Professional Gd£'deners' Trust Financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024 Company RegSstration Number 04544242 Charity Number 1101169
Professional Gardeners, Trust Financial statements Year ended 31 December 2024 Contents Pages Reference and administrative details Trustees, annual report 2and3 Responsibllities of the Trustees Independent examiner's report to the Trustees Statement of financial activili8s (incorporating the income and expenditure account) Balance sheet Notes to the financial statements 8t012
Professional Gardeners, Trust Reference and administrative details Reglstered charlty name Professional Gardeners, Trust Charity number 1101169 Company registration number 04544242 Registered office New Inn Farm, Forest Coal Pit, Abergavenny, Wales NP7 7LT Trustees Stephen Anderton (Chair) (Appointed 20 April 2024) Sarah Wain (Chair) (Resigned 22 April 2024) Simon Bagnall (Resigned 12 September 2024) Stephen Crisp (Resigned 28 January 2025) Natasha Goodfellow (Appointed 20 April 2024) George Hudson Stephen Mccallum Mercy Morris Catherine Nicoll Helen Seal Gemma Sturges Bertie Swainston Christopher Wardle {Reslgned 28 August 2024) (Resigned 28 January 2025) (Resigned 20 January 2025) (Appointed 20 April 2024) (Appointed 18 January 2025) Officers Adrian Thorne Claire Dakin Thys Terblanche Penny Peerless Awards Manager Hon. Secretary Hon. Treasurer Web Manager Independent examlner Lizanne Mccloud 32 Farm Lane Tonbridge Kent TN103DG COIF fund manager CCLA Inveslment Management Limited Cheapside, London. EC2V 6DZ Bankers CAF Bank 15 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling ME19 4JQ ME19 4JQ Charity Bank Fosse House 182 High Streer Tonbridge TN9 1BE
Professional Gardeners, Trust Trustees, annual report Year ended 31 December 2024 The Trustees, who are also direclors for the purposes of company law, have pleasure in presenting their report and the financial statements of the Trust for the year ended 31 December 2024. Trustees The Trustees during the year and up to the dale of (his report ar8 listed on page 1. Objectives and activities The Trust was established for the relief of poverty particularly (but not limited to) by provision of scholarshlps. grants or other monetary awards to persons engaged in horticulture, in order Ihat they rnay develop their skills and who are in need of such assistance by reason of their or Iheir family's economic or other circumstances. In setting our objectives and planning our activities, the Trustees hav@ complied wlth the duty lo have due regard to give careful consideration to Ihe Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit. Achievements and performance Donations raised a total of £57,704 (2023: £61,193) and investment income generated a further £3.959 (2023.. £3,416). This allowed the Trustees to make net scholarships and grants of £58,671 (2023: £48,882). Structure, governance and management Professional Gardeners, Trust is a company limited by guarantee but not having a share capital and is registered as a charity under the Charities Acl 1993. The Trust is managed by its Council of Trustees. Trustees are nominated by the other Trustees. All retire at the AGM and are eligible for re-election. The administration of awards and enqulries is carried out by the Awards Manager. The Trustees meot three times a year and delegate certain duties of the organisation between themselves and the Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasurer between meetings. All significanl decisions regarding the Trusl are taken or confirmed at a Truslees, meeting. The Professional Gardeners, Trust may be a small charity but it does a vital job, in helping fund training for self-employed gardeners within a profession which is not well-paid, and for gardeners working in institutions whose training budgets today are reduced, over-stretched, or sometimes non-existent. The need for the Trust has never been greater. Meanwhile the costs of the training we help fund continues to rise sharply (our awards have seen an average increase of 23 percent in the four years to 2024>. At the same time, there is also a trend for people to come into horticulture as a second career and, with the increasing cost of living and its effects on family life, such people are especially in need of help if they are to move upwards into their chosen career at a realislic speed. Yet these are financially challenging times for any charity and the Trusl is no exception- the charities who historically supply us with funds are themselves under financial pressure, and so we recognise the generosity of our donors, who include in particular the National Gardens Scheme, Royal Horticultural Society Bursaries, Perennial, and the Finnis-scott Foundation. The challenge now is to look beyond charitable funding to more commercial sources. It is hoped that during early 2025 private donation will provide us with a good new income strearn.
