2025-04-30-accounts

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 2024 to 30[th] April 2025

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. This year WBRC began working to the 1[st] year of the 3 year (2024-27) strategic plan with an overview to secure and further develop the organisation.

Staffing continued at 1.8 FTE in 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 c.45% of total income, Service Level Agreement streams 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 was completed during this financial year. This is a major project was fully funded by Woodland Trust in conjunction with Natural England.

The database has continued to grow over the year, giving access to over 1.7 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 £55,912.86

Ruth Bourne

Chair of the Board

Charity Number 1096279 Company Number 4416182

Worcestershire Biological Records Centre Financial Statement - 01.05.24 to 30.04.25

		£
Income
Contributions Contributions Contributions Contributions Contributions Sales	Worcs Wildlife Trust WorcsCounty Council EnvironmentAgency Woodland Trust(AncientWoodland Inventory) EcoRecord ProjectGrant	10,500.00 4,750.00 10,437.56 9,000.00 7,500.00 38,691.77
Bank Interest		628.48
		81,507.81
Expenditure
Employment Costs Phone & Broadband		85,543.32 174.00
Insurance Expenses/Travel Office/Equipment/IT Training/Conferences		724.77 263.69 2,223.58 947.80
Rent/Rates OS Licence		1,316.03 695.54
ALERC Membership		580.00
Total expenditure 92,468.73 a
Deficit for year
Balance sheet		£
Bank Balance Brought	Forward	66,873.78
Deficit for year		-10,960.92
BankBalanceCarried	Forward

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IER IER

1 1 Oct Oct 2018 2018

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Section Section B B

Disclosure Disclosure

Only Only complete complete if the the examiner examiner needs needs to to highlight highlight material material matters mattersof concern of concern (see (seeCC32, CC32, Independent Independent examination examination of of charity charity accounts: accounts: directions directions and and guidance guidance for for examiners). examiners).

Give Give here here brief brief details details of of NONe e any any items items that that the [the] sbuaict tive examinerwishes examiner wishes to to

disclose. disclose.

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