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2023-05-31-accounts

Company number 4218686 Charity number 1094917

The Wycombe Environment Centre Ltd.

Annual Report and Accounts

for the year ended 31st May 2023

Registered Office 10 The Galleries, Dovecot Road High Wycombe HP13 5HR

The Wycombe Environment Centre Ltd.

Registered Company number 4218686

Registered Charity number 1094917

Contents

Contents
Administrative information 1
Trustees Annual Report 2
Independent Examiner's report 6
Statement of Financial Activities 7
Balance Sheet 8
Notes to the accounts 9

The Wycombe Environment Centre Ltd.

Registered Company number 4218686

Registered Charity number 1094917

Charity information for the period ended 31st May 2023

Trustees Louise Alexander (Treasurer: resigned 20th April 2023)
Kimberley Hallam (appointed 5th December 2022,
resigned 19th February 2023)
Ellen Hawes (appointed 17th January 2023)
Tracey Huxley (appointed 14th February 2023)
John Jewell (resigned 23rd February 2023)
Suzi Jones (appointed 3rd October 2022)
Anthony Leonard (resigned 23rd February 2023)
Dr. Rosemary Miller (appointed 7th November 2022,
resigned 6th November 2023)
Anthony Murphy (Chairman)
Hilary Payne (resigned 10th October 2023)
Sarfaraz Khan Raja
Penelope Tollitt
Registered Office 10 The Galleries
Dovecot Road
High Wycombe HP13 5HR
Bankers Metro Bank
Unit 81 / 113 Eden Walk
High Wycombe HP11 2AW
Independent Examiner Simon Erskine
61 Mortimer Road
London NW10 5QR

1

The Wycombe Environment Centre Ltd.

Registered Company Number: 4218686

Registered Charity Number: 1094917

Trustees Annual Report

Introduction

The trustees, who are also the directors for the purposes of company law, present their Annual Report for the year ending 31 May 2023 under the Charities Act 2011, together with the accounts for the year, and confirm that the latter comply with the requirements of the Act and the Charities SORP 2005 (Second edition).

Structure, Governance & Management

The company, which is limited by guarantee, was incorporated on 17[th] May 2001. It is also a registered charity (number 1094917) and is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association. The directors of the company are its trustees for the purposes of charity law and throughout this report are collectively referred to as ‘the trustees’. The trustees are selected and appointed by existing trustees, confirmed at the AGM.

Public Benefit Statement

The charity exists to benefit the public in the following ways:

  1. by raising awareness in the High Wycombe area of the causes underlying, and the challenges arising from, global climate change (‘Think Global’);

  2. by encouraging local communities, families and individuals to explore, adopt and share good eco-living practices and behaviour (‘Act Local’);

  3. by seeking out stable and productive partnerships, networks and joint ventures with like-minded local groups, recognising that no one organisation has all the answers, and that in seeking to combat climate change, the current rich diversity of perspectives, solutions and priorities should be seen as strength, rather than weakness.

2

Activities for the year

Following the decision of Buckinghamshire Council to end public funding of local ‘scrap store’, the Wycombe Resource Zone (WRZ), the trustees of Wycombe Environment Centre (WEC) took on the stock of WRZ and moved the shop from the Cressex industrial estate into the town centre. The new project was named ‘Refresh’, vision was not only to re-open the previous scrap store, but to build this into an ‘upcycling hub’ and centre for other local projects tackling the climate and biodiversity crises.

The trustees approached The Clare Foundation and received seed funding of £5,000. WEC’s proposal was put to the Buckinghamshire Community Boards whose members pledged £45,051 (£25,000 from High Wycombe, £9,098 from Beaconsfield, £6,127 from South West Chilterns, £3,527 from North West Chilterns and £1,299, based on the location usage figures from WRZ).

In August 2022, WEC received £20,000 from Veolia, the company responsible for recycling in Buckinghamshire. In addition, Buckinghamshire Council’s Waste Service granted £35,000 for the Refresh project.

The ‘Refresh’ shop opened in June 2022, initially on Saturday afternoon. Over the course of the year that has extended to a full day on Saturday and half a day on Wednesday afternoons. The shop mainly provides crafting materials. Fabrics are donated by local furniture makers when they are surplus to requirements, and there is a range of other donated materials including haberdashery, materials for junk modelling, along with paper and card. During the year there were over 1,000 customers, buying over 5,500 items that would otherwise have gone to waste, with over 400 volunteer hours serving in the shop, from a volunteer base of about 25 people.

