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Chiswick Horticultural and Allotments Society Established 1915

Affiliated to:

The Royal Horticultural Society The London Gardens Society Federation of Middlesex Horticultural and Allotment Societies

The Chiswick Horticultural and Allotments Society is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee, registered in England. Charity Registration No. 1110134, Company Registration No. 5453200 Registered Office: 153 Latymer Court, London, W6 7JG

Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2021

Charity number 1110134 Company number 5453200

Contents	Page
Reference and Administrative Information	4
Report of the Management Committee	5-11
Independent Examiner’s Report	12
Statement of Financial Activities	13
Balance Sheet	14
Notes forming part of the financial	15-17
statements

Reference and Administrative Information

Charity Name: Chiswick Horticultural and Allotments Society Working names: CHS, CHAS, Chiswick Horticultural Society

Charity registration number: 1110134 Company registration number: 5453200

Registered Office: 153 Latymer Court, London, W6 7JG

Management Committee

The individuals listed below served as Directors and Trustees during 2021:

Mr Dennis Flaherty – Chair Mr Kourosh Khakpour – Secretary Mr David Burton - Treasurer

Mrs Jasmine Daines Pilgrem – Vice Chair Ms Jill Morris – Trading Secretary Mr Alastair Britten – Trading Secretary Mr Michael Flinders – Show & Handbook Secretary Mrs Christina Meiklejohn – Allotments Coordinator Ms Tessa Watkins – Membership Secretary Mrs Charlotte Kimpton – Public Relations Mrs Jennifer Jenks – Schools Project Coordinator Ms Katja Schneekloth – Events Coordinator Mr Robert Padron (resigned Q4) – Social Media Manager Mr John Gill Mr Timothy Faulkner Mr Henry Gewanter

Patron - The Earl of Burlington, William Cavendish

President - Paul Lynch

Vice-Presidents - John Todd and Noreen Jones

- Independent Examiner Mr Phillip Harrison

Bankers - Lloyds Bank plc, 308 – 312 Chiswick High Road, London, W4 1NS

Report of the Management Committee year ended 31 December 2021

The Management Committee presents its report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2020.

1. Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document

The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 16 May 2005 and registered as a charity on 21 June 2005. The objects and powers of the company are established in the Memorandum of Association and the governing rules are stated in the Articles of Association. In the event of the company being wound up, members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £10.

Recruitment and Appointment of Management Committee

The directors of the company are also charity trustees for the purpose of charity law and, under the company’s Articles of Association, are known as Committee Members and form the management committee. Under the requirements of the Articles of Association, Committee Members are appointed by ordinary resolution at the Annual General Meeting for one year and must retire from office at the following Annual General Meeting. Retiring Committee Members and other members of the charity may stand for election as new Committee Members at the Annual General Meeting.

The management committee seeks to recruit Committee Members who have the enthusiasm, skills and experience to enable the charity to meet its horticultural objectives. It achieves this through a constant drive to attract new members to the Society and by encouraging all members to become involved voluntarily in its activities.

Those members who can contribute and take on a leading role are asked to consider becoming Committee Members. The Articles of Association allow the management committee to appoint new Committee Members between Annual General Meetings so that members who can offer the relevant skills and experience can join the committee and make it more effective.

Operating Manual

The Society’s Operating Manual, approved in November 2008, summarises the aims, duties, responsibilities, and policies to which the Society works. It is available for members to consult at the Society’s Trading Hut.

2. Membership

Membership remains steady at around 450/500 members. Each year 90/100 members do not renew for various reasons, not least due to the pandemic and road closures preventing many members from visiting the trading centre.

However, our membership base increases through the course of the year due to the sterling effort of the Chairman, encouraging new allotment holders to join the Society for the support and benefits provided to them. We thank all members who renew promptly each year.

3. Objectives and Activities

The objectives of the charity are the promotion and furtherance of the art, science, and practice of horticulture. The work of the charity is guided by the following principles:

a determination to grow and enjoy first-class flowers, fruit, and vegetables.
a conviction that gardeners should care for nature and the environment.
a desire to share knowledge and nurture horticultural skills.
a commitment to reduce barriers and make gardening more accessible.
a belief that gardening can improve the quality of life.
an understanding that a shared interest in gardening can help foster a friendly community spirit.

