## **WORCESTERSHIRE BIOLOGICAL RECORDS CENTRE** 

Lower Smite Farm, Smite Hill, Hindlip, Worcester, WR3 8SZ 

A company limited by guarantee and registered in England No. 04416182 This company is a Registered Charity under registration No. 1096279 

## **ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE BOARD 1[st] May 2022 to 30[th] April 2023** 

## **Objective of the Company** 

To provide a service which collects, manages and disseminates quality environmental information for the public benefit. 

## **Public Benefit Statement** 

In addition to the public benefits arising from the availability of quality environmental information, such as assisting decision making which protects the environment, WBRC provides identification services to members of the public, and provides education on environmental issues through its support of the Worcestershire Recorders, their field events, the production of the joint journal, Worcestershire Record, and its website www.wbrc.org.uk.  We aim to include records held by WBRC on the National Biodiversity Network Atlas of which WBRC is a member. 

WBRC has continued to supply information to all Service Level Agreement holders including Environment Agency, Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, together with providing data to environmental consultants and local natural history groups, with species identification assistance to members of the public on an ongoing basis as single data requests. 

Staffing was maintained at 1.6 FTE with 2 long-term volunteers contributing greatly during this reporting period within the areas of data processing and administrative duties. Commercial enquiries remained an important income stream, representing 42% of total income, Service Level Agreement streams were reduced with the loss of the Worcestershire Wildlife Consultancy contract but the remaining were stable during this period and all look to renew for next financial year.  WBRC can report a sound financial status to end the year. 

The update of the Worcestershire area of the National Ancient Woodland Inventory continued during this financial year. This is a major project fully funded by Woodland Trust and in conjunction with Natural England; WBRC will continue to feed into this project until March 2024. 

The database has continued to grow over the year, giving access to over 1.6 million records in the county.  The methods by which data is funnelled into WBRC have begun to evolve over the last few years and much more biological recording is undertaken by individuals via online portals such as iRecord.  WBRC is working to update and maintain processes to ensure we collate and provide access to the best possible data for the county. 

## **Review of Financial Activity** 

The organisation finished the year with total assets of **£78,577.04** 

Ruth Bourne 

Chair of the Board 



## **Worcestershire Biological Records Centre** 

## **Financial Statement - 01.05.22 to 30.04.23** 

|**Charity Number**|**1096279**|
|---|---|
|**Company Number**|**4416182**|



|Bank Balance Brought Forward<br>**Income:**<br>Contributions<br>Worcs Wildlife Trust<br>WNCT Enterprises<br>Worcs County Council<br>Environment Agency<br>Woodland Trust (Ancient Woodland Inventory)<br>Worc Recorders<br>Sales<br>Bank Interest<br>**Income Total**<br>**Total Assets**|74180.67<br>**Expenditure:**<br>10500<br>Employment Costs<br>600<br>Phone & Broadband<br>6740.00<br>Insurance<br>9651<br>Expenses/Travel<br>18000.00<br>Office/Equipment/IT<br>25.00<br>Training/Conferences<br>Rent/Rates<br>OS Licence<br>Worcs Recorders reimburse<br>**Expenditure Sub Total**<br>32481.50<br>216.69<br>**Balance Carried Forward**<br>**78214.19**<br>**152394.86**|69884.30<br>602.46<br>668.82<br>248.79<br>882.17<br>13.00<br>765.00<br>728.28<br>25.00<br>**73817.82**|
|---|---|---|
|||**78577.04**|
||||





Independent examiner's report on the accounts 

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES 

## Section A 

Independent Examiner's Report 

Report to the trustees/ members of On accounts for the year oy | Charity no G ended (if any) Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. examiner's Independent statement come I have to completed my attention my examination. (other than that I confirm disclosed that below no material *) in connection matters havewith the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: • accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or • the accounts do not accord with the accounting records I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. * Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. 

Signed: Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): ßose C-oTTBG€. Address: e ass 

Date: 

1 

October 2018 

IER 



Section B 

## Disclosure 

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. 

2 

October 2018 

IER