# **The Merthyr Tydfil & District Naturalists' Society (A company limited by guarantee)**
## **Annual Report and Financial Statements**
**for the year ended 31-August-2024**
**Company Registered Number 4450556 Charity Registration Number 1106927**
## **The Merthyr Tydfil & District Naturalists' Society**
# **Administrative and legal information for the year ended 31-August-2024**
## **TRUSTEES**
The Trustees are as set out on page 2
## **CHAIRPERSON**
Mrs Susan Taylor
## **Treasurer**
Mr Gareth Evans
## **REGISTERED OFFICE**
Brynheulog Lon Maes Du Cefn Coed Merthyr Tydfil CF48 2HH
## **REGISTRATION NUMBER**
Company Registered Number 4450556 Charity Registration Number 1106927
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER**
Baker Knoyle Chartered Accountants Merthyr Tydfil CF48 1DL
**1**
## **The Merthyr Tydfil & District Naturalists' Society Trustees Report**
The trustees who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006 present their annual report and the financial statements for the year ended 31-August-2024. The trustees have adopted the provisions of the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the Uk and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).
The annual report includes the directors' report as required by company law.
## **Trustees**
The trustees are the members for the charitable company.
This entitles them to vote but confers no beneficial interest in the assets of the charitable company. The trustees who served during the year are:
**Sue Taylor Gareth Evans Fred Holley Res 5th Feb 2025 Libby Brooks Alison Richards Berian Jones Robert Taylor Lisa Handscombe Appt 5th Feb 2025 Jemma Richards Appt 5th Feb 2025**
**Chair Treasurer**
One third of the trustees automatically retire by rotation at each year. Those making themselves available for re-appointment and any new nominations are then put to a meeting of the members and appointment is by a simple majority of the members present in person or by proxy.
## **Statement as to compliance with public benefit guidance**
We have complied with the duty in s 17 of the 2011 Charities Act to have due regard to guidance published by the Commission in respect of our duty to provide public benefit.
## **Administrative details of the charity are shown on page 1**
## **Structure Governance and Management**
## _**Nature of the charities governing document**_
The charity is company limited by guarantee and governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association
## _**Method of recruiting and appointing new trustees Organisation structure**_
The charity is wholly run by volunteers, the main operations of the charity are overseen by a board of trustees who delegate specific responsibilities to individuals or groups and who implement these with the support of those volunteers. Volunteers are drawn from across the wider community. The Bees in the Community is managed by a paid member who is helped by volunteers and by part-time paid individuals to deliver elements of the project, this mainly involves leading and directing school groups.
## _**Statement on risk management**_
The trustees review the risks that may impinge on the charity and those relating to events it may undertake and puts in place appropriate policies and assessments to minimise their impact.
**2**
**The Merthyr Tydfil & District Naturalists' Society Trustees Report**
## **Objectives and Activities**
## _**Summary of charity's objectives and the strategy for achieving them.**_
The objects of the charity are to conserve and protect the natural environment, support rural heritage and to introduce & educate people to understand and enjoy it.
## _**The role and contribution of volunteers**_
The charity is managed by volunteers and its activities are delivered by volunteers from the membership and from the local community. The contribution of these individuals is fundamental to the successful operation of the charity.
## **Achievements and Performance**
## _**Summary of the main achievements during the year**_
The attendance at events continues to grow, the involvement of family groups in events linked to biodiversity continues to be the an important focus.
The creation of a bee garden and apiary in Cyfarthfa Park has enabled our bees in the community project to grow and flourish. It is being cared for and developed by a group of dedicated volunteers.
