## **BRISTOL NATURAL HISTORY CONSORTIUM**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
## **REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
**Company registration number: 06472186 Registered charity number: 1123432**
## **BRISTOL NATURAL HISTORY CONSORTIUM**
## **REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
|CONTENTS
Highlight report
Trustees notes
Independent Examiner’s report
Statement of financial activities
Balance sheet
Notes to the financial statements|Page|
|---|---|
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8
11
15
16
17|
**THE NATURAL HISTORY CONSORTIUM**
Members Annual Summary 2021
## **2021 A Year Of Adaptation & Innovation**
**2021 has been a year characterised by Covid recovery, and the lead-up to COP26, with ongoing delays to COP15.** Organisations and society continue to rebuild and reprioritise, and the impact of human activity on the environment and the value of nature for our health and wellbeing has maintained a prominent place in public consciousness.
For NHC, 2021 was about consolidating our own Covid recovery, building on the successful adaptations made in 2020 and exploring new ways of working in partnership in a still unsettled landscape. We had core support from funders in 2020 which allowed us to invest additional strategic time in 2021, rebuilding a new understanding of our flagship programmes whilst piloting new format innovations and growing a productive development programme. We were also able to maintain financial stability throughout the year.
Based regionally in the West of England and nationally active, the Consortium is unique in bringing together organisations from across policy, academia, conservation and media within a shared charitable structure. The charity provides a vehicle for delivering shared projects, and a small and experienced core team facilitate collaboration between the organisations.
Senior stakeholder meetings were held 7 times in 2021, bringing member organisations together to create and direct the organisation’s programmes for the year where members’ priorities and agendas intersect. Having collaborated through the pandemic, in 2021 we welcomed Natural England back into the consortium partnership through the ‘Connecting People and Nature’ team.
## **2022 This Is Our Time**
**In the wake of COP26, urgency and impact at scale is a key theme for the environment going into 2022.** Commitments have been made and ambitions have been declared, and the next challenge is converting this into swift, effective action. As activity in this area accelerates, 2022 promises some exciting opportunities to help shape the emerging response:
Nature is high on the agenda - politically, but also socially as lockdown has had a lasting impact on our relationship to the outdoors
A wave of youth led social change continues to create an atmosphere of empowerment and individual action, whilst pressure on organisations and institutions to respond at scale intensifies
We are seeing increased recognition of the need to build a more equitable and inclusive environmental community, amplifying a diverse range of voices for nature
We have a strong, highly engaged partnership that is unique in its mix of sectors and local and national organisations
We have accelerated our collaborative innovation through the pandemic, supported and convened our communities of influence and swiftly built skills and experience of delivering remotely. We have cemented a strong position for the partnership to work towards continuing to deliver at scale and drive positive change in 2022. **!**
We are embedding our learning from this year into innovative, insights led prototypes for 2022 programmes
We have an excellent track record for delivery of highly complex, multi-stakeholder projects and associated brand recognition for our major programmes
Because of all of this, we are now well-placed to play a major part in the response to the climate and ecological emergencies “post-COP”, including some exciting opportunities already in the pipeline.
The Natural History Consortium is a charitable partnership between 14 organisations engaging people with the natural world through collaborative action
## **Innovation Of Our Core Programmes**
2021 saw government restrictions ease, shifting responsibility on individuals and organisations to manage their own Covid-19 responses. In this shifting landscape, we made some significant strategic and structural changes to our major programmes, adapting to meet the evolving needs of partners and audiences, and innovating to drive and respond to new opportunities.
## **BioBlitz**
In 2021 NHC continued to show leadership in the development of BioBlitz as a format for public engagement in biological recording and citizen science, representing the West of England in the 4th international City Nature Challenge. NHC represents Bristol & Bath City Region and spearheads UK participation in this global race for citizens to generate the most wildlife records data possible in 4 days.
## **Festival Of Nature**
Bringing together content from across the partnership under a common framework for engagement, Festival of Nature is the UK’s largest free celebration of the natural world delivering an exciting new programme across the West of England each year since 2003.
## **Adapting Current Programmes**
## **Communicate**
Started in 2004, Communicate is an annual environmental communication conference bringing together a diverse group of delegates each year to develop their skills, share best practice and debate latest issues in science communication, nature conservation and engaging people with the natural world.
## **City Nature Challenge**
April 2021
We delivered a regional programme of remote and online activity as well as convening 80+ delegates for a themed 1-day conference, using this as a platform to launch national collaboration and share best practice.
