience, we are ready to invest in the future. Together, we can turn the tide and ensure that the dawn chorus remains a soundtrack to life in the UK. Thank you for standing with us.

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Left:
Nicky Oliver
Right:
Sue Morgan
Image: Andrea Gilpin
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“In a demanding year for our sector, SongBird Survival has remained financially disciplined and strategically focused. This resilience reflects the shared commitment of our staff, Trustees, members, supporters and partners — and the strength that comes from working together around a clear, science‑led mission.” Nicky Oliver, Chairman

“That shared commitment has driven real action. By harnessing independent scientific research, clear priorities and strong collaboration, we have delivered meaningful impact for songbirds at a time when their future has never been more uncertain — turning evidence into change when it matters most.” Susan Morgan, Chief Executive Officer

Nicky Oliver, Chairman Susan Morgan, Chief Executive Officer

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SONGBIRD SURVIVAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2025

The Board of Trustees present their annual report, together with the accounts for the year ended 30th September 2025, which have been prepared in accordance with the statutory requirements and the charity’s governing documents. The Board has adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) Accounting and Reporting by Charities (FRS 102) in preparing the annual report and financial statements of the charity.

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ORGANISATION STRATEGY

Our strategic goals encompass three key themes:

DRIVE IMPACTFUL CONSERVATION THROUGH SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

We conduct scientific research that fills crucial gaps in our understanding of songbird conservation. By translating research findings into actionable strategies, we aim to make a tangible difference in the protection and preservation of songbird populations. Our programme funds novel and innovative research across the whole of the UK, contributing to the conservation evidence base. Projects are prioritised for their potential to halt or reverse songbird declines and where they are supporting the species included in our most at-risk list.

In 2024/2025 two new projects were commissioned and two continued, with expert guidance and advice provided by our external Scientific Research Advisory Committee (SRAC) and internal scrutiny from our Research Sub-Committee.

PROTECT SONGBIRDS BY RAISING AWARENESS AND INSPIRING ACTION

Our focus in this goal is raising awareness about songbird population decline and its causes.

In 2024/2025 our campaigns motivated behaviour change and promoted ways to help songbirds based upon science. Our Vet Drugs campaign, National Robin Day, and RHS Chelsea Garden all secured significant national and regional press and increased social media reach and engagement.

SAFEGUARD THE MOST AT-RISK SONGBIRD SPECIES IN THE UK

Our goal is to address the issues facing these vulnerable species. By working closely with partners, we strive to implement targeted conservation measures.

To achieve resilient and balanced UK songbird populations, we focus on safeguarding the species most at risk. This includes commissioning new research or prioritising campaigns and education on threats and solutions.

The ’most at risk’ list, reviewed annually, includes species like house martin, nightingale and willow tit. We’ll consider factors including the IUCN UK list and steep population declines. This flexible approach ensures we adapt to changing species needs.

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Wood
warbler
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18 MOST AT RISK SPECIES: chaffinch, starling, greenfinch, swallow, house martin, sedge warbler, mistle thrush, wheatear, whinchat, spotted flycatcher, marsh tit, pied flycatcher, yellow wagtail, twite, wood warbler, nightingale, willow tit, hawfinch

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

RESEARCH PROJECTS UNDERWAY IN 2024/2025:

AIM:

To deliver a programme of independent scientific research targeting specific gaps in the conservation evidence base relating to songbird declines and prioritised relating to their potential to make a positive impact to achieve the organisational mission.

META-ANALYSIS OF NEST CAMERA STUDIES – WHAT CAN NEST CAMERAS REVEAL ABOUT NEST PREDATION?

SongBird Survival collaborated with the University of East Anglia and the British Trust for Ornithology on a meta-analysis of avian nest-camera studies conducted across Britain and Ireland.

This research was published in August 2025 in the peer-reviewed journal Ibis and has given the most comprehensive analysis of predation events at birds’ nests to date within England, Wales, Scotland and the Isle of Man.

THE AIM: To provide the conservation community with a clearer, more detailed understanding of Spotted flycatcherwhich predator species are responsible for nest

predation across different habitats.

Whilst predation is a natural part of the predatorprey cycle, it can disproportionately affect certain species - particularly those already in decline or confined to specific habitats. Predator management strategies are often contentious and may lack a foundation in robust scientific evidence.

KEY FINDINGS: Drawing on data from just over 200 nests involving both passerines and wading birds, the research identified a diverse range of predators including birds, mammals and even reptiles. The findings revealed that avian predators

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VETERINARY DRUGS – DO FLEA AND TICK TREATMENTS FOR DOGS AND CATS HARM NESTING BIRDS?

WHAT IS THE NEED: Many species of songbird utilise hair or wool in their nesting materials. Little thought is given to whether that hair/wool is safe, but most livestock or companion animals have been treated with veterinary flea treatment at some point.

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veterinary drugs – blue tits in nest
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THE STUDY: This project looks at whether wool treated with ‘spot-on’ style flea treatments has any negative impacts on nesting blue and great tits. The progress of eggs and chicks provided with wool will be monitored over the breeding season to see if vet products can have unintended consequences to wildlife.

PROGRESS UPDATE: Dr. Cannelle Tassin de Montaigu, of the University of Sussex, continued her post-doctoral work with Professor Dave Goulson investigating how chemicals in pet flea treatments affect songbirds.

Spot-on flea treatments for dogs and cats often contain potent insecticides such as fipronil and imidacloprid. Because many birds use animal fur and hair to line their nests, the University of Sussex team enlisted volunteers from across the UK to collect bird nests found after the breeding season, so they could be analysed for chemical residues in the fur they contained.

KEY FINDINGS: From 103 nests examined - all from blue tits and great tits – every single one contained detectable levels of insecticides, with fipronil found in every single nest. The study also revealed a concerning link: nests with higher concentrations of these chemicals were linked to increased numbers of unhatched eggs and/or dead chicks.

These findings indicate widespread exposure of nesting birds to insecticides, with veterinary flea

treatments identified as the most likely source. The work is ongoing with further papers in the pipeline.

IMPACT: The results are informing our campaign for stricter environmental risk assessments for pet flea and tick treatments (page 15) and raising awareness of the issues amongst pet owners.

“No nest was free from insecticides in our study, and this significant presence of harmful chemicals could be having devastating consequences on the UK’s bird populations.”

Cannelle Tassin de Montaigu

posed a greater threat to nests located in the high canopy, whereas mammalian predators were more likely to target ground-level nests. Jays, members of the Corvid family, accounted for the majority (24%) of all identified passerine nest predation events in woodland.