The expansion of our work in the natural environment to link with schools through our revised bees and biodiversity project. This allows the young people to work within the bee garden and apiary, to experience and understand on a practical level the relationship between the natural environment and their day to day lives. This includes, surveys, data collection and project work, in addition to having physical interaction with a beehive and having the opportunity to obtain a national junior beekeepers award. This project has been incorporated within the SPF project within Cyfarthfa Park and our chair (Sue Taylor) is managing the biodiversity element. This strengthens the position of the charity and we hope to support the park in creating an education centre around bees and biodiversity and its exposure to climatic change. Sue has also been invited to become a member of the board of the WBKA as education/schools officer for Wales, we hope that this is the beginning of a joint approach between the charity, the WBKA and Cyfarthfa Park to create a central biodiversity education hub.
We identified a significant amount of repair and renewal work in Cilsanws nature reserve. Working with Active Travel Merthyr Tydfil through MTCBC much of this work has been completed. These costs have been reflected in the accounts as a Gift in Kind. As part of our facilities development programme we are reviewing the operational unit in Cilsanws in order to make it more user friendly for our growing number of volunteers.
The Bee Co-operative continues to flourish, it has linked with a number of local businesses and with the volunteer beekeepers they promote and sell its products on a no profit basis. All the income arising is passed back to the charity.
We are continuing to be helped by a community of volunteers across all aspects of our work. This includes volunteers in the bee co-operative, volunteer gardeners who look after our pollinators garden, volunteers who support out family event program, volunteers who help maintain our nature reserves and Merthyr College WBQ students who volunteer with us to achieve there community action award. Our thanks goes out to all our volunteers without their effort the work of the charity would not be possible.
## **Financial Review**
## _**Reserves policy setting out why appropriate**_
The trustees are building up reserves to allow the continued development of the charity, particularly around our Bees in the Community project and to continue to maintain and improve our nature reserves, these are on-going projects and the society has therefore targeted a free reserves level of £100,000, the current free reserves are £52,492.
_**Brief review of the charity's financial position**_
**3**
**The Merthyr Tydfil & District Naturalists' Society Trustees Report**
The charity has a reserve of funds that allow it to sustain its programme of events. The aim will be to allow these to grow in proportion with its increase in activity.
## **Plans for Future Periods**
## _**Plans for the future including, aims objectives and any activities planned to achieve them.**_
We continue with the family events programme which has become self sustaining, supported by many hours of work by our volunteers. This is now running side by side with the community bees and biodiversity project to make access to the events wider.
We are growing the bees in community project, which is introducing and training new bee keepers and is now expanding the number of schools involved. We are working with Cyfarthfa Park and the WBKA and hope this will lead to the development of an education centre at Cyfarthfa.
The apiary stock has been reduced significantly as a result of the extremely long and wet winter in 2023/24. We have lost around 25% of our colonies. The Bee co-operative continues to be successful, we have trained more bee keepers and we are developing more apiary sites. We will stabilise the number of hives over the next twelve months and look forward to it recovering.
## **Independent Examiners**
Baker Knoyle Chartered Accountants were appointed as Independent Examiners and have expressed their willingness to continue.