**>8,000 4** wildlife observations co-created training submitted from the films which had region 4,600 views
**6 540%** online ‘Nature Chat’ increase in events and 13 online iNaturalist activity training workshops in the UK
## **6,600**
engagements with social media posts
Collaborated with **13** other city partnerships and **30** social media influencers to activate a national community of **3,840** digital volunteers generating **61,840+** national records (UK wide)
## **Festival Of Nature**
## June 2021
Investing heavily in collaborative strategic development, we restructured Festival of Nature to support an innovative, covid safe programme of activity through a new online hub, delivering 125+ pieces of content over 8-days of remote activity.
**10 19** bookable live podcast online events episodes
## **42 25** actions for nature
**36**
## **3,000**
community people engaged with content pieces content on Youtube and Facebook (8,000 engagements)
## **Piloting New Activity**
**Communicate: On the road to COP** September 2021
We supported the sector’s preparations for COP26 and COP15 by convening the annual 2-day conference for themed conversations and workshops, delivered online, in advance of these major international discussions.
**661 98** delegates organisations registered represented
**73% 8** ½ of delegates rated hours average time Excellent value online per delegate
## **50**
sessions featuring 100+ speakers
## **Great Big Green Week**
## **European BioBlitz**
## September 2021
As part of an international collaboration celebrating European Researchers Night, we delivered the world’s first continental 48 hour BioBlitz, activating an international network through a shared, multilingual communications pack
**8,270 53,236** digital volunteers in observations of 43 countries 7,028 species
**400%** increase in iNaturalist activity across Europe
September 2021
Linking in with a one-off national campaign, we delivered a 10-day communications campaign promoting events across the West of England including the UK’s first domestic Pesticide Amnesty.
**46 72** events in the pesticide amnesty West of England participants handed in 102 products **30** environmental and arts organisations convened as part of a networking collaboration with Thangham Debbonaire (MP)
## **Communicate: Extras**
June 2021 & January 2022
In addition to the annual 2-day event, we supported organisations working to tackle their own ecological emergency through a new one-day conference. We will also be delivering new content post-COP with a series of 6 curated conversations in January 2022.
**218 11** delegates sessions featuring registered 23 speakers **2** ½ **hrs** average time online per delegate
The Natural History Consortium is a charitable partnership between 14 organisations engaging people with the natural world through collaborative action
## **Strenghtening The Support Network**
## **Convening Power**
**Convening Power Festival Of Nature** As organisations settled into new ways of working post Direct delivery to public lockdown and established new priorities in the build up audiences in the region as to COP26, NHC sought to consolidate our core communities well as regional, national of practice and use the opportunity to support and convene and international festival communities of practice these intersecting sectors by providing platforms for organisations to collaborate and share emerging learning through live programmes. **Bioblitz** local, national and international **Communicate** biological recording and citizen science environmental community of practice communications sector of the UK and beyond
## **Expanding Our Collaborative Development Portfolio**
Building on our core programmes, we found new ways to facilitate collaboration between Consortium members as well as external partners, to make things happen together. These projects provided opportunities to support delivery of partners individual priorities, build capacity and facilitate collaboration between partners.
**Making Connections**
Exploring and piloting new ways to invite different ‘Voices for Nature’ into our programmes in partnership with Black Seeds Network
**Future Parks**
Developing our learning and evaluation portfolio and working closely on the engagement aspects of this major programme involving several NHC partners
**FUTURES Naturegram**
Exploring new formats for partnering with social media influencers to cocreate content as part of major University partnership project
**Pesticide Bristol Ecological Amnesty Emergency**
Creating new ways Coordinating Bristol’s for Bristol residents to Ecological Emergency take action for nature, implementation, delivering the UK’s involving NHC first domestic partners and taking a pesticide amnesty in leading role in activity collaboration with around pesticides and University of Bristol, wildlife recording Bristol City Council and Bristol Waste
Working intimately with grassroots community groups in East Bristol, piloting new ways of making connections and amplifying more diverse voices
## **Hyperlocal To Global Connections**
With the revolution in digital programming comes freedom from geographic restrictions, however we have been conscious that many of our most successful engagement activities have been built around a sense of connection to place and relevance at a very local scale. In 2021 we have piloted new ways of connecting local lived experiences with regional, national and international context.