Wycombe Environment Centre also became the strategic partner for the local Repair Cafe, which does not have its own bank account. This had previously been offered by Friends of the Earth, who were happy to pass the project over. The Repair Cafe is held monthly in the Parish Church in High Wycombe. It repaired over 150 items over the course of the year, with about 300 volunteer hours.

New trustees joined the board from the summer of 2022, including expertise in strategy, law, social media and fundraising and IT.

The trustees recruited a Volunteer and Operations Coordinator to run the shop in July 2022 and in December 2022 appointed a Development Manager. The Development Manager is building relationships with stakeholders in the town and has found larger premises to enable other initiatives. .

An away day with the new board and staff, early in 2023, established a clear mission for WEC: “ to bring together, inspire and empower people to drive practical and positive action in response to the climate and ecological crisis”

‘Refresh Wycombe’ Instagram and Facebook accounts have been set up to build a following among crafters and others who love the shop and the charity continued to work with existing volunteers to administer the former ‘Ecobuzz’ Facebook page, which is now the “Wycombe Environment Centre” page.

3

The AGM was held in February 2023 with 27 people attending from various businesses and organisations, growing the number of members to 16.

A pilot School Membership scheme was tested in early 2023 and onboarded 5 schools. Membership allows access to unlimited stock for a small annual fee.

WEC held stalls at the Marsh & Micklefield Community Day, Royal Grammar School Art Fest, Frogfest, co-hosted stalls with Friends of The Earth High Wycombe at Pann Mill and Marlow Carnival, organised a night for volunteers and members in June 2023. Trustees gave talks at the Pride of Bucks awards and Bucks New University and two talks at supportive local audio businesses.

Plans for the future

In the autumn of 2023, Refresh is planning to move into a much larger, premises, again as a meanwhile use, 13-18 Oxford Street, a highly visible location in the centre of High Wycombe.

In preparation for the move, considerable work has been undertaken on establishing a new clear strategy and business plan for the enlarged project. The focus will be on driving initiatives to stimulate the circular economy and zero waste practices, with the aim of establishing a ‘social enterprise’ to help fund core costs for the organisation.

Linked to this, a new brand and logo were developed, replacing the one which was put in place on a temporary basis when the scrap store was first opened. This has repositioned the project as ‘Refresh The Marketplace’, reflecting the wider aim of the new upcycling centre.

Our goal over the next two years is to expand our existing shop into a community upcycling marketplace of services and activities. Here people share, repair, make and create, providing an easy alternative to buying new, reducing waste and supporting a circular economy.

The new space will initially host the extended Refresh upcycling centre with extended opening hours along with a library of things, and with space to run workshops, to pass on skills in craft and repair. Further activities and services are planned as the organisation grows its capacity and volunteer base.

The trustees consider that the project’s funding is covered for 23/24 and are working with the Development Manager to fundraise for the future of the project thereafter.

Financial Review

At 31[st] May 2023, Wycombe Environment Centre held unrestricted reserves of £11,093 (2022: £333) and restricted funds of £54,315 (2022: £22,574).

4

Reserves policy

Trustees have established a policy whereby to secure the on-going sustainability of The Wycombe Environment Centre Ltd, this is based on total reserves, since their restricted reserves relate to the core project and is based on cost of 2 salaries going forward, as well as the cost of current premises. The target total reserves is equivalent to 5 months’ running costs at £22,500 (calculated at £4,500 per month).

Any surplus above this amount is regarded as a safeguard for a shortfall in fundraising activity for projects and designated for the development and creation of new projects. At the moment, total reserves stand at £65,408, so well in excess of our target.

Risk mitigation

A detailed Risk Register was compiled by the Board of Trustees which has been monitored annually.

Preparation of the report

This report has been prepared taking advantage of the small companies’ exemption of section 415A of the Companies Act 2006.

Signed on behalf of the Wycombe Environment Centre Board of Trustees:

Anthony Murphy

Chair

Date: 5th December 2023

5

Independent Examiner's report to the Trustees of The Wycombe Environment Centre Ltd

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the annexed accounts of The Wycombe Environment Centre Ltd for the year ended 31 May 2022. 2023

This report is made solely to the Trustees, as a body, in accordance with regulations made under section 154 of the Charities Act 2011. My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the Trustees matters I am required to state to them in an Independent Examiner’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Trustees for my independent examination work, for this report or for the statement I have given below

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your company’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

Simon Erskine FCA FCIE DChA 61 Mortimer Road London NW10 5QR

31 January 2023 6th December 2023

1

The Wycombe Environment Centre Ltd

Statement of financial activities (incorporating an income and expenditure account)