This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
## _**This report was approved by the board of trustees on 12th December 2024 and signed on their behalf**_
## Susan E Taylor
## _Gareth T Evans_
Susan E Taylor Chair
Gareth T Evans Treasurer
Dated 12 December 2024
**4**
# **Independent examiner's report**
## **TO THE TRUSTEES OF**
## **The Merthyr Tydfil & District Naturalists' Society**
**for the year ended 31 August 2024**
## **Independent examiner's report to the trustees of the Merthyr Tydfil & District Naturalists' Society. ('The Company')**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31st August 2024.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
As the charity’s trustees of the Company (who are also the directors of the company 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 for this year under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’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 mattes have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that:
- accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 386 of the Companies Act 2006; or
- the accounts do not accord with such records; or
• the accounts do not comply with relevant accounting requirements under section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
•the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods of the Statement of Recommended Practice for Accounting and Reporting by Charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
**R.I. Knoyle ACA FCCA Baker Knoyle** R.I. Knoyle ACA FCCA __ **Chartered AccountantsOrbit Business Centre** Baker Chartered Knoyle Accountants _ **Merthyr TydfilCF48 1DL Date** Orbit Business Centre Merthyr Tydfil
**5**
## **The Merthyr Tydfil & District Naturalists' Society**
## **Statement of Financial Activities (Incorporating an Income and Expenditure Account)**
**for the year ended 31-August-2024**
|**Notes**
**Income and Endowments from:**
**2**
**Activities for generating funds**
**Investment Income**
**Incoming Resources from**
**Charitable activities**
**Other Incoming Resources**
**Total Incoming Resources**
**Resources Expended**
**4**
**Charitable Activities**
**Governance**
**Other resources**
**Total resources expended**
Net movement in resources before transfers
Transfer between funds
**Net Movement in funds**
01-September-2023
**Balances carried forward**
**31-August-2024**
**Analysis of Reserves**
**9**
Amounts set aside to writedown fixed assets
Other designated and restricted funds
Free Reserves
Events costs
Facilities Management
Compliance costs
Bees in the Community
Apiary income
Bees in the Community
Apiary Expenditure
Faciities Management
Administration
Membership and Donations
Miscellaneous|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
1,127
214
2,349
12,360
**16,050**
95
696
13,053
613
**14,457**
1,593
**1,593**
79,205
**£ 80,798**
24,500
3,806
52,492
**£ 80,798**|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
50,021
18,000
**68,021**
41,877
18,000
**59,877**
8,144
**8,144**
31,639
**£ 39,783**
39,783
**£ 39,783**|**Totals**
**2024**
**£**
1,127
214
2,349
50,021
12,360
18,000
**84,071**
95
41,877
696
31,053
**74,334**
9,737
**9,737**
110,844
**£ 120,581**
24,500
43,589
52,492
**£ 120,581**|**Totals**
**2023**
**£**
787
131
221
65,587
8,837
**75,563**
560
46,589
5,692
18,712
9
763
**72,325**
3,238
**3,238**
107,606
**£ 110,844**
35,978
35,445
39,421
**£ 110,844**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
**The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses arising in the year. All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities.**
The attached notes form an integral part of these accounts
**6**
## **The Merthyr Tydfil & District Naturalists' Society Balance Sheet Co Reg No 4450556**
|**as at 31-August-2024**
**Notes**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
**Fixed Assets**
Tangible assets
**5**
24,500
**Current Assets**
Debtors
**6**
5,722
Cash at bank & in hand
97,109
102,831
**Creditors:**Amounts falling
due within one year
**7**
6,750
**Net current assets(liabilities)**
**96,081**
**Total assets less current Liabilities**
**120,581**
**NET ASSETS**
**£ 120,581**
**Unrestricted income funds**
Amount set aside for the writedown of fixed assets
24,500
Other designated funds
3,806
General reserves
52,492
80,798
**Restricted income funds**
39,783
**TOTAL FUNDS**
**£ 120,581**|**2023**
**£**
35,978
90,032
90,032
15,166
**74,866**
**110,844**
**£ 110,844**
35,978
3,806
39,421
79,205
31,639
**£ 110,844**|
|---|---|
_**The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 August 2024**_
_**The members have not required the charitable company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2024 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.**_
_**The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for**_
- _**(a) ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Section 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and**_
- _**(b) preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Section 393 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.**_
_**These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.**_
_**These accounts were approved by the board of trustees on 12th December 2024 and signed on their behalf by**_
Dated 12 December 2024
## Susan E Taylor
## _Gareth T Evans_
Susan E Taylor Chair
Gareth T Evans Treasurer
**7**
The attached notes form an integral part of these accounts
## **The Merthyr Tydfil & District Naturalists' Society Notes to the Accounts**
**for the year ended 31-August-2024**
## **1 Principal Accounting Policies**
## **Basis of preparing the financial statements**
The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) and the Companies Act 2006.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
The charitable company has taken advantage of the following disclosure exemption in preparing these financial statements, as permitted by FRS 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland':
- the requirements of Section 7 Statement of Cash Flows.