The charitable company was established to assume the objectives and continue the activities of the Chiswick Horticultural Society. The charitable company (hereafter referred to as the Society) became responsible for the commitments and the activities of the former unincorporated Chiswick Horticultural Society on 1 January 2006.

The trustees have paid due regard to the Charities Commission’s guidance on public benefit in deciding what activities to undertake. The objectives and principal activities of the charitable company are:

to make gardening and horticulture accessible to all.
to reduce economic barriers to gardening by selling seeds, plants, composts, and gardening supplies at our trading centre, at advantageous prices.
to liaise with the Local Authority and their appointed representatives and subcontractors on issues concerning allotments and the local community.
to encourage good practice in the cultivation of allotments and to provide growing information to allotment holders.
to provide information and advice on growing food organically and caring for wildlife and the environment.
organising the flower, fruit, and vegetable shows with awards.
arranging horticultural talks, visits to gardens and social and fundraising events.
maintaining a social centre and fostering a sense of fun, friendship, and community.
to collaborate with other community groups to improve the environment and ‘green’ the neighbourhood.
spread knowledge of, and a sense of wonder and love in, the miracle of nature and growing flora.

4. Chairman’s report

2021 was a challenging year both from a gardening perspective and the challenges of the pandemic.

Our gardening activities were struck by climate change which altered the seasons and confused some of our plants, and of course blight just about wiped out all our outdoor tomato crop.

Covid was kept at bay by double and triple jabbing, but many members did catch the virus and I am afraid there were a few who succumbed to it.

Your society has managed the turmoil of both and come through relatively unscathed. Our finances remain relatively healthy although it does look as though our trading is beginning to return to pre pandemic levels.

Our membership numbers remained healthy, at one stage being over 650 members. We embarked on a public relations drive with an information stand at the Chiswick Flower Market which proved to be successful but very demanding for the small band of volunteers.

We take great pride in winning the Green Flag for Staveley Road and Burial Grounds allotments site which included our Trading Centre.

We were able to hold one of our regular shows live and it was most successful. Unfortunately, we had to cancel other events such as our Christmas Party but is hoped that a full programme of events will be possible in 2022.

The new committee were kept busy with the changes to our governance structure and compliance structure in relation to GDPR.

The trading centre introduced a new payment system where members can now pay for their purchases either with cash or by Credit card. Regarding the Trading Centre, it is with great regret that our one of our Trading Secretaries announced they are standing down from the committee after 17 years of very loyal service and similarly, Noreen Jones will not be standing as our vice president after several years as a member and loyal supporter of the Society.

The introduction of the traffic scheme on Staveley Road will impact our future activities as we will not be able to hold any unrestricted functions on Saturdays.

In 2022 CHAS hopes to introduce a weekly ‘Art Course’ for over 60s which is being organised and taught by our webmaster. We have been successful in obtaining grants from the local authority, to provide all the necessary equipment to conduct the Art Course and members will be updated soon.

The local authority has reviewed its capital budgets for 2022/23 and the budgets for the capital works on allotments has been reallocated.

5. Achievements and Performance

The Society performed the following activities in 2020:

(a) CHAS HQ & Trading Centre

As well as providing a successful base for trading, the Trading Centre is a popular area for members to meet, to seek and exchange gardening information. An additional bonus is that Dennis Flaherty – the Chairman – is often on hand to answer questions and offer advice to new allotment holders

One of the aspects of the Trading Centre that appeals to our members is that we sell potatoes, onions, spring bulbs, bone meal, chicken manure, lime, etc., both by the lb. and by the tub as well as fleece and ground cover by the metre which allows them to buy exactly what they need and no more – so no waste and attractive to those watching their budgets.

The Trading Centre tries to make a small profit on everything it sells with the simple premise that our prices are – in most cases – lower than local garden centres. Any profits go to subsidise the charitable aims of the Society.

The Trading Centre could not exist without the help of the dedicated Sunday volunteers who give up some of their Sunday mornings to help, nor would there be anything to sell without the efforts of – ‘The Greenhouse Team’ – Ann, Judy, Clare and Clare 2 and Neil who continue to produce a wide range of plants for sale.

The ‘new’ Greenhouse has proved to be extremely useful, and we now wonder how we managed without it. The two greenhouses combined with the Polytunnel, and cold frame have given us an increased area to grow on plants.

Access to both the Trading Centre and the Compost Store in the Nissen Hut are accessible to everyone – including the elderly and the less abled. In addition, we endeavour to ensure there is always someone on duty that can help carry heavy bags of compost.