For the year ended 31 May 2023

Unrestricted
Note
£
Income from:
2
4,880
3
Earned income
4
5,880
Total income
10,760
5
-
-
333
11a
11,093
Total expenditure
Donations and legacies
Charitable activities
Charitable activities
Refresh Wycombe
Expenditure on:
10,760
Total funds carried forward
Total funds brought forward
Reconciliation of funds:
Net income/(expenditure)		 Restricted
£
3,143
68,952
72,095
40,554
40,554
22,574
54,115
31,541		 2023
Total
£
8,023
68,952
5,880
82,855
40,554
40,554
22,907
65,208
42,301		 Unrestricted
£
220
-
220
-
-
113
333
220		 Restricted
£
-
25,051
-
25,051
4,498
4,498
2,021
22,574
20,553		 2022
Total
£
220
25,051
-
25,271
4,498
4,498
2,134
22,907
20,773

All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds are disclosed in Note 15a to the financial statements.

7

The Wycombe Environment Centre Ltd

Company no. 04218686

Balance sheet

As at 31 May 2023

Note
£
Current assets:
9
419
Cash at bank and in hand
66,344
66,763
Liabilities:
10
(1,555)
11
11,093
Total unrestricted funds
Debtors
The funds of the charity:
Total net assets
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Net current assets
General funds
Total charity funds
Restricted income funds
Unrestricted income funds:		 2023
£
65,208
65,208
54,115
11,093
65,208		 £
20,422
2,985
23,407
(500)
333		 2022
£
22,907
22,907
22,574
333
22,907

For the year ending 31 March 2023 the charitable company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

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 provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime.

Approved by the trustees on __ 2024 and signed on their behalf by 5th December 2023

Anthony Murphy Chairman of the Board of Trustees

8

The Wycombe Environment Centre Ltd

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 May 2023

a) Statutory information

The Wycombe Environment Centre Ltd is a charitable company limited by guarantee and is incorporated in England. The registered office address is 10 The Galleries, Dovecot Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP13 5HR.

b) Basis of preparation

Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy or note.

c) Public benefit entity

The charitable company meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.

d) Going concern

The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.

The trustees do not consider that there are any sources of estimation uncertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next reporting period.

e) Income

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the income have been met.

Income from government and other grants, whether ‘capital’ grants or ‘revenue’ grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.

Income received in advance of the provision of a specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met.

Subscriptions for membership of the charity do not entitle members to any goods or services and are therefore treated as voluntary income.

On receipt, donated gifts, professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt. Where it is impractical to reliably measure the fair value of items donated for resale, the donated goods are recognised as income when they are sold.

f) Fund accounting

Restricted Funds are to be used for specific purposes as laid down by the donor. Expenditure which meets these criteria is charged to the fund.

Unrestricted Funds are donations and other incoming resources received or generated for the charitable purposes.

g) Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.

h) Debtors 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.

i) Cash at bank and in hand

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.

j) Creditors and provisions

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.

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value.

9

The Wycombe Environment Centre Ltd

Notes to the financial statements

The Wycombe Environment Centre Ltd
Notes to the financial statements
For theyear ended 31 May2023
2
3
4
5
Asda Foundation: Bee Squared project
Premises
Office running costs
Recruitment
Independent Examination & accountancy fees
Analysis of expenditure
Earned income
Company membership
Bucks Council Waste Department
Income from donations and legacies
Donations
Repair Café donations
Department for Work & Pensions: Access to Work
Bee Squared donations
Donations in kind
Bank fees
Salaries
Freelancers
Insurance
IT Software & consumables
Legal & compliance
Trustee expenses
Project costs
Refresh sales
Refresh scheme membership
Veolia: Refresh project
Veolia: Bee Squared project
The Clare Foundation
Bucks Council Community Board
Income from charitable activities		 Unrestricted
£
3,770
950
-
160
4,880
Unrestricted
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Unrestricted
£
5,655
225
5,880
Direct
costs
£
2,901
22,530
-
636
-
-
-
-
26,067		 £
-
1,143
-
2,000
-
3,143
£
-
10,000
35,000
20,000
1,000
400
2,552
68,952
£
-
-
-
Support
costs
£
-
-
1,173
-
1,038
1,030
470
286
5,676
676
4,097
41
14,487
Restricted
Restricted
Restricted		 2023
Total
£
3,770
1,143
950
2,000
160
8,023
2023
Total
£
-
10,000
35,000
20,000
1,000
400
2,552
68,952
2023
Total
£
5,655
225
5,880
2023
Total
£
2,901
22,530
1,173
636
1,038
1,030
470
286
5,676
676
4,097
41
40,554		 Unrestricted
£
220
-
-
-
-
220
Unrestricted
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Unrestricted
£
-
-
-
Direct
costs
£
-
-
-
550
-
-
-
-
550		 £
-
-
-
-
-
-
£
5,000
20,051
-
-
-
-
-
25,051
£
-
-
-
Support
costs
£
-
-
-
-
500
102
-
-
3,305
41
-
-
3,948
Restricted
Restricted
Restricted		 2022
Total
£
220
-
-
-
-
220
2022
Total
£
5,000
20,051
-
-
-
-
-
25,051
2022
Total
£
-
-
-
2022
Total
£
-
-
-
550
500
102
-
-
3,305
41
-
-
4,498