The study delivered valuable insights but also revealed a major gap: that very few nest-camera studies exist for passerines. Further research is needed. Current findings should be interpreted with caution, as they represent a limited range of species and exclude key habitats such as peri-urban, urban areas and farmland.

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Song thrush nest and eggs
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SONGBIRD SURVIVAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2025

NEW STUDIES COMMISSIONED IN 2024/2025:

ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS – ARE POLLUTED WATERWAYS PUTTING SONGBIRDS AT RISK?

WHAT IS THE NEED: Research has shown that our waterways are increasingly polluted by a wide range of chemicals, yet little is known about how these pollutants affect wildlife. The study attempts to establish if there is a pathway from wastewater systems to songbird species and unpick how these chemicals impact reproductive success.

THE STUDY: In autumn 2024, PhD candidate Jenny Darby at Manchester Metropolitan University began investigating whether there is a pathway from chemicals from wastewater systems to songbirds, especially birds that feed on the wing like martins and swallows, as well as aquatic insect-feeding wagtails and dippers. If so, how may endocrinedisrupting chemicals (EDCs) specifically be impacting their breeding success.

PROGRESS UPDATE: Jenny has identified several field sites including wastewater treatment facilities that serve as insect-rich habitats for many bird species, particularly insectivores such as martins and swallows. From these locations she has collected

water, sediment, and invertebrate samples to analyse concentrations of EDCs. Jenny has also taken part in bird ringing activities at Rutland Nature Reserve.

With a Home Office licence now secured, Jenny will begin sampling blood from wild songbirds in early spring 2026, focusing on Hirundines such as sand martins. This next phase aims to uncover whether exposure to EDCs is linked to changes in reproductive success.

IMPACT: The results may inform policy change with water companies and the Environment Agency.

“Following the completion of the first breeding season, I have collated breeding success data which shows significantly lower hatching success at polluted sites. So far this analysis is very preliminary as the actual chemical data is still to be analysed, but this difference is promising in terms of future results.” Jenny Darby

RECREATIONAL DISTURBANCE – HOW ARE WOODLAND BIRDS IMPACTED BY OUR RECREATIONAL HOBBIES AND ACTIVITIES?

WHAT IS THE NEED: Whilst spending time in nature is highly beneficial for human health, there is now an emerging body of evidence that disturbance impacts may also adversely affect passerine populations in both open and wooded habitats. Despite this, there is limited research specifically focused on the impacts to songbirds.

THE STUDY: We are funding a PhD at Exeter University which is investigating both the ecological and social dimensions of recreational disturbance in relation to woodland songbirds. It will determine if breeding birds are impacted by their immediate area becoming ‘disturbed’ by walkers and their dogs and other recreational users, reducing settlement and breeding activity. PhD candidate Gavin Kellerman’s research includes engaging with them to better understand their perspectives, priorities and behaviours.

PROGRESS UPDATE: In his first year, Gavin has identified key woodland sites within Dartmoor National Park that experience varying levels of recreational pressure. These sites are part of a longstanding, 50-year nestbox monitoring scheme, which

includes species such as pied flycatcher, marsh tit, nuthatch, and redstart, some of which are in decline. Gavin is also conducting a comprehensive literature review to assess the global ecological impacts of recreation on songbirds.

IMPACT: This research will ultimately inform the development of more effective management and mitigation strategies to reduce the impact of recreational disturbance on wildlife. This could include working with landowners to reduce the impact of walkers on our wildlife through increased signage, seasonal closures, dog champions etc.

“Working in a UK-specific woodland context, I will begin by investigating the current impacts of recreation on a broad range of bird species, transition to an examination of the physical and social factors that inform the

spatiotemporal dynamics of recreational disturbance, and end with an empirical trial of a novel mitigation strategy.” Gavin Kellerman

AIMS: To provide the public with information and To develop a programme of proactive guidance on how they can actively preserve engagement with policy makers to influence and protect songbirds, while encouraging change in relevant laws and make positive greater engagement in their conservation. change for the benefit of songbirds. es. he emphasis on our education and campaign targeted at pet owners to reduce the detrimental efforts continued to grow in 2024/2025. All impact veterinary drugs can cause for nesting birds. T activities build on turning our scientific research We also continue to ensure that the proven findings into practical solutions and targeting specific behaviour changes discovered in our ‘cats and audiences with different campaigns. their owners’ research and ‘gardens

targeted at pet owners to reduce the detrimental impact veterinary drugs can cause for nesting birds. We also continue to ensure that the proven behaviour changes discovered in our ‘cats and their owners’ research and ‘gardens for birds’ studies deliver a legacy of impact through our ongoing educational programmes.

This year our priorities have sparked an interest in conservation in young people through our Ruby Robin award; we’ve started a new campaign

RUBY ROBIN AWARD – INSPIRING YOUNG MINDS IN CONSERVATION

e know that young people Wwant to protect wildlife but often lack the tools and awareness to act. Conservation education can bridge this gap, reconnecting young people to nature and inspiring them to protect our natural world.

The second Ruby Robin Award ran from December 2024 to February 2025 and was available free of charge for all participants to ensure there is no barrier to taking part and enabling us to reach a wide number of communities.

GOAL: This set of activities for children aged 5-11, aims to spark an interest in birds and conservation at an early age.

Through completing a series of four challenges such as

bird spotting, or crafts to make bird feeders, the award winners learn more about the challenges birds face and how to help them.

Children from all across the UK took part in their homes, schools and clubs. Almost half of those taking part were from an urban environment.

RESULTS: The Award goes from strength to strength with registrations almost doubling year on year to 28,000 with 10,000 children claiming their award badge and certificate. The social media reach was higher than targeted at 685,000 and 28,000 activity sheets were downloaded.

Feedback from groups, parents and children show that the Ruby Robin Award continues to deliver powerful,

measurable, educational and environmental outcomes. It is an inclusive, scalable, and impactful initiative that nurtures children’s connection to nature and conservation. And it is all provided free of charge thanks to the generosity of supporters and funders.

The activities were frequently praised for their quality and content, especially regarding inclusivity: they were easily adaptable and accessible for children of various ages and needs.

IMPACT: Participants reported continued interest and actions to help songbirds since completing the award: Feeding birds: 117 – 92.9% Providing water: 94 – 74.6 Providing shelter: 68 – 54%

“A great project! The children took ownership of their own learning and have Paula 2024 continued to encourage wildlife into their lives.”