**Status.** The organisation is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales and a registered charity.
The directors as set out on page 2 are the trustees of the charity and the members of the company. The liability of the members is limited to £1 each as set out in the company's Memorandum of Association.
**Fund Balances.** The balances held by the charity are separated between restricted
and unrestricted funds. Balances on restricted funds are subject to specific restrictive conditions imposed from the funding source. Unrestricted funds are available to be utilised by the trustees in the furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Designated funds are those unrestricted funds set aside for a specific purpose by the Board.
**Tangible Fixed Assets** are included in the balance sheet at historic cost less accumulated
depreciation. Grant receipts which fund fixed asset acquisitions are taken to restricted funds and the appropriate depreciation charge is made against those funds over the expected useful life of the asset.
**Leased Assets.** Fixed assets acquired under finance leases are included in the balance sheet at
historic cost less accumulated depreciation. The present value of future rentals is shown as a liability. Interest payable in each period is charged as an expended resource in proportion to the amount outstanding under the lease. Operating lease rentals are charged as expended resources
as incurred.
**Depreciation** is provided on tangible fixed assets at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life:
Land & Buildings 2% On Cost 10% On Cost Plant & machinery 25% On Cost
**Stock** is included in the balance sheet at the lower of cost or net realisable value, provisions being
made as appropriate against any obsolete or slow moving items. Where stock is held for a specific restricted purpose the relevant incoming resources are held as balances on restricted funds. **Debtors and Creditors** are recognised at their settlement amount.
**Taxation -** The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.
**Going Concern -** The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis as the trustees believe that no material uncertainties exist.
**8**
## **The Merthyr Tydfil & District Naturalists' Society Notes to the Accounts**
## **for the year ended 31-August-2024**
## **Incoming Resources**
All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled t th i d th t b tifi d ith bl and the trustees believe they will be received and the monetary value can be reliable determined.
The following specific policies are applied:
**Voluntary income** received by way of grants, gifts or donation is included in the SoFA when the general recognition criteria are met in FRS102 SORP.
**Deferred Income.** Income or grants received in advance are held as deferred income and carried forward to future accounting periods to be released when the defined purposes of the work or project have been completed, approved or certified.
**Gifts in Kind** are included in the income and expenditure account where they are applied in carrying out charitable activities, where the company would otherwise have to purchase the donated facility and the benefit is both quantifiable and material. The quantifiable benefit is based on the value provided by the donor or a fair estimate of market value.
The value of services provided by volunteers is not quantified.
**Investment income** is included when receivable.
**Trading Income** is recognised when earned.
## **Resources expended**
Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered. Liabilities are recognised when it is more likely than not that there is a constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources and the obligation can be measured with reasonable certainty.
**Costs of generating funds** include the costs associated with attracting voluntary income and the costs of trading for fundraising purposes.
**Charitable expenditure** comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes the costs that can be attributed directly to those activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
**Governance costs** include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include audit fees, costs relating to the strategic management of the charity, management of assets and organisational administration.
**All expenditure** is allocated between the categories of the SoFA on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource. Costs relating to a particular activity are allocated directly, others are apportioned between categories on a basis that fairly reflects their usage.
**Pension Costs.** Contributions are made to the employees own personal pension schemes. The pension cost charge represents those contributions payable to the individual schemes.