Professional Gardeners, Trust Trustees, report (continued) A budget for our own grants to beneficiaries was set at £60,000 for the year, but due to the number of applicants and the increasing cost of training courses, grants were reduced to 75 percent of target in the latter part of the year and closed in November when the set budget was spenl. Mor& funds would have allowed us to satisfy many more applications. The year has seen some changes in Ihe composition of the Trust. Four Trustees have retired from the board for lack of available tirne and one appointed, ensuring a continuing representation across Britain, and a further replacement with a financlal background is bellig sought. In September 2024 a Twentieth Anniversary Celebration was held al Roots and Shoots Educational and Environmental Charity, Kennington, South London, where representatives of donor charities and the press were welcomed, and the Trust's record reviewed: 800 gardeners funded through a total value of £400,000, since the PGT'S founding in 2004, originally as an offshoot of the Professional Gardener's Guild assisting the training of working gardeners. The PGT operates through the goodwill and generously-given time of its Trustees, and through the good offices of its Secretary, Treasurer and its one part-time paid officer, the Awards Manager, who vltally administers and expedltes all applications. To them all, we owe thanks. Financial revlew The results for the year and thelr impact on the charlty's funds are set out in detail in the statement of flnanclal activities on page 6. Tolal net expenditure for the year was £5,618 (2023 net income £8,349) and the year end net assets arnounted to £130,084 (2023,, £135,702). Reserves pollcy The Trustees review the reserves policy annually to reassess the risks and reflect changes in the environment in which the charity is operating, recognising that it is vulnerable to economic downturns. Based on an evaluation of the services the charity provides, the Trustees consider that tha Charity should hold sufficient unrestricted income funds to rneet the budgeted expenditure on both awards and running costs approved by the Trustees for the following eighteen months. The unrestricted income fund has decreased during the year to £124,129 (2023 £133,637) and the fund at 31 December 2024 represented approximately 19 months (2023,. 21 months) of budgeted expenditure approved by the Trustees for th@ following year. The level of the unrestrlcted income fund is kept under close review at our Trustees, meetings. Signed on behalf of the Trustees stephen Anderton 12 April 2025
Professional Gardeners, Trust Responsibilities of the Trustees Year ended 31 December 2024 Th8 Trustees (who are also the directors of Professional Gardeners, Trust for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees, annual report, the Chairman's statement and the financial statements in accordance wilh applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the slate of affairs of the charitabla company and of the incoming resources and application of resourcas, including the income and expenditura, of the charltable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required lo: selecl suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; observe the methods and principles in Ihe Statement of Recomrnended PraGtlce: Accounting and Reporting by Charilies; make judgements and eslimates that are reasonable and prudent; state whether applicable UK Accounting Slandards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and prepare the flnancial slatements on the going concern basls unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation, Th8 Truslees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose wlth reasonable accuracy al any time the financial position of the Trust and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of Ihe Trust and hence for taking reasonable steps for Ihe prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Professional Gardeners, Trust Independent examiner's report to the Trustees of Professional Gardener's Trust I reporl on the financial statements of the Trust for the year ended 31 December 2024 which are set out on pages 7 to 12. Respectlve responsibilltles of the Trustees and the examlner As explained more fully in the Truslees, Responsibilily Statemant set out on page 4, the Trustees (who ar8 also the directors for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparatlon of the financial statements and for being satisfied that th8se give a true a fair view. The 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 exarnination is needed. Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to an audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to: examlne the financial statements under section 145 of the 2011 Act., to follow the procedures laid down in Ihe General Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Acl; and lo state whether particular matters have come to my attenlion. Basls of Independent examlner's report My examination was carrled out In accordance with the General Dlrections given by the Charity Commlssion. 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 provlde all the evidence that would be required in an audit and no opinion is given as to whether the financial statements present a "true and fair view, and Ihe report is limiled to those malters set out in th8 Statement b810w. Independent examlner's statement In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention;_ (1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requiremenls to keep accounting records in accordance with section 386 of the Cornpanies Act 2006; and to prepare financial statements which accord with the accounling records and comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities. have not been met; or to which, In my oplnion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached. (2) Lizanne Mccloud 12 April 2025