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SONGBIRD SURVIVAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2025

CAMPAIGN CASE STUDY: VETERINARY DRUGS i‘iii

n early 2025, we launched a campaign in response to University of Sussex research Ipreviously funded by SongBird Survival, which revealed that chemicals from pet flea treatments contaminate bird nests and thus may increase chick mortality. Our goals were clear:

PARTNERSHIPS & ENGAGEMENT

We engaged over 40 stakeholders, including Government bodies, political figures, veterinary bodies, conservation and animal welfare charities. Lead researcher Dr. Cannelle Tassin de Montaigu and our CEO delivered a webinar to more than twenty animal welfare organisations, sharing the study’s findings and implications. Recognising sensitivities for pet owners, we worked with the British Veterinary Association

UK SONGBIRDS: THREATS AND SOLUTIONS REPORT

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UK songbirds:
threats and solutions
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n our comprehensive 28page report, published in May I2025, the current evidence and knowledge around the threats and issues affecting UK songbirds are summarised across nine categories and Photograph by Alex Lees

presented with visually appealing graphics.

The report provides an overview of the drivers influencing the population sizes of the 84 annually breeding songbird species in the UK, which are complex, interconnected, and ever changing. There is no single major cause of change that affects the overall songbird assemblage as a whole. Species populations are limited, and regulated, by multiple mechanisms including food supply, weather, habitat suitability, predation and landscape-scale processes.

Following the report launch we provided individual briefings to targeted stakeholders from conservation and political worlds, along with sharing more widely through a mix of channels and audiences.

to include their guidance in our PR materials - grounding our message in trusted advice.

MEDIA IMPACT

Our carefully crafted messaging secured an exclusive with The Guardian, followed by widespread coverage. A second wave, targeting pet owners, warning against leaving treated pet fur for nesting birds and encouraging informed vet discussions - featured on Channel 4 News.

REACH & RESULTS

GLOBAL BIRDFAIR

n July, we again highlighted our work at the Global IBirdFair - an inspiring annual gathering of bird enthusiasts from the UK and around the world. We promoted our latest report, UK Songbirds: Threats and Solutions , with a talk that highlighted nine key challenges

facing our beloved songbirds. Sue Morgan our CEO was also joined by our Chelsea Garden designer, Nicola Oakey, for a second talk on creating a bird-friendly garden.

SUMMER GARDEN BIRD FEEDING

n summer 2025 we urged the public to rethink summer bird care sharing our position on this Ikey issue via media and digital channels.

With drought and heatwaves putting songbirds at risk, we asked people to provide fresh water instead of food. Our position in this area is based upon research which shows that feeding birds in summer can unintentionally spread disease and disrupt natural ecosystems, while water is essential for survival.

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FUNDRAISING

AIM:

To increase income from existing audiences through excellent stewardship, alongside diversifying the portfolio of activity and investing in generating income from new audiences.

Blackcap Image: Sophie Warman

ongBird Survival’s work relies entirely on the generosity of our members and S supporters, as we receive no government funding. This year, our focus has been on strengthening income from existing audiences through excellent stewardship and compelling cases for support. We have also focused on growing our

database of supporters and identifying new activities to focus on in future years.

Securing sustainable income is vital to our mission, and this report highlights the achievements, challenges, and impact of our fundraising efforts throughout 2024/2025.

MEMBERSHIP

embership remains the heart of our much-valued supporter base, and we Mcontinue to be grateful for the loyalty and generosity of our members. Numbers of members remain at around the 1,500 level and we always welcome new joiners.

Following the changes we made to the individual and joint memberships in 2023/2024, we refreshed our corporate membership offer in 2024/2025. There are two categories of corporate membership - Greenfinch and Nightingale - with tiered fees and associated ranges of benefits. Existing corporate members are being asked to convert to one of the new memberships and we look forward to their support and partnership in the future.

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SONGBIRD SURVIVAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2025

Firecrest Image: Paul Kaiser

BIG GIVE CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE SUCCESS

ur Big Give Christmas Challenge was a resounding success for our Oeducation programme. Running from 3-10 December 2024, the campaign aimed to raise £40,000 through a match-funding model: £20,000 in online donations unlocking £20,000 pledged by three major donors and our Big Give Champion, the Reed Foundation.

We exceeded expectations, raising £52,107 (including Gift Aid) - 11% above target.

Supporters engaged enthusiastically with the matched funding opportunity, reflecting both the generosity of our community, the strength of our planning and communications, and the importance of our educational work.

Funds supported key education activities, including reaching 28,240 children through the Ruby Robin Award, creating materials for RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and delivering talks at Global Birdfair to 170 attendees. Overall, our education work reached over 400,000 people.

ACTION FOR SONGBIRDS FUND APPEAL

s part of our 25th year celebrations, the ‘Action for Songbirds’ appeal was launched A to raise £258,000 over three years. This fund would be used to support ongoing scientific research projects, undertake further priority research, and our education campaigns. To achieve this ambitious goal, the fundraising strategy focused on securing multi-year pledges from major donors willing to commit between £1,000 and £10,000 annually, with a core ask of £3,000– £5,000 per year. Our target for the year was to raise £58,000, with longer-term commitments totalling £100,000 for both 2025/2026 and 2026/2027.

By end September 2025, we successfully raised £44,040, the majority of which was secured at our major donor event at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Whilst we were unable to secure the volume of long-term pledges we had hoped for, we are immensely grateful to the two donors who have committed £3,000 annually for the next 3–4 years. Their support provides a crucial foundation as we continue our fundraising efforts to meet our threeyear target and ensure the continuation of our scientific research and awareness building.

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DONATIONS OF £10,000+

DONATIONS UP TO £10,000

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House sparrow
Image: Pascal Chagot
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TRUSTS AND FOUNDATIONS

e are incredibly grateful to the charitable trusts and foundations Wwhose support has been instrumental this year. With contributions from 55 donors, we have been able to make meaningful progress towards our mission. We’re especially grateful to the trusts and foundations listed for their exceptional generosity and enduring commitment to protecting UK songbird populations.

The income generated from trusts and foundations provides essential funding that enables SongBird Survival to work alongside experts to advance scientific research, expand our reach across our education and engagement programmes, and drive for changes that support songbird conservation.

With the ongoing support of trusts and foundations, we are hopeful in our plans to make a positive impact for songbirds in the face of their devastating decline. Together, we will continue to ensure our scientific research and educational activities lead to lasting, positive changes for songbirds and the ecosystems they inhabit.

• Ofenheim Charitable Trust

• Privy Purse Charitable Trust

• Public Interest Foundation

• The Belstead Ganzoni Charitable Settlement

• The Golden Bottle Trust

• The Grocers’ Charity

• The Hobhouse Charitable Trust

• William Dean Countryside & Educational Trust

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SONGBIRD SURVIVAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2025

WHAT OUR MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS SAY

“I feel I am really helping to make a positive and meaningful difference to our songbird populations with honest and welldesigned research, not stereotyping and scapegoating”

This year the feedback has specifically helped us to update which issues we talk about in our monthly e-news and to make some changes to the Dawn Chorus member magazine. It is also indicting which new activities would be most beneficial.

ur annual survey guides all areas of our work and Oprovides an important voice from our community of members and supporters. We use the valuable feedback throughout the year to guide our work.