**9**
## **The Merthyr Tydfil & District Naturalists' Society Notes to the Accounts**
## **for the year ended 31-August-2024**
|**2 Total Incoming Resources**
Apiary Income
Donations
Other Income
Active Merthyr
Heritage Lottery Fund
Groundwork
Beacons Bees
Merthyr Valleys Homes
Hive Sponsorship
Bees & Community Project
Cyfarthfa Junior School
Specific SPF Funding (Note 11)
MTCBC Active Travel (Note 11)
Interest received
Total Incoming Resources
**3 Support Costs**
Companies House Fees
Independent Examination Fees
**4 Total Resources Expended**
**Support**
**Other**
**Restricted Fund**
**Activity**
**Costs**
**Costs**
**£**
**£**
Bees in the Community
41,877
Facilities Management
18,000
£ 59,877
**Unrestricted Funds**
613
13,844
**Total Resources Expended**
£ 613
£ 73,721
**Staff Costs:**
Wages & Salaries
Pension costs|**2024**
**£**
12,360
1,127
214
12,391
2,875
5,386
29,369
18,000
81,722
2,349
£ 84,071
13
600
£ 613
**Total**
**2024**
**£**
41,877
18,000
£ 59,877
14,457
£ 74,334
**2024**
**£**
25,601
1,233
£ 26,834|**2023**
**£**
8,837
787
130
4,000
27,230
8,625
20,000
1,114
1,696
2,218
705
75,342
221
£ 75,563
13
750
£ 763
**Total**
**2023**
**£**
46,589
£ 46,589
£ 25,736
£ 72,325
**2023**
**£**
27,424
951
£ 28,375|
|---|---|---|
The charity considers its board of trustees as key management. None of the board were remunerated for this role.
**10**
## **The Merthyr Tydfil & District Naturalists' Society Notes to the Accounts**
## **for the year ended 31-August-2024**
|**Notes to the Accounts**
**for the year ended 31-August-2024**||C|trl p|
|---|---|---|---|
||**2024**||**2023**|
|**Pension Costs**||**£**|**£**|
|The company contributes to employees' own personal pension schemes.||||
|The pension cost charge represents contributions paid by the Company to|the individual schemes:|||
||1,233||951|
|**Average No of employees**
Bees in the Community||1|1|
|||1|1|
|No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000||||
|The Charity received authority from the Charity Commission to pay Susan Taylor (Trustee)||||
|as project leader of the Bees in the Community Project.
**2024**|NIL|**2023**|23,777|
The Bees in the Community Project was integrated into the biodiversity element of the SPF project that was based around biodiversity creativity and heritage within Cyfarthfa Park, Mrs S Taylor was employed by the project to develop this project and integrate it within the development of Cyfarthfa Park. This is treated as a Gift in Kind (see Note 11) The role is primarily a teaching role in line with Mrs Taylors professional qualification. Mrs Taylor receives no payment for her role as a trustee of the charity.
|Gift in Kind (Note 11)
**2024**|25,601|**2023**|NIL|
|---|---|---|---|
|nsactions with trustees or persons connected
Pension Contributions
Traveling Expenses|with the trustees
**2024**
1,233
134|was:|**2023**
951
384|
||£1,367||£1,335|
The value of payments to, or transactions with trustees or persons connected with the trustees was:
The payments for 2024 were made to Mrs Taylor as part of the SPF project and have been accounted for as Gifts in Kind (see Note 11)
|**Cost**
31-Aug-23
Additions
Disposals
31-Aug-24
**Depreciation**
31-Aug-23
Charged
Additions
Disposals
31-Aug-24
**Net book value (NBV)**
31-Aug-23
31-Aug-24
**Tangible Fixed Assets**|Buildings
Motor
Vehicles
Plant &
machinery
112,569
80,837
£ 112,569
£ 80,837
76,813
80,615
11,256
222
£ 88,069
£ 80,837
£ 35,756
£ 222
£ 24,500|TOTAL
193,406
£ 193,406
157,428
11,478
£ 168,906
£ 35,978
£ 24,500|
|---|---|---|
## **5 Tangible Fixed Assets**
**11**
## **The Merthyr Tydfil & District Naturalists' Society Notes to the Accounts**
**for the year ended 31-August-2024**
|**6 Debtors**
Trade Debtors
Prepayments & accrued income
Debtors included above which are due in more than one year:
**7 Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year**
Trade creditors
Accruals & deferred income
**8 Deferred Income**
Opening balance
Movement in the period
Deferred income carried forward|**2024**
**£**
4,481
1,241
£ 5,722
NIL
**2024**
**£**
6,000
750
£ 6,750
**2024**
**£**
12,391
(12,391)
NIL|**2023**
**£**
NIL
NIL
**2023**
**£**
2,775
12,391
£ 15,166
**2023**
**£**
13,656
(1,265)
£ 12,391|
|---|---|---|
Deferred income represents income received from contributing agencies where the contribution was restricted to a fixed time period project which extends beyond the current financial year. Income is deferred on the basis that the contribution was to the project as a whole, the time period of the project was fully disclosed to the contributing agencies and that time period is certain.