Connecting individual action in local neighbourhoods with regional and national policy and conservation context through Bristol Ecological Emergency activities and City Nature Challenge UK collaboration
Supporting and building international community science collaboration across Europe through the world’s first continental BioBlitz
Showcasing international voices at Communicate including a live conversation between speakers in Kenya, India, the Philippines and the UK
The Natural History Consortium is a charitable partnership between 14 organisations engaging people with the natural world through collaborative action
## **Opportunities In The Pipeline**
Building on the innovation and consolidation of our networks in 2020 and 2021, the partnership is poised to activate a series of opportunities already in the pipeline and we look forward to working with your teams to realise the potential for real impact
## **Co-learning And Shared Solutions**
**Growing our professional community -** Communicate attendance continues to reach new communities of practice by reducing barriers to attendance. By positioning our convening activities around COP26 - we are in a great position to support the sector’s response to COP with this growing community, starting with our planned January 2022 activity.
## **Convening, Leading And Influencing**
## **Ecological Emergency Implementation -**
we will be supporting organisations across the city through the “One City” approach and seeking opportunities to share our approaches with cities across the UK.
## **Driving Innovation And Adaptation**
**Evolving mixed format engagement models -** Festival of Nature 2022 will consolidate the learning from major strategic development and piloting of new hybrid engagement formats through 2021 to create a programme that is resilient and adaptable to changes whilst re-establishing face-to-face activities under a new, more inclusive programme model.
## **Building our consultancy and**
**collaboration portfolio -** By expanding our consultancy and development programme through the pandemic, NHC has further cemented our reputation as a leading collaboration space and safe pair of hands for delivering against partner priorities. We are already seeing a surge of requests and opportunities for collaboration for 2022 coming through as our networks look ahead.
## **EuroBioBlitz and City Nature Challenge -**
We continue to hold a leadership position because of ongoing innovation between NHC partners and have already started conversations with UK organisations about further upscaling ambitions around national collaboration and international leadership.
## **Community science innovation -**
Wildlife data is increasingly important nationally under the new Green Recovery agenda, and we have a place to play exploring the role of publics in it alongside partnerships developed through our BioBlitz programme. Locally we have an established role in the development of a Wildlife Index for the region and opportunities to activate community science around the Ecological Emergency.
## **New gateway for research**
**collaboration -** Through our regular senior stakeholder meetings and frequent informal contact, we have a space for sharing learning and challenges as we all adapt to a Covid influenced landscape post COP26. This includes development of a “Gateway” for brokering collaboration between researchers and practitioners across the consortium.
**Actions For Nature -** Our framework for individual actions is gaining traction and is ready for further development as we consolidate our learning and explore new ways to apply the framework drive positive action through innovative remote and digital volunteering formats.
## **Amplifying diverse voices for nature -**
Building on new collaborations with Black Seeds Network in 2021, we are seeking funding to establish new models of working with community groups, coming together to celebrate and empower people’s connections with nature in more equitable, inclusive and diverse ways.
## **What Would We Do Without You?**
The strength of The Consortium comes from the unique community of partners around the table. Funders, stakeholders and audiences invest their time and resources into the collaboration through our shared programmes because they recognise the value of collaboration. Every member brings different perspectives, experience and skills to the partnership and your membership is valued far beyond the financial input. For The Consortium to succeed in co-creating impactful, innovative programmes into 2022 we need your organisation at the table.
The Natural History Consortium is a charitable partnership between 14 organisations engaging people with the natural world through collaborative action
## **Looking Ahead: Public Programmes 2022**
In 2022, our public facing programmes will build on learning from 2 years of remote and digital engagement to empower audiences to take action for nature through a ground-breaking, collaborative hybrid programme of digital experiences, outdoor activities and volunteering opportunities. We will continue to develop remote and digital participation whilst bringing back elements of face-to-face activity in a responsible way.
As environmental issues continue to dominate the headlines, Festival of Nature will bring global issues into local focus, helping people realise and activate their agency for positive change, protecting and creating more space for nature.