Many of our members are longterm loyal supporters who have been contributing to our work for more than five years. We are also pleased to be building our wider supporter base, bringing in new individuals and 63% have started supporting us in the last three years.

Satisfaction levels rated a very positive 8.4 out of 10 and the vast “I like reading the majority (more than 80%) also feel information you provide appreciated, think that we spend especially how to make the donations wisely, provide good your garden bird friendly communications and keep them informed about our work. and how to feed”

LEGACIES

ifts in wills remain a cornerstone of our long-term success. These thoughtful Gcontributions provide vital funding that allows us to protect songbirds today and secure their future for generations to come. By choosing to remember SongBird Survival in their wills, supporters make an enduring impact on conservation and without them many of our critical research studies would not be possible.In 2024/25, legacy income totalled £19,341 - lower than recent years when we received one or two larger bequests. While this income is invaluable, it can be unpredictable, which is why encouraging more legacy pledges is so important. These gifts enable us to commit to ambitious research projects that deliver lasting change.

Our veterinary drugs study - now paving the way for national policy change on the harmful effects of pet flea and tick treatments - was only possible because of a legacy gift. That generosity allowed us to act quickly when the potential issue was first uncovered during our Pesticides and Songbirds research. Without it, vital evidence might never have come to light. This is the power of a gift in a will: creating lasting impact and enabling urgent action that protects songbirds for generations to come.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who has chosen to leave a legacy. Their generosity ensures our mission continues with confidence and hope.

CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS

e work with companies in many ways, and each partnership is tailored and based W upon shared values. This year we have introduced an updated corporate membership offer and plan to focus further on diversifying and growing our income in this area. In 2024/2025 our 4-year partnership with Copdock Mill came to an end and we are very grateful for their support which raised awareness of our work on all the wild bird food packaging and contributed £50,000 to our work.

This year we continued our collaborations with Eco Bird Food and Finches Friend. We hugely appreciated the level of generous support from many companies towards the development of the RHS Chelsea Garden, enabling us to lever the maximum income and awareness from this one-off opportunity. None of this would have been possible without the generous support from the philanthropic grant making charity, Project Giving Back, without whom the idea for a garden at Chelsea Flower Show could never have become a reality.

THANKS TO:

WE DO NOT RECEIVE ANY GOVERNMENT FUNDING: 100% of our income comes from donations, and our work relies on the generosity of members and supporters. We have signed up to the Fundraising Regulator’s fundraising promise, and we strictly adhere to the Fundraising Regulator’s code of fundraising practice and all the relevant Chartered Institute of Fundraising guidance, including ’Treating Donors Fairly.’ SongBird Survival has not received any complaints regarding aspects of our fundraising during the year. We have not received any notifications from the Fundraising Preference Service during 2024/2025.

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EXTERNAL . COMMUNICATIONS

AIM:

To raise awareness of the organisation, it’s mission and impact, building a positive brand reputation and increased engagement with key stakeholder groups and audiences.

Jack Marriner-Brown filming in the SongBird Survival garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show

ur communications activity aims to support the overall growth of the charity. We have Othree clear goals for our communications activity. It should allow us to:

2025 has been a milestone year for SongBird Survival. It’s our 25th anniversary year and we’ve celebrated some amazing communications achievements – from National Robin Day success to extensive media coverage of the vet drugs research; from our songbirdinspired garden at Chelsea Flower Show to being short-listed for two industry communications awards; it’s been a busy year. We’ve also been assessing the potential impact of emerging Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies on our communications, considering opportunities and challenges it may bring.

NATIONAL ROBIN DAY

e celebrated our eighth annual National Robin Day on Saturday 21st WDecember 2024. We identified two goals for the campaign:

We took a “video first” approach to campaign content, investing in high quality video content featuring simple low-cost ways of helping garden birds at home. We also had a fresh focus on wellbeing - the

SOCIAL MEDIA

here are a number of challenges in using social media statistics to measure the success of T

our communications activities. For example, a supporter may see us on Instagram, search for us on Google and then receive an email from us, so it isn’t a linear journey. Also, the social media platforms change their algorithms regularly and prioritise paid content, which makes organic growth and engagement even more difficult.

Having said that, it is still fundamental for our charity to have a presence on the main social channels to raise awareness and share our core messages, to build trust and educate our supporters about the key issues facing songbirds, and to share success stories.

Over the past year, across our two main social channels, we have grown our followers with Facebook up by 11.53% and Instagram up by 50.75% but reach and engagement have declined. We will be reviewing our social media strategy over the coming months to ensure that we are continuing to get the best out of our financial and staff resource commitments.

benefits for both songbirds and people of helping garden birds. This helped to boost our reach and engagement, despite the awareness day falling on the last Saturday before Christmas.

Our reach on both Facebook and Instagram increased compared to 2023, and whilst our

engagement dipped slightly on Facebook, it increased significantly on Instagram. We saw over 15.5K visitors to our National Robin Day page in December and we gained over 2,400 new email subscribers who signed up for a series of 5 emails focussing on practical ways of helping songbirds in the winter months.

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SONGBIRD SURVIVAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2025

SONGBIRD SURVIVAL GARDEN AT CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW ‘ I n May 2025, we celebrated our 25th anniversary with the amazing SongBird Survival Garden Iat the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Thanks to funding from Project Giving Back, and the imagination and skill of our talented garden designer, Nicola Oakey, we created a garden specially designed for songbirds.

The aim of the garden was to shine a spotlight on the issues facing songbirds, whilst inspiring the next generation of songbird champions to create songbird-friendly gardens in their own homes. The garden design was inspired by the narrative of a bird’s daily life, showing how the three key elements of food, shelter, and water are vital in supporting birds’ lives.

Our garden design featured six birds - greenfinch, house martin, skylark, starling, willow tit, and yellowhammer - which are in significant decline and serve as powerful symbols and a representative group to illustrate and underscore the urgency of the crisis facing songbirds.

Our success at Chelsea would not have been possible without our fabulous volunteers. Their dedication, enthusiasm, and hard work were fundamental to making our garden so welcoming. From engaging with the public to answering questions, and sharing their own passion for songbirds and gardens, they were absolute stars.