(b) Website and Newsletter

The Society continued to improve its website to provide information on horticulture, its work in the community and more to members and the public, including a “Hints & Tips” section, which provides access to helpful gardening advice from numerous sources.

The popular weekly newsletter provides society news, horticulture, environmental and topical information to subscribers. This continues to be the most efficient medium to deliver information to CHAS members.

As well as gardening advice it also includes a ‘Dates for your Diary’ to ensure members are informed and updated to items of general interest in the area, as well as our ‘Nothing To Do With Horticulture’ section which can include anything from information on local discounts and events, to high tide tables.

(c) Shows

How fortunate we were, that the easing of lockdown in June 2021 allowed the children’s section of the Summer Show to go ahead. We would have had to wait until July for further easing to proceed as normal with the Autumn Show.

Thanks go to the pupils of Grove Park, Strand on the Green and St Peters for their art that makes everyone smile and for their creativity and ingenuity in bug box designs. Judges Anna McCallion and Martin Argles were so impressed that they awarded joint winners in many of the classes.

It was a relief to leave the virtual and return to a live Autumn Show, entries were slightly down, the quality of exhibits were still high. Visitor numbers were up, so much so that Jenny and her team sold out of cakes and tea. Dharma Tamang and his family’s Nepalese BBQ was a taste sensation, hoping for more of their kind contribution at future shows!

The presentation of the prizes by Hounslow mayor Bishnu Gurung, assisted by our president Paul Lynch, was well received and it was nice to see so many new faces awarded cups and medals. Our popular auction at the end of the show was conducted by freshman committee member Tim Faulkner, he held the audience in his thrall and raised lots of income for the society.

(d) Allotments

2021 will go down as the year when we spent as much time trying to combat a virus attacking humans as we did on the viruses that attack our plants and vegetables.

Lampton Greenspaces 360 continue to operate the management all the allotments in the Borough. Because of the unprecedented requests they have stopped taking requests for new plots. I understand there are some 700 people on the waiting list at the 1[st ] January 2022. The majority of these will have to be patient for 5 years or more. How lucky we were to have a plot. Allotments on all sites were worked enthusiastically and at the end of the season all were nearly in pristine condition. For vulnerable members who had to shield for medical reasons, volunteers were found to help keep their plots maintained. Very sadly, we lost some members due to Covid, and they will be greatly missed by their friends at the Society.

Due to the Covid pandemic, there were no plot inspections during the year, and we understand they will not be carried out until this pandemic is truly over, hopefully in late 2022. Some plots were relinquished, and some made vacant when members passed. It is hoped these plots could be re-let in early 2022, pending proper precautions being agreed.

The Green Team, who are the contractors responsible for clearing the Royal Mews and Clarence House of horse manure, have been truly marvellous. During lockdown the horses were all moved to Windsor, but they managed to keep the Society supplied not only with manure but the truly magnificent leaf mould.

Dennis kept us highly informed and engaged with his weekly ramblings published in the newsletter, expertly produced by Charlotte Kimpton. Dennis also regularly published information on the growchiswick.org website including blogs and tips. Our newsletter subscription is available to members and the public, newsletter subscription is offered for free.

Unfortunately, there were the usual spate of shed break ins. Very rarely was anything of value taken, however great aggravation is caused by having to repair the damage to sheds. It is hoped that security will be improved in 2022 with the introduction of new security locks at three of our sites. This of course depends on how well all the tenants keep the gates locked when they enter and leave the site. Tenants must remember not to leave anything of value in their sheds.

Due to the Covid pandemic, Hounslow Council are reviewing their finances to try to reduce subsidises for some of the services they provide. Allotments have come under scrutiny and very late in the year they agreed a single member decision to greatly increase the annual rent for plots. The increase for residents is reasonable, but the increase for non-residents is extremely high. As is the change from 50% discount for over 60’s to a maximum discount of 35%.

(e) Activities in the Community

Our support to schools, day nurseries and places of worship in Chiswick continued during the last year.

Churches / Therapeutic Garden / Greening areas

Particular blessings were received from the Russian and Iranian churches for the spring bulbs we again donated, and they were much appreciated by the other 5 Places of Worship with which we were in touch. Though we provided fewer (but larger) bulbs this year, we did supply St Albans, St Michaels, St Pauls and St Peters with compost and plants.