**NHC Vision:** ‘A society that comes together to value, connect with and safeguard nature’
**NHC Mission:**
‘Engaging people with the natural world through collaborative action’
## **Festival Of Nature Mission Statement**
**will** deliver a cohesive, inspiring, engaging, ambitious programme of activity…
**for** newly aware, partially engaged and highly active people in the West of England…
**2022**
**so that** they are empowered to take new, sustained, positive action for nature.
Cocreated by the 14 partners of the Natural History Consortium alongside invited external partners, the programme will deliver against seven strategic priorities endorsed by the partnership:
**Fundability**
**Partner Interest**
The programme The programme is financially has direct viable through involvement from appropriate all NHC partners funding sources
**User Impact Inclusivity Experience** The programme The programme The programme generates addresses uses design positive unconscious principles to individual action biases and create activities for nature barriers to that are through our engagement for enjoyable, and ‘Actions For people with people want to Nature’ intersectional participate in framework identities
**COVID Innovation Restrictions & Shared** The programme **Learning** is designed to The programme respond to pilots new changes in formats and ways government of working, guidance on sharing learning minimising the widely through spread of effective coronavirus monitoring and evaluation
**Key Activity Delivery Periods 2022**
**City Nature Challenge:** 29th April – 2nd May
City Nature Challenge is an epic, global citizen science project to collect information about our local wildlife. In 2021 fourteen UK cities collaborated with >400 cities across the world to find and record as much wildlife as possible – in 2022 the Festival of Nature will once again lead Bristol and Bath City Region’s efforts, whilst spearheading an even more ambitious UK collaboration.
**Festival of Nature:** 10th June – 18th June
Festival of Nature, the UK’s largest free celebration of the natural world, will return to the South West for the 18th year. Using what we have learned through successfully pivoting programmes during 2021, this project will be pioneering new frontiers for action-led, multi-platform engagement in the evolving post lockdown, post COP landscape.
**European Researchers Night:** 30th September – 1st October
Festival of Nature is engaged in collaborative bids to support our academic partners to deliver engagement activities across the South West as part of European Researchers Night and collaborate with Universities across Europe to build on our success delivering the world’s first 48-hour continental BioBlitz in 2020.
The Natural History Consortium is a charitable partnership between 14 organisations engaging people with the natural world through collaborative action
## **Business Development**
The Natural History Consortium provide an excellent return on investment for our partners, leveraging the vast majority of our funding from external sources and using the convening power of our networks to give the consortium the mandate to lead and spearhead innovation across the sector.
## **Leveraged Funds**
- ∞ The subscriptions and commitment of our Consortium partners allows us to leverage funds for joint impact, and bring others to the table
- ∞ With ongoing uncertainty around Covid-19 restrictions and impacts on funding sources, we set out a conservative budget going into 2021. With the success of this year's programmes we exceeded our target by 22%.
**----- Start of picture text -----**
£185.7k
With ongoing uncertainty
around Covid-19 we set
out a conservative budget
going into 2021
**----- End of picture text -----**
**£226.9k** BUT we exceeded our plans Your organisation’s contribution (2.2%) NHC partners contribution (28.65%) Leveraged funds for joint programmes (69.15%)
## **Making The Case**
Previously we have built our programmes around a mixed income model, using the initial investment of consortium partners to leverage a combination of sponsorship, grants and earned income.
In 2020 NHC were able to invest in substantial strategic development to build new income streams and generate significant support to maintain stability in 2021. Off the back of this new strategy, we made a conscious, temporary shift away from the current instability of the event sponsorship market, successfully making the case to a number of grant funding sources from funders who recognise the value of this unique collaboration, and the innovations being developed through our programmes. We also identified and established new earned income streams through consultancy activities that support our charitable aims and objectives.
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## **Developing Our Team**
Our experienced staff team supports the Consortium partnership and delivers our suite of programmes: Savita Willmott (CEO), Matt Postles (Deputy CEO), Stuart Payton (Programmes Officer), Ellie Turner-Wallace (Programmes Officer)
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The team has continued to develop ways of working flexibly between our new office space in central Bristol and remote collaboration, whilst NHC committees have been held online since March 2020
By bringing in additional skills and capacity from external, remote working, contractors, the team established a powerful and adaptive model for delivering scalable activity and responding quickly to new opportunities
The team has consolidated expertise in online and remote activity delivery developed in 2020 to support partners in 2021 with shared learning and capacity building as most organisations continue to adapt
By pioneering hybrid and fully digital delivery formats the team is now primed to consolidate that experience and activate these new skills to deliver a cutting-edge, reimagined programme of activity for 2022
The Natural History Consortium is a charitable partnership between 14 organisations engaging people with the natural world through collaborative action
**BRISTOL NATURAL HISTORY CONSORTIUM**
**TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
## **Reference and administrative details**
Company number: 06472186 Charity number: 1123432 Registered office: 1 Little King Street Bristol BS1 4HW Bankers: The Co-operative Bank Kings Valley Yew Street Stockport SK4 2JY Independent Examiners: Linden Accountants
## **Key management personnel**
Trustees: Justin Morris – Bristol Zoo Ian Barrett – Avon Wildlife Trust Peter Ball – Independent Trustee Martin Brasher – Independent Trustee Rosa Robinson - Independent Trustee Principal Staff: Savita Willmott (Chief Executive) Company Secretary: Savita Willmott
## _**Governing Document**_
The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 14th January 2008 and registered as a charity on 3 April 2008.