The Independent Examiner's remuneration for the year was £800 (2022: £500).

6
Staff Costs
Wages and salaries
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Pension costs		 2023
£
22,125
-
405
22,530		 2022
£
-
-
-
-

The average number of employees (head count based on number of staff employed) during the year was 1 (2022: nil)

Key management personnel comprise the Trustees and the Development Manager. The total employee benefits of the Key Management Personnel were £8 988 (2022: nil)

No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000 (2021: nil).

10

The Wycombe Environment Centre Ltd

For the year ended 31 May 2023

Notes to the financial statements

7 Related Party transactions

During her trusteeship, Louise Alexander received £135 reimbursing travel to board meetings and AGM. Trustee Tracey Huxley received £200 reimbursement for purchasing a gazebo for outdoor stalls. Trustee Dr Rosie Miller received £150 reimbursement for the hire of a room at Bucks New University for the Board Away Day. The charity trustees were not paid or received any other benefits from employment with the charity in the year (2022: £nil).

Making Places Together, a company of which trustee Penelope Tollitt is the sole director, made an unrestricted donation of £2,975 to commemorate Frances Alexander, the Founder of The Wycombe Environment Centre Ltd.

Making Places Together also made a £2,000 restricted donation for the Bee Squared project.

Trustee Penelope Tollitt paid for the subscription to Google until May 2023 which represented a donation to the charity of £1,143. Penelope Tollitt made a further unrestricted donation of £15.

All board members donated £10 for membership of the charity (2022: nil). There were no other Related Party Transactions that require disclosure.

8 Taxation

The charitable company is exempt from corporation tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes.

9 Debtors

10
Taxes payable
Trade debtors
Prepayments
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Grant debtor
Accruals
Trade creditors		 2023
£
50
-
369
419
2023
£
38
1,175
342
1,555		 2022
£
-
20,051
371
20,422
2022
£
-
500
-
500

11

The Wycombe Environment Centre Ltd

Notes to the financial statements

For the year ended 31 May 2023

11a Movements in funds (Current year)

Total restricted funds
General Funds
11b
Total restricted funds
General Funds
Restricted funds:
Eric Alexander legacy
Unrestricted funds:
Total Unrestricted Funds
Total Funds
Refresh Wycombe
Movements in funds (prior year)
Total Funds
Refresh Wycombe
Restricted funds:
Bee Squared
Access to Work
Eric Alexander legacy
Unrestricted funds:
Total Unrestricted Funds		 At the start
of the year
£
20,553
-
-
2,021
22,574
333
333
22,907
At the start
of the year
£
-
2,021
2,021
113
113
2,134		 Income &
gains
£
66,143
3,400
2,552
-
72,095
10,760
10,760
82,855
Income &
gains
£
25,051
-
25,051
220
220
25,271		 Expenditure
& losses
£
(35,059)
(2,742)
(2,552)
-
(40,353)
-
-
(40,353)
Expenditure
& losses
£
(4,498)
-
(4,498)
-
-
(4,498)		 At the end
of the year
£
51,637
658
-
2,021
54,316
11,093
11,093
65,409
At the end
of the year
£
20,553
2,021
22,574
333
333
22,907

Purposes of Restricted Funds

Refresh Wycombe

Funding from The Clare Foundation, the Community Board of Bucks Council, the Waste Department of Buckinghamshire Council and Veolia to run a scrap store and develop an environmental hub in South Bucks.

Bee Squared

Funding from Veolia, the Asda Foundation and Making Places Together to distribute flower seeds to enable bees to prosper.

Access to Work

Funding from the Department of Work and Pensions for IT equipment and training for neurodivergent member of staff.

Eric Alexander legacy

This fund was given in memoriam to fund an ecological project.

11 Legal status of the charity

The charity is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. The liability of each member in the event of winding up is limited to £10.

12