We were thrilled to be awarded a prestigious

RHS Silver-Gilt medal. The Chelsea Flower Show was a powerful platform for us, one that amplified our voice and connected us with potential new supporters - with over 160,000 people visitors over the week. There was genuine interest in songbirds from everyone who came to see our garden. It was truly a landmark event for our charity.

Immediately after the finish of the Show, the SongBird Survival Garden was dismantled plant by plant and relocated from Chelsea to Hull where it has a new permanent home at the Neighbourhood Network charity in the Bransholme area of the city. The garden provides a vibrant green space for local residents and will be a haven for songbirds. We know the team in Hull will enable the garden to flourish for many years to come.

"We are so excited to have been selected as the permanent home for the SongBird Survival Garden after the show. It’s such a great opportunity for our local residents to get involved, learn more about songbirds, enjoy the space and volunteer in the garden to help it thrive for years to come.” Sarah Weichardt, Joint Chief Executive, Neighbourhood Network

PRESS AND MEDIA

he National Robin Day public awareness campaign achieved six items of national T press coverage (including the Sun and Ideal Home magazine) and 18 items of regional coverage (including seven BBC radio interviews).

The results from our research into the effects of pet flea and tick treatments on blue and great tits saw a significant level of public interest. We worked with a freelance PR specialist and the team at the University of Sussex and our coverage started with an exclusive feature in the Guardian at the end of January. Interest in this story from the public and the media continued to grow resulting in over 40 pieces of coverage including several more in the Guardian, Private Eye and a number of key vet publications. We also achieved

TV coverage on regional ITV (Meridian) and had a special feature on Channel 4 News.

Working with a horticulturalist specialist PR freelancer for the SongBird Survival Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, we achieved over 50 pieces of regional and national print/online/TV coverage. Television highlights included three features on the BBC1 and BBC2 Chelsea highlights shows, a feature on the BBC One Show and two features on the BBC Morning Live programme. Print highlights included articles in the Observer and Telegraph. Regional interest in the relocation of the garden in the east Yorkshire region was also high. We had several interviews across the regional BBC radio network, and the regional BBC television lunchtime and evening magazine shows covered the relocation extensively.

17

FINANCIAL REVIEW

INCOME

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Brambling
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INCOME

We generated income from a diverse range of sources, reducing long-term risk and supporting plans for growth. Despite sectorwide challenges, income was £436,955 increasing by 7% year on year, reflecting a significant effort to target different audiences with compelling cases for support.

• Individual Donations

Individual giving remains a cornerstone of our income, rising by 16% this year. Growth was boosted by our first Big Give Christmas campaign and our 25th anniversary summer appeal. While these focused on one-off gifts, developing regular committed giving is now a priority, supported by a planned restructure of roles next year.

• Legacies

Legacy income is unpredictable and was lower than in previous years. We continue to promote gifts in wills throughout the year and will increase efforts to encourage pledges in the coming months.

• Trust Funding

Growth slowed compared to last year, in line with wider sector trends. However, we secured multi-year grants, providing income pledged for up to three years. We remain grateful for the continued support of long-term funders.

• Other Income

A one-off auction linked to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show contributed £15,000, though this will not be repeated.

• Membership

Membership income grew slightly, benefiting from the full-year impact of the revised subscription model introduced previously. Attrition remains low, but overall member numbers continue to decline slowly.

18

SONGBIRD SURVIVAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2025

EXPENDITURE

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Wren
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EXPENDITURE

Expenditure rose by £19,608 to £558,260, a planned increase aligned with our strategy to invest in research and campaigning. The most significant changes were increased research funding and PR/campaign delivery, particularly around the RHS Chelsea garden and the veterinary drugs campaign. Education spend was lower than previous years, keeping overall spending at budgeted levels whilst focusing on the prime opportunities as well as through cost reductions achieved by activities being delivered through partnerships.

Multi-year research commitments continued, including Year 2 funding for a postdoctoral project at Sussex University and two PhDs. Managing these commitments and associated cash flow remains central to our financial planning.

Staff costs increased slightly due to cost-ofliving adjustments, with headcount stable at 5.85 FTE.

We maintained tight control of fundraising costs, achieving efficiencies without compromising delivery.

NET POSITION

A planned deficit of -£121,305 was recorded, the second year of this approach following a period of surplus, supporting multi-year commitments. Next year, we aim for a break-even operational budget, supported by restricted and designated funds for research and education programmes.

CONCLUSION

Our financial position remains strong, underpinned by a clear reserves policy and prudent management. Designated funds ensure continuity for research and education, while safety reserves provide stability in uncertain times. Looking ahead, we will continue to diversify income, grow regular giving, and seek efficiencies—embracing innovation and adapting to a fast-changing environment—to secure the resources needed to protect UK songbirds for generations to come.

19

TOTAL FUNDS AT 30/09/2025

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----- Start of picture text -----
£160K
£140K
£120K
£100K
£80K Total on
balance sheet:
£60K
£155,607
£40K
£20K
£0
-£20K Money to be
-£140K raised for research
contracts:
-£60K £85,547
-£80K
-£100K
----- End of picture text -----

Free reserves £1,860 Funds in the bank available to use for new opportunities

Safety reserve £50,000 As per the reserves & investment policy

General reserve £74,000 As per the reserves & investment policy

Education Fund (Restricted) £27,947 Funds already received towards 2025-26 education

Research Fund (Restricted) £1,800 Funds already received towards 2025-26 research projects

Provision for future contracts £85,547 Contracts for research which the charity has committed to from October 2025 through to September 2027.

The chart demonstrates that, despite responsible financial management, we are operating with very limited financial flexibility. Our current cash flow is tight, and securing additional funding is essential to expand our work and provide the necessary resilience to launch new, ambitious projects for songbirds.

At the year-end our Unrestricted Free Reserves amounted to £1,860

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----- Start of picture text -----
PROPORTIONS
OF SPEND BY
TYPE
----- End of picture text -----

Work of the charity Research 35% Education 10% Fundraising 20% Communications and PR 20% Running the charity 15%*

As per the Charity’s Reserves and Investment Policy, £124,000 are held in Reserve. In addition, £85,547 of reserves are designated towards the future contract liabilities i.e. the remainder of the long-term research projects or are Designated Funds towards the Research and Education Programmes.

Funds already received and restricted for use on our research and education programmes amounted to £29,747

FINANCIAL RESERVES POLICY

The following reserves will be held:

i) A “safety reserve” of £50,000 to cover budget variances, to allow contingency actions to be affected, and to provide a buffer for more radical action in the event of a more serious or more sustained variance than anticipated.

ii) A “general reserve” of £74,000 to be used to support the growth of the charity, in

20

SONGBIRD SURVIVAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2025

particular to ensure key staff contracts and operational costs can be continued in a crisis. This is calculated based upon three months of operating costs.