|The deferred income carried forward is analysed as follows:
Bees in the Community|**2024**
**£**
NIL|**2023**
**£**
12,391
£ 12,391|
|---|---|---|
## **9 Fund Balances Movement in funds**
|General Fund
**FREE RESERVES**
Designated funds
**UNRESTRICTED FUNDS**
Facilities Management
**RESTRICTED FUNDS**
**TOTAL FUNDS**
Bees in the Community|**31-August**
**31-August**
**2023**
**2024**
39,421
16,050
(2,979)
52,492
39,421
16,050
(2,979)
52,492
39,784
(11,478)
28,306
79,205
16,050
(14,457)
80,798
31,639
50,021
(41,877)
39,783
18,000
(18,000)
31,639
68,021
(59,877)
39,783
£ 110,844
£ 84,071
£(74,334)
£ 120,581
**Incoming**
**Resources**
**Resources**
**Expended**
**Transfers**|
|---|---|
**12**
## **The Merthyr Tydfil & District Naturalists' Society Notes to the Accounts**
**for the year ended 31-August-2024**
## **Comparative movement in funds**
|General Fund
**FREE RESERVES**
Designated funds
**UNRESTRICTED FUNDS**
**RESTRICTED FUNDS**
**TOTAL FUNDS**
Bees in the Community|**31-August**
**31-August**
**2022**
**2023**
41,777
9,976
(12,332)
39,421
41,777
9,976
(12,332)
39,421
53,188
(13,404)
39,784
94,965
9,976
(25,736)
79,205
12,641
65,587
(46,589)
31,639
12,641
65,587
(46,589)
31,639
£ 107,606
£ 75,563
£(72,325)
£ 110,844
**Incoming**
**Resources**
**Resources**
**Expended**
**Transfers**|
|---|---|
The free reserves are available to provide funds to cashflow projects funded on a retrospective basis and are available with the approval of the trustees to fund any expenditure on projects or expenses which fall within the organisations general aims and objectives. They are accumulated in accordance with the reserve policy as stated in the trustees report.
|**Analysis of Designated funds**
General Activities Fund
Designated to projects
Unamortised fixed assets
Designated funds|**2024**
**£**
3,806
3,806
24,500
£ 28,306|**2023**
**£**
3,806
3,806
35,978
£ 39,784|
|---|---|---|
Designated funds represent amounts put aside to fund project costs in the period of transition between funders, to provide for future shortfalls on project funding and for the write down of fixed assets held against unrestricted funds.
## **Asset analysis of Fund balances**
The balances on restricted funds are represented by the following underlying
|assets:
Bees in the Community|**Fixed**
**Net**
**31-August**
**Assets**
**Current**
**2024**
**Assets**
**£**
39,783
39,783
£ 39,783
£ 39,783|**31-August**
**2023**
**£**
31,639
£ 31,639|
|---|---|---|
Restricted funds represents balances held to fund future projects where the resources have been received and are required by the donors to fund a specific project. Where balances on restricted funds are designated as fixed assets this is the amount within the fund set aside for the future depreciation of those assets.
The remaining balances on restricted funds represent amounts where funds have been received or are receivable and where the expenditure is restricted to specific purposes by the donor.