Professional Gardeners, Trust Statement of financial activities (incorporating the Income and expenditure account) Year ended 31 December 2024 Unrestricted funds Restricted Total funds Total funds funds 2024 2023 Note Income from: Donations Investment income 41,220 16,484 57,704 61,193 3,416 Total income 45,179 16.484 61,663 64,609 Expenditure on: Expenditure on charitable activities Total expendlturo Unrealised gain on investment 1,059 1,059 3,948 Net income (expenditure) and net movement in funds for the year (9.508) 3,890 (5,618) 8,349 Reconciliatlon of funds Funds brought forward 133.637 2,065 135,702 127,353 Funds carried forward 5 84 The staternent of financial activities includes all gains and losses in the year and therefore a statement of total recognised gains and losses has not been prepared. All of the abov@ amounts relate to continuing activities. The notes on pages 9 to 12 form part of these flnanclal ststements
Professional Gardeners, Trust Balance sheet 31 December 2024 2024 2023 Note Current assets Investment Cash at bank 47,958 46.899 109757 Total current assets Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 146,316 156,656 Net current assets 130084 135702 Net assets Funds Restricted income funds Unrestricted income funds 5,955 124 129 2,065 The Trustees are satisfied that the Company is entitled to exemption from the provislons of the Companies Act 2006 (the Act) relating to the audil of Ihe financial stalements for the period by virtue of section 477, and that no member or mernbers have requested an audil pursuant to section 476 of the Act. The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for.. (1> ensuring that the Company keeps adequate accounting records which comply with section 386 of Ihe Act, and (li) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at the end of the financial period and of its proflt or loss for the financial period in accordance with the requirements of section 393, and which otherwise comply wilh the requirements of the Act relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the company. These financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 12 April 2025 and are signed on their behalf by: stephen Anderton Chairman Company registration number: 04544 The nole5 on pagas g to 12 form part of these tlnanclal statements.
Professional Gardeners Trust Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 December 2024 Accounting pollcles General information The charily is a private company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company number 04544242 and charity number 1101169) on 24 September 2002, and is a public benefit enlily as defined by FRS 102. Ils registered office is given on page 1. The accounts are drawn up on the historical cost convention, as modified by the revaluation of the investment. Basis of preparatlon The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102). the Companies Act 2006 and the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance wilh the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) effective l January 2019. Going concern The Trustees have, at the time of approving the financial statements, a Teasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future and conslder that there ware no material uncertainties over the Trust's financial viability. Accordingly, the Trustees conlinue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparation of the financial statements. Judgements and key sources of estlmation uncertainty The Trustees consider that no judgements, apart from those involving estimates, have been made in the process of applying the above accounting policies which have had a significant effect on amounts recognised in the financial statements. The Trustees consider thal no key assumptions concerning the future and olher key sources of estimalion uncertainty at the reporting date have b8en made which have a significant risk of causing a malerial adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year. Fund accounting Unreslricted funds are funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furlh8rance of the general objectives of the charity. Restricted funds are funds that are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors. The aim and use of each reslricled fund is set out in note 7 to the financial statements. Income Voluntary income. including donations and gifts. is recognised as receivable when the charity has enlillement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. Investment income and interest on deposits is recognised when receivable. Expenditure All expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be recovered and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates. Charitable activities include all costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries.