RESTRICTED AND DESIGNATED FUNDS:

Restricted & Designated Funds:

  1. The Research Fund. A total of £194,649 was spent from this fund towards our research programme as described in the Report of the Directors. At the year end the restricted fund amounted to £1,800 with £85,547 of unrestricted funds designated towards

  2. contractual liabilities over the coming 2 years.

  3. The Duckworth Fund. This began in 2013 and has been used to fund the Keith Duckworth Scholarship fund. At the year end this fund amounted to nil.

  4. The PR Fund. This fund was set up in 2012 to help towards the cost of promoting the work of the charity. The fund is ongoing with a regular income pledged to help with these costs. At the year end this fund amounted to nil after a total of £61,727 was spent during the year.

  5. The Education Fund. This fund was set up to help fund our Education programme and the Charity spent £31,958 during the year and at the year end the fund amounted to £27,947.

All funds are actively fundraised for and donations which are restricted to that purpose pass through their respective fund accordingly.

Any shortfall in spending from any fund is made up with transfers from unrestricted funds.

RISK MANAGEMENT

The Board takes all reasonable steps to ensure that major risks are identified and recorded.

The risk register which identifies both operational and strategic risks is reviewed and updated every six months by the senior staff team. The board conduct a more robust review on an annual basis.

This year four newly identified risks were added to the register, with three of the four rated as low-risk status.

PRINCIPAL RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES

The significant risks identified during the risk management process were:

21

OUR FUTURE PLANS

advocacy to collaborating with organisations such as the Aga Khan Centre Gallery, we will amplify our voice and extend our reach. Recognising our size and specialist nature, we will prioritise projects with national impact and those that connect us to new audiences. Building on the success of our RHS Chelsea garden, we will champion Gardens for Birds, promoting natural solutions, pesticide-free gardening and playing a lead role in the conversation on responsible bird feeding – an issue gaining traction nationally.

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Linnet
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025 marked SongBird Survival’s silver anniversary – a milestone that serves as 2a launchpad for the next phase of our mission, saving songbirds with science.

At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to turning robust scientific evidence into real-world change. Our research portfolio, built over two decades, continues to inform policy and practice, and while we will always seek to fill emerging knowledge gaps around new threats, we remain focused on ensuring that existing evidence continues to drive tangible outcomes.

In the year ahead, our work will centre on three strategic themes: demonstrating impact, inspiring action, and raising awareness of the songbird crisis.

To achieve this, we will sharpen our focus on influencing decision-makers and opinionformers - government bodies, NGOs, and key partners - where systemic change can deliver the greatest benefit. While public engagement remains important, our primary efforts will target policy influencers, ensuring our evidence reaches those who shape national strategies. At the same time, we will continue to harness the emotional connection people have with songbirds, using campaigns like National Robin Day and the Ruby Robin Award to engage communities and inspire practical action.

Partnerships will be pivotal. From scaling up our veterinary drugs campaign through joint

Education and outreach will remain core, with plans to launch a new webinar series, translating scientific solutions into practical steps for songbird conservation. Our evidencebased advocacy will continue across priority areas: garden bird feeding, domestic cats, disease, pesticides, and predation.

Alongside this, we will publish new findings from our veterinary drugs study and scale up campaigns to influence policy change.

We are also acutely aware of the rapid rise of AI and its potential to transform the way charities operate. In 2025/2026, we will explore how AI can help us drive efficiencies, enhance research analysis, and strengthen communications. Our goal is to equip our team with the skills and knowledge to use AI responsibly and effectively, ensuring it becomes a tool for innovation rather than risk. By embracing this technology thoughtfully, we aim to unlock new opportunities for impact while maintaining the integrity and trust that underpin our work.

To underpin these ambitions, we will strengthen our income base through diversified fundraising, growing corporate partnerships, and expanding regular giving. A mini restructure in our fundraising team and the recruitment of an additional parttime fundraiser will support this growth. Increasing brand awareness will also be critical - through targeted PR, media engagement, and enhanced digital presence - to ensure our research and message reach the widest possible audience.

Guided by eight organisational objectives, 2025/2026 will be a year of bold steps: externally focused, partnership-driven, and strategically aligned to deliver lasting impact for songbirds and the ecosystems they sustain.

22

SONGBIRD SURVIVAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2025

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES YEAR TO 30TH SEPTEMBER 2025

The Trustees present their annual report, together with the accounts for the year ended 30th September 2025, which have been prepared in accordance with the statutory requirements and the charity’s governing documents.

The Trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) Accounting and Reporting by Charities (FRS 102) in preparing the annual report and financial statements of the charity.

STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE

The Trustees have paid due regard to the guidance published by the Charity Commission on Public Benefit, when reviewing the activities of the charity.

Charitable status

The company is a registered charity. Its registration number is 1085281 with the Charity Commission of England and Wales.

Legal status and organisation

The Charity is constituted as a company limited by guarantee and, therefore, governed by articles of association. The members of the Charity elect the Trustees at each annual general meeting. The Trustees meet around six times a year to decide how the Charity should carry out its aims.

The Trustees delegate day to day running of the charity to the CEO and staff; with monthly oversight to ensure activites are within agreed parameters.

Results and Dividends

The results of the Charity are set out on the following pages.

The articles of Association specifically prevents payment of any dividend or material benefits to members.

Appointment of Trustees

Trustees are elected at the annual general meeting by the membership. Five new Trustees joined the board during the year ending 30th September 2025.

Services of volunteers

The charity depends on the unpaid work of its Trustees, all of whom donate their time. The money saved by not paying Trustees for their professional expertise has not been quantified but is estimated to be in the region of £36,000 in the year.

Trustees

The Trustees (Directors) who served the company are shown on page 2.

Insurance

The Charity has purchased liability insurance for the Trustees and officers.

Small company status

The report of the Trustees has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

This report was approved by the Board of Trustees on 20th January 2026.

23

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF SONGBIRD SURVIVAL

I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 30th September 2025, which are set out on pages 24 to 31.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The charity’s trustees 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 needed.

It is my responsibility to:

Basis of 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 statement below.