You may well have noticed the displays of CHAS sourced bulbs along Sutton Court Road and St Mary's Grove too. We also continued to supply assistance at the Grove Park Surgery Therapeutic Garden.

Schools

Many of the schools and day nurseries have open spaces and encourage their children to help maintain these areas. CHAS provides them with compost, potatoes in spring, bulbs in autumn and seeds and other plants (such as tomatoes) in summer.

There are many enthusiastic and dedicated teachers who are very keen for their pupils to learn how things grow and then see the results. The lockdowns during 2020 and 2021 made it very difficult for most of them to maintain these activities immediately after they re-opened, when priority had to be given to catching up on learning, but during the past year, they have been able to start finding more time to resume their gardening again. We look forward to this continuing.

6 . Plans for 2022

The Society will continue to organise activities as follows (subject to government health restrictions):

horticultural shows held at the Trading Centre.
trading on Sunday mornings when members can obtain gardening advice and information, purchase seeds, plants, and other gardening products at favourable prices.
provide a meeting area where members can get together and where educational talks and social events can be held.
visits to gardens and shows and other places of horticultural interest.
access to horticultural information through our website and weekly newsletter.
educational, social, and fund-raising events.
provide opportunities for children from local schools to learn about gardening, sustainability, and the natural environment.

The Society will also continue to represent the interests of both the residents of the neighbourhood and the allotment holders on the six sites in the Chiswick area. It will work closely with the relevant organisations to promote the regeneration of and improvements to the local community and beneficial use of the allotments.

7. Responsibilities of the Management Committee

The Committee Members, who are directors for the purpose of company law and trustees for the purpose of charity law, who served during the year and up to the date of this report, are set out on page 4.

Independent Examiner

Mr Phillip Harrison was appointed as the charitable company’s independent examiner in 2021. This report has been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities (Companies Act 2006) and in accordance with the special provisions of S476 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small entities. Approved by the members and signed on their behalf by:

Dennis Flaherty Chairman

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Committee of the Chiswick Horticultural and Allotments Society

I report on the accounts of the Chiswick Horticultural and Allotments Society for the year ended 31 December 2021.

Respective responsibilities of the committee and examiner

As the Charity’s Committee members, you are the trustees of the Chiswick Horticultural and Allotments Society and are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. You consider that the audit requirements of Section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the Act) do not apply. It is my responsibility to state, on the basis of procedures specified in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners under Section 43(7)(b) of the Act, whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner’s report

My examination will be carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. 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, seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

Independent Examiner’s statement

In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention

(i) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements to keep accounting records in accordance with section 41 of the 1993 Act; and to prepare accounts which agree with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the 1993 Act have not been met

(ii) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

P Harrison

Phillip Harrison 4 Oakmere Place Green Lane Northwood HA6 1AJ

Chiswick Horticultural and Allotments Society Statement of Financial Activities as 31 December 2021


	Total Funds Total Funds 2021 2020
	Notes £ £
	Incoming resources Incoming resources from generated funds Voluntary income 2,415 4,839 Activities for generating funds 890 1,170 Incoming resources from charitable activities Trading sales 22,865 21,490 Horticultural shows and events 1,491 272 Other incoming resources 649 599
	*Total incoming resources* 2 28,880 28,366
	Resources expended Costs of generating funds Cost of generating voluntary income 0 0 Charitable activities Trading 16,257 13,153 Horticultural shows and events 1467 314 Repairs 4,266 14,371 Schools Project 721 443 Governance costs 7,146 4,766
	*Total resources expended* 3 29,857 33,047
	Other recognised gains 0 0 Net movement in funds -997 -4,681 Total funds at 1 January 69,522 74,233
	Total funds at 31 December 5 68,555 69,552

The notes on pages 13 to 15 form part of these accounts.

Chiswick Horticultural and Allotments Society Balance Sheet as 31 December 2021

		Total	Total
		Funds	Funds
		2021	2020
	Notes	£	£
Fixed assets
Tangible assets		36,270	40,755
*Total fixed assets*	4	36,270	40,755
Current assets
Stock		2,903	2,865
Debtors		0	0
Cash at bank and in hand		21,275	22,834
*Total current assets*		24,178	25,729
Current liabilities		0	0
*Net current assets*		25,178	25,729
*Net assets*		60,448	66,484
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds		0	0
Revaluation funds		0	0
General funds		60,448	66,484
Restricted funds		0	0
Total charity funds	6	60,448	66,484

(a) For the year ended 31 December 2020 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 480 of the Companies Act 2006.
(b) Members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.
(c) The directors acknowledge their responsibility for:

(i) ensuring the company keeps accounting records which comply with section 386; and

(ii) preparing accounts which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the company at the end of the financial year, and of its profit and loss for the financial year, in accordance with the requirements of section 393, and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act relating to accounts, so far as applicable to the company. These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to company’s subject to the small company’s regime.