Professional Gardeners Trust Notes to the financial statements (continued) Year ended 31 December 2024 Accounting policies (conlinued) Investments Investrnents are stated at the closing bid price at the balance sheet date. Realised gains are the difference betwean salos proceods and Ihe carrying value of the inv8Stment. The carrying value is the fair value at the beginning of the year or the purchase cost where the investment was acquired during the year. Unrealised gains are the change in value of Investments after taking info account any movements in investment holdings such as purchases and disposals of investments. Reallsed and unrealised gains are accounted for within the Statement of Financial Activities. Donatlons Unrestricted funds Restricted fvnds Total funds Appeals Year ended 31 December 2023 Appeals Income from Investments Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total funds Bank interest receivable Divldends from Charities Official Investment fund 2,654 2,654 Ye8r ended 31 December 2023 Bank interest receivable Interest from Charities Official Investment fund 2,129 2,129 Expenditure on charltable activities Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total funds Charitable awards made Administralion and other costs 46,426 12,245 349 58,671 Year ended 31 December 2023 Charitable awards made Administration and other costs 38,323 10,499 350 48,822 The Trustees did not receive any remuneration (2021- Nil)
Professional Gardeners Trust Notes to the financial statements (continued) Year ended 31 December 2024 Investments 2024 2023 At 1 January 2024 Investment additions Investment disposals Unrealised invèstment galn At 31 December 2024 46,899 42,951 Investments compris8: Units in Charities Official Investment Fund The historic cost of the units in Charities Official Inveslmenl Fund is £27.100 (2023.. £27,100) Credltors: amounts falllng due wlth5n one year 2024 2023 Other creditors and accruals 7. Restricted Income funds Balance at1 January 2024 Balance at31 December 2024 Income Expendilure Royal Botanical and Horticulture Society of Manchester and the North8rn Counlies Lironi Training Fund Scotland's Gardens Scheme Cattanach Fund The Professional Gardeners, Guild Birbeck Garden History Group 185 862 185 3.312 8,134 (5,684) 319 7,850 (5,712) 2,457 249 (248) 450 065 500 48 950 94 12 10
Professional Gardeners Trust Notes to the financial statements (continued) Year ended 31 December 2024 Balance at 1 January 2023 Transfer Balance from at31 unreslricted Dernber funds 2023 Income Expenditure Royal Botanical and Horticulture Society of Manchester and the Norlhern Counties The Finnis Scott Foundation Lironi Training Fund Scotland's Gardens Scheme Cattanach Fund The Professional Gardeners, Guild Birbeck Garden History Group 185 185 181 279 85 (417) (266) 1,000 862 8,200 (7,881) 319 (336> 585 249 450 The restricted income funds are funds that are to be used in accordance with the specific restrictions imposed by donors. The aim and use of each reslricted fund is set out below. A donalion from The Royal Botanical and Horticultural Society of Manchester and the Northern Counties is to be used exclusively to assist northern based projects carried out by gardenors working in the north of England. Grants from the Lironi Training Fund, which is funded by Perennial and is administered on behalf of Perennial by the Professional Gardeners, Trust, are for working gardeners and Irainees, and those who have recently completed a recognised training or academic course in horticulture and who are starting horticultural work. The Birkbeck Garden History Group Award is available to professional gardeners wishing to broaden their knowledge of garden history by attending lectures, conferences, courses and study days. Scotland's Gardens Scheme Cattanach Fund is available to horticulturist in Scotland, for personal and professional training and development. An annual donation from The Professional Gardeners, Guild (PGG), known as the Kenwyn Pearson Award, named after the Trust's first Honorary Secretary who did so rnUGh to establish Ihe Trust, funds awards to gardeners who are members of the PGG. 11
Professional Gardeners Trust Notes to the financial ststements (continued) Year ended 31 December 2024 Unrestrlcted Income funds Unrealised gain (loss) on Expenditure investments Transfer Balance at from 31 unrestricted December funds 2024 Balance at 1 January 2024 Income General funds Unrealised gain (loss) on Expenditure investments Transfer from unrestricted December funds 2023 Balance at 31 Balance at 1 January 2023 Incorne General funds Analysis of net assets between funds Unrestricted Restricted funds funds 2024 2024 Total funds 2024 Net assets At 31 December 2023 Net assets 12