Independent examiner’s statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

Adam James MAAT Eric Southwick & Co Charity Accountants 51 The Avenue Seaham Co Durham SR7 8NS

Date: 15th December 2025

24

SONGBIRD SURVIVAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2025

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT YEAR TO 30TH SEPTEMBER 2025

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----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
Unrestricted Restricted Unrestricted Restricted
Funds Funds Total Funds Funds Total
Notes £ £ £ £ £ £
Income and Endowments
from:
Donations and Legacies 4 205,893 159,183 365,076 212,563 148,509 361,072
Charitable Activities 5 18,785 - 18,785 3,287 - 3,287
Other trading activities 6 175 - 175 224 - 224
Investment Income 7 4,458 - 4,458 7,050 - 7,050
Other 7 48,461 - 48,461 33,439 2,486 35,925
Total income and Endowments 277,772 159,183 436,955 256,563 150,995 407,558
Expenditure on
Charitable activities:
Research 9 - 194,649 194,649 - 180,243 180,243
Education 10 - 31,958 31,958 - 32,402 32,402
Campaigns 9 - 22,323 22,323 - 31,330 31,330
Raising funds:
Membership 10 10,553 - 10,553 25,030 - 25,030
Fundraising 10 101,281 - 101,281 110,004 - 110,004
Activities: 10 1,300 - 1,300 8,265 - 8,265
PR 10 52,807 61,727 114,534 - 68,369 68,369
Trading activities 11 289 - 289 230 - 230
Support costs 12 81,373 - 81,373 82,779 - 82,779
Total Expenditure 247,603 310,657 558,260 226,308 312,344 538,652
Net income / expenditure 30,169 (151,474) (121,305) 30,255 (161,349) (131,094)
Transfers between funds 29 (150,519) 150,519 - (192,051) 192,051 -
Net movement in funds (120,350) (955 ) (121,305) (161,796) 30,702 (131,094)
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward 246,210 30,702 276,912 408,006 - 408,006
Total funds carried forward 125,860 29,747 155,607 246,210 30,702 276,912
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25

BALANCE SHEET YEAR TO 30TH SEPTEMBER 2025

2025 Total
2024 Total
Notes
£
£
Lee		 2025 Total
2024 Total
Notes
£
£
Lee
Fixed Assets
Tangible Assets
20
1,204		 1,818
Current Assets
Stock
-		 289
Cash at bank - Current Account
154,020		 216,083
Cash at bank - Deposit Account
25,000		 150,000
Cash in hand
421		 421
Funds in transit
789		 1,474
Debtors
24
3,633		 1,586
Total current assets
183,863		 369,853
Creditors: Amounts falling due within oneyear
25
(28,547)		 (94,759)
Provision for long-term Contracts
26
(85,547)		 (218,561)
Net current assets
69,769		 56,533
Total assets less current liabilities
70,973		 58,351
Funds:
Unrestricted Funds
27
125,860		 246,210
Restricted Funds
27
29,747		 (187,859)
Total c/fwd
155,607		 58,351

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions for small companies under Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the Financial Reporting Standard FRS 102. The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 30 September 2025. The members have not required the charitable company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 30 September 2025 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 20th January 2026 and were signed on its behalf by:

Nicky Oliver, Director

The notes on pages 26 to 31 are an integral part of these accounts.

26

SONGBIRD SURVIVAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2025

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS YEAR TO 30TH SEPTEMBER 2025

ACCOUNTING POLICIES

1) STRUCTURE AND CONTROL

SongBird Survival is a company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital. The maximum liability of each member does not exceed £1. Company number 4078747. The registered office is 50 Princes Street, Ipswich, Suffolk. IP1 1RJ. SongBird Survival is a registered charity. Registered in England and Wales Number 1085281. The Charity is under the control of the Board of Trustees, each of whom are a Director.

The principal accounting policies are summarised below. The accounting policies have been applied consistently throughout the year.

2) BASIS OF ACCOUNTING

The accounts (financial statements) have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued in October 2019 and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011, Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Practice as it applies from 1 January 2019. The charity is a public benefit entity as defined under FRS102.

There are no material uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern. Whilst the Trustees expect there could be an impact from the current uncertain economic environment on the charity’s operations and reserves in the coming months and years, the charity has sufficient reserves to be able to meet these challenges.

3) INCOMING RESOURCES

All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when the Charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:

Voluntary income is received by way of grants, donations, subscriptions and gifts and is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable, except as follows:

i) When donors specify that donations given to the Charity must be used in future accounting periods, the income is deferred until those periods.

ii) When donors impose pre-conditions which have to be fulfilled before the Charity becomes entitled to us such income, the income is deferred until the pre-condition have been met.

Legacies are included on a receivable basis where the Charity is entitled to the income, it can be measured reliably and receipt is probable. Where legacies have been notified to the Charity, or the Charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is not included in income but is treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.

Investment income is included when receivable.

ANALYSIS OF INCOMING RESOURCES

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----- Start of picture text -----
4) DONATIONS AND LEGACIES
2025 2024
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total Total
£ £ £ £
Donations 68,290 50,790 119,080 102,877
Membership 44,647 - 44,647 36,009
Legacies and In Memory gifts 19,341 - 19,341 39,185
Trust Grants 71,595 81,693 153,288 150,270
Corporate Partnerships 2,020 16,000 18,020 29,731
Gifts in Kind – Professional
- 10,700 10,700 3,000
Services
205,893 159,183 365,076 361,072
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27

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS YEAR TO 30TH SEPTEMBER 2025

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----- Start of picture text -----
5) INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES
2025 2024
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total Total
£ £ £ £
Lottery and Raffles 2,560 - 2,560 2,425
Auctions 15,600 - 2,560 -
Events - - - -
Other activities 625 - 625 862
18,785 - 18,785 3,287
6) OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES
Sales 175 - 175 224
175 - 175 224
7) OTHER
Investment Income 4,458 - 4,458 7,050
Gift aid 37,757 - 37,757 30,872
Other Revenue 204 - 204 53
Employment allowance 10,500 - 10,500 5,000
52,919 - 52,919 42,975
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8) APPLICATION OF RESOURCES EXPENDED

Resources expended are included in the statement of financial activities on an accruals basis inclusive of any VAT which cannot be recovered. Expenditure which is directly attributable to specific activities has been included in the relevant cost categories. Where costs are attributable to more than one activity they have been apportioned across the cross categories on a basis consistent with the use of these resources.