**13**
## **The Merthyr Tydfil & District Naturalists' Society Notes to the Accounts**
**for the year ended 31-August-2024**
## **10 Activities undertaken within each major restricted fund**
The restricted funds of the charity have been applied during the year or are held for future expenditure in the following areas:
## Bees in the Community
The Bees in the Community Funds has created an apiary, a bee viewing facility and a pollinator garden in Cyfarthfa Park, Merthyr Tydfil. It uses these facilities to engage with schools, local businesses and organisations to highlight the link between the local biodiversity and the food chain. It also trains bee keepers and junior bee keepers, creating a link through bees to the natural environment, additionally it holds a series of more general biodiversity workshops for families. This is integrated into the SPF project being delivered in Cyfarthfa Park, the aim being to create a sustainable centre within the park that delivers an on going education process to all ages.
## Facilities Management
The charity operates two nature reserves, a resource centre and a pollination garden, all the ongoing maintenance and development work comes within our Facilities Management brief. Where we receive funds or gifts in kind specific to one area these are treated as restricted funds.
|**11 Gifts in Kind**
TESCO
Damaged Sugar Bags
MTCBC - Active Travel
SPF- Project
Bees in the Community; Cyfarthfa Park
And were allocated as follows:
Apiary Management
Facility Management
Bees in the Community
Footpaths, Benches, Maintenance
Cilsanws Nature Reserve|**2024**
**£**
650
18,000
29,369
£ 48,019
650
18,000
29,369
£ 48,019|**2023**
**£**
650
£ 650
650
£ 650|
|---|---|---|
We would like to thank all our contributors for their ongoing support of our work in the natural environment.
## **12 Volunteer Time**
The value of volunteer time is not quantified in terms of money but the time contributed by volunteers is an invaluable resource in terms of the outstanding contribution made by them.
|The number of hours contributed by volunteers in the year was:|**2024**
6,090|**2023**
5,200|
|---|---|---|
## **13 Ultimate Controlling Party**
The Charity is controlled by its directors / trustees.
## **14 Related Party Disclosures**
There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31st August 2024, other than those identified in Notes 4 & 11 as "Gifts in Kind".
**14**
## **The Merthyr Tydfil & District Naturalists' Society**
**Notes to the Accounts for the year ended 31-August-2024**
## **Comparatives for the Statement of Financial Activities**
|**Notes**
**Incoming resources from generated funds**
**2**
**Voluntary Income**
**Activities for generating funds**
**Investment Income**
**Incoming Resources from**
**Charitable activities**
**Other Incoming Resources**
**Total Incoming Resources**
**Resources Expended**
**4**
**Charitable Activities**
**Governance**
**3**
**Other resources**
**Total resources expended**
Net movement in resources before transfers
Gross transfer between funds
**Other recognised gains/(losses)**
**Net Movement in funds**
01-September-2022
**Balances carried forward**
**31-August-2023**
**Analysis of Reserves**
Amounts set aside to writedown fixed assets **9**
Other designated and restricted funds
Free Reserves
Events costs
**Net Incoming Resources before other recognised**
**gains**
Administration
Bees in the Community
Apiary Expenditure
Faciities Management
Bees in the Community
Apiary income
Membership and Donations
Miscellaneous|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
787
131
221
8,837
**9,976**
560
5,692
18,712
9
763
**25,736**
(15,760)
**(15,760)**
**(15,760)**
94,965
**£ 79,205**
35,978
3,806
39,421
**£ 79,205**|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
65,587
**65,587**
46,589
**46,589**
18,998
**18,998**
**18,998**
12,641
**£ 31,639**
31,639
**£ 31,639**|**Totals**
**2023**
**£**
787
131
221
65,587
8,837
**75,563**
560
46,589
5,692
18,712
9
763
**72,325**
3,238
**3,238**
**3,238**
107,606
**£ 110,844**
35,978
35,445
39,421
**£ 110,844**|
|---|---|---|---|
**15**