Approved by the Management Committee on 23[rd] February 2022 and signed on their behalf by:

David Burton

David Burton Treasurer

Notes forming part of the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2021

1. Accounting Policies

The principal accounting policies are summarised below.

(a) Basis of accounting

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 1985 and the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities issued in March 2005.

(b) Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds allocated by the Committee for particular purposes. Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.

(c) Incoming resources

All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:

Voluntary income is received by way of subscriptions, grants, donations and gifts and is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable. Grants, where entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of a specific performance by the charity, are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.
Donated services and facilities are included at the value to the charity where this can be quantified. The value of services provided by volunteers has not been included in these accounts.
Investment income is included when receivable.
Incoming resources from charitable trading activity are accounted for when earned.
Incoming resources from grants, where related to performance and specific deliverables, are accounted for as the charity earns the right to consideration by its performance.

(d) Resources expended

Expenditure is recognised on an accrual basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot fully be recovered, and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates:

Costs of generating funds comprise the costs associated with attracting voluntary income and the costs of trading for fundraising purposes in the trading hut.
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such 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.
All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories of the SoFA on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource. Costs relating to a activity are allocated directly, others are apportioned on an appropriate basis.

(e) Fixed assets

Fixed assets (excluding investments) are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. The costs of minor additions or those costing below £500 are not capitalised. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of each asset over its expected useful life.

2. Incoming resources

2.	.	Incoming resources
3.		Total 2021 Total 2020
		Incoming resources from generated funds Voluntary income 2,415 4,839 Subscriptions 1,712 4,192 Donations 703 647 Activities for generating funds 890 1,170 Incoming resources from charitable activities Trading sales 22,865 21,490 Horticultural shows and events 1,491 272 Horticultural shows 385 272 Educational visits and talks 0 0 Other events (Quiz, Social) 1,106 0 Other incoming resources 1,219 272 Miscellaneous income 570 0 Grants / HMRC gift aid 649 599
		Total incoming resources 28,880 28,366
		Resources expended
		Total 2021 Total 2020
		Cost of generating funds Cost of generating voluntary income 0 0 Charitable activities Trading 16,257 13,153 Cost of sales 16,257 13.153 Horticultural Shows and Events 1,467 189 Horticultural shows 610 189 Educational visits and talks 0 0 Other events 857 126 Repairs & Renewals 4,266 14,371 Good Causes Project 721 433 Funding for Schools etc 721 433 Governance Costs 7,146 4,765 Insurance 240 240 General expenses 6,906 4,525
		Total resources expended 29,857 33.047

4. Fixed assets

. Fixed assets
	General: Tables	General: Trophies	Trading Hut	Total
Cost at 01.01.2021	573	4,800	35.382	40,755
Transferred out	0	0	0	0
Additions	0	0	0	0
Depreciation	(63)	0	(4,422)	(4,359)
Transferred out	0	0	0	0
Charge for year	(63)	0	(4,422)	(4,359)
Net Book Value at 31.12.2021	510	4,800	30,960	36,270

5. Analysis of net assets between funds

	General Funds	2021 Total	2020 Total
Tangible fixed assets	47,363	47,363	40,755
Current assets	10,808	10,808	15,965
Net assets 31 December	58,171	58,171	56,720

6. Movements in funds

	At 01.01.2021	Incoming Resources	Outgoing Resources	Transfers	At 31.12.2021
Restricted funds: Trading Hut	0	0	0	0	0
Total restricted funds	0	0	0	0	0
Unrestricted funds: Trading Hut General Revaluation	40,755 15,965 0	22,865 6,105 0	(16,257) (11,262 0	0 0 0	47,363 10,808 0
Total unrestricted funds	56,720	28,970	(27,519)	0	58,171
Total funds	56,720	28,970	(27,519)	0	58,171

2021-12-31-accounts