ANALYSIS OF EXPENDITURE ON:

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----- Start of picture text -----
9) COST OF CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES
2025 2024
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total Total
£ £ £ £
Research Programme - 194,649 194,649 180,243
Education Programme - 31,958 31,958 32,402
Campaigns - 22,323 22,323 31,330
- 248,930 248,930 243,975
10) RAISING FUNDS
Fundraising costs 101,281 - 101,281 110,004
Cost of membership 10,553 - 10,553 25,030
Cost of activities 1,300 - 1,300 8,265
Communications 52,807 61,727 114,534 68,369
165,941 61,727 227,668 211,668
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28

SONGBIRD SURVIVAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2025

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS YEAR TO 30TH SEPTEMBER 2025

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----- Start of picture text -----
11) COST OF OTHER TRADING ACTIVITY
2025 2024
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total Total
£ £ £ £
Cost of sales 289 - 289 230
289 - 289 230
12) SUPPORT COSTS
Staff costs 62,950 - 62,950 61,665
Staff expenses 4,176 - 4,176 5,704
Trustee meetings and expenses 831 - 831 1,140
Insurances 1,852 - 1,852 1,373
Professional services 2,098 - 2,098 2,100
Bank charges 1,733 - 1,733 1,520
Rent rates and power 3,360 - 3,360 3,451
Office, telephone and stationery 2,728 - 2,728 3,940
Equipment and software 531 - 531 862
Depreciation 1,114 - 1,114 1,024
81,373 - 81,373 82,779
----- End of picture text -----

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----- Start of picture text -----
13) NET INCOME / EXPENDITURE
2025 2024
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total Total
£ £ £ £
Total income 277,772 159,183 436,955 407,558
Total expenditure 247,603 310,657 558,260 538,652
30,169 (151,474) (121,305) (131,094)
14) STAFF COSTS
Wages and Salaries 222,732 - 222,732 216,350
Employer's National Insurance 25,310 - 25,310 20,047
Pension contributions 5,084 - 5,084 4,646
Staff training 2,085 - 2,085 4,189
Recruitment costs 6,608 - 6,608 863
Other employment costs 1,144 - 1,144 1,341
262,963 - 262,963 247,436
2025 2024
Number of with salaries over £60k 1 -
The average number of FTE staff per month was 5.81 (2024: 5.38)
and the average head count was 7 (2024: 7)
----- End of picture text -----

29

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS YEAR TO 30TH SEPTEMBER 2025

15) TRUSTEE’S EXPENSES

Trustees were reimbursed expenses that they incurred whilst carrying out Trustee duties. The nature of these expenses was travel, mileage and subsistence costs.

16) TRUSTEES’ REMUNERATION

No Trustee received remuneration during the year.

17) ACCOUNTANCY AND EXTERNAL SCRUTINY FEES

During the year accountancy and external scrutiny fees amounted to £1,560 (2024: £1,560).

18) PENSION SCHEME

The Charity has arranged a defined contribution scheme for its staff. Pension costs charged in the SOFA represent the contributions payable by the Charity in the period.

19) TAXATION

No provision is made for taxation because the company is a registered charity without taxable activity levels.

20) FIXED ASSETS

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----- Start of picture text -----
Computer Office Total
equipment equipment
£ £ £
Cost
Balance b/fwd 2,968 1,436 4,404
Additions in the year 500 - 500
Disposal in the year - - -
Balance c/fwd 3,468 1,436 4,904
Depreciation
Balance b/fwd 2,179 407 2,586
Charge for the year 889 225 1,114
Elimination on disposal - - -
Balance c/fwd 3,068 632 3,700
Net book value
Balance b/fwd 789 1,029 1,818
Balance c/fwd 400 804 1,204
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21) FIXED ASSETS

Fixed assets are included at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is charged so as to write off the cost of fixed assets over their estimated useful lives. The Trustees estimate that the following classes of assets have the following useful lives:

Computer - 3 years

Office equipment - 5 years

22) STOCK

Stock represents the purchase of goods that are initially recognised at cost. Provision for slow-moving or obsolete lines is made, reducing their carrying value to expected realisable sales or written off and disposed.

23) CASH

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

30

SONGBIRD SURVIVAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2025

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS YEAR TO 30TH SEPTEMBER 2025

24) DEBTORS

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----- Start of picture text -----
2025 Total 2024 Total
£ £
Gift aid recoverable 3,513 1,498
Prepayments - -
Other debtors 120 88
3,633 1,586
----- End of picture text -----

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

25) CREDITORS

2025 Total
2024 Total
£
£
Creditors 1,382
2,368
Pensions and HMRCpayable 983
979
Accruals 26,182
91,412
28,547
94,759

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

26) PROVISION FOR LONG TERM CONTRACTS

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----- Start of picture text -----
2025-26 2026-27 Total
Research contracts: £ £ £
Veterinary drugs - - -
Recreational Disturbance 35,670 12,668 48,338
Endocrine disrupting chemicals 30,290 6,919 37,209
Total Provision: 65,960 19,587 85,547
----- End of picture text -----

27) ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS

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----- Start of picture text -----
Unrestricted Restricted Total
Funds Funds Funds
£ £ £
Tangible fixed assets 1,204 - 1,204
Current assets 40,022 29,747 69,769
Current liabilities 28,547 - 28,547
Long term liabilities - 85,547 85,547
Net assets as at 30/09/25 12,679 (55,800) (43,121)
----- End of picture text -----

28) FUND ACCOUNTING

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general activities of the Charity. Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of appeal.

31

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS YEAR TO 30TH SEPTEMBER 2025

29) MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

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----- Start of picture text -----
At 01/10/2024 Incoming Outgoing Transfers At 30/09/2025
Resources Resources
£ £ £ £ £
Restricted
Funds:
Made up of:
Research Fund 10,484 44,082 194,649 141,883 1,800
Duckworth Fund - 10,500 - (10,500) -
PR Fund - 28,500 61,727 33,227 -
Education Fund 20,218 76,101 54,281 (14,091) 27,947
Total Restricted
Funds 30,702 159,183 310,657 150,519 29,747
Unrestricted Reserves:
Made up of:
General reserve 74,000 - - - 74,000
Safety reserve 50,000 - - - 50,000
Designated funds:
Research
programme 100,000 - - (14,453) 85,547
Education
programme 25,000 - - (25,000) -
Provision for
future contracts (218,561) - (133,014) - (85,547)
Total Reserves
and Designated
Funds 30,439 - (133,014) (39,453) 124,000
Unrestricted
Funds 246,210 277,772 247,603 (150,519) 125,860
Of which Free
Reserves 215,771 277,772 380,617 (111,066) 1,860
Total restricted
and unrestircted
Funds 276,912 436,955 558,260 - 155,607
----- End of picture text -----

See page 19-20 for full explanation about our funds, reserves and designated funds.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO PROTECT UK SONGBIRDS Songbirds are struggling, and creating a future where they flourish will take sustained research and dedication. That’s where legacy giving makes all the difference.

Leaving a gift in your will is a beautiful way to care for birds beyond your lifetime. Legacy gifts mean we can plan ahead to find answers to the scientific questions no-one is asking, often supporting decades of vital research.

Will you help make sure the dawn chorus never falls silent?

Contact us on 01379 641715 or dawn-chorus@songbird-survival.org.uk, or visit songbirdsos.org/legacy