The company was established under a Memorandum of Association, which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association. In the event of the company being wound up members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1.
The Consortium has 14 partners, which work together in the following way:
## _Members_ :
Bristol Zoo Gardens and Avon Wildlife Trust are members of the organisation. In accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association, each member has the right to appoint one representative to the Board of Trustees. The members also each have the right to appoint one representative to the Steering Group.
## _Associate members (Consortium members):_
Bath & North East Somerset Council, BBC, Bristol City Council, Forestry England, Natural England, University of Bristol, University of the West of England, University of Bath, National Trust, Wildfowl Wetlands Trust, and The Woodland Trust are associate members (Consortium members). In accordance with the Memorandum & Articles they have the right to appoint one representative to the Steering Group.
## _Associate members (Supporter members)_ :
Defra are associate members (Supporter members). In accordance with the Memorandum & Articles they have the right to send one representative to steering group meetings.
## _**Organisational structure**_
The Consortium undertakes a range of activities that are managed in the following way:
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## **BRISTOL NATURAL HISTORY CONSORTIUM**
## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
The Trustees are pleased to present their annual directors’ report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ending 31 December 2021 which are also prepared to meet the requirements for a directors’ report and accounts for Companies Act purposes.
The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum & Articles of Association, and 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 2015). The company has taken advantage of the exemption to not have to prepare a strategic report in accordance with “The Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors’ Report) Regulations 2013”.
The charity’s legal name remains Bristol Natural History Consortium, however the operating and public name for the partnership is The Natural History Consortium (NHC)
## **1. OUR PURPOSES AND ACTIVITIES**
The mission statement and objectives are regularly reviewed on an annual basis by Consortium members.
## **1.1 Our mission statement:**
The Natural History Consortium - Engaging people with the natural world through collaborative action
## **1.2 Our objectives:**
The company’s charitable objects are to advance the public understanding of wildlife and the natural environment and their conservation.
It achieves this by:
- Delivering entertaining and informative events and activities that inspire greater public interest, volunteering and action for nature
- Facilitating, developing, and disseminating novel communication techniques that engage the widest possible audience
- Building, supporting and piloting effective partnerships that bring together diverse organisations that face similar challenges and issues, and help organisations learn from each other
## **1.3 Ensuring our work delivers our objectives**
The Consortium’s Trustees and Steering Group review progress of the partnership and activities through regular Trustees’ meetings and bi-monthly Steering Group meetings.
We have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aim and objectives and in planning our future activities. In particular, the Trustees consider how our activities will contribute to and deliver our mission statement.
## **1.4 Our activities**
We carry out these objectives through a range of activities, guided by our mission statement:
- Festival of Nature – an annual public festival and associated public facing activities
- Communicate – an annual conference and an online community supported by research and resources.
- BioBlitz – a range of public activity and community of practice supporting public participation in biological recording
- • Volunteers programme – supporting skills development and volunteer activity through our programmes
- Research and development – a strand of piloting, evaluation and learning activity using
- Governance and management.
## **1.5 How our activities deliver public benefit**
The relationship of our activities to the target beneficiaries are described below. All of our charitable activities focus on environmental communication.
## _**Covid-19 impact on 2021 activities**_
NHC’s activities continued to be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions in place through Spring and early summer 2021. Elements of usual programming, such as large-scale live events during Festival of Nature, City Nature Challenge and Communicate were adapted to a digital setting and/or remote participation.
## **ACTIVITY**
## FESTIVAL OF NATURE
Bringing together content from across the partnership under a common framework for engagement, Festival of Nature is the UK’s largest free celebration of the natural world delivering an exciting new programme across the West of England each year since 2003.
## COMMUNICATE
Started in 2004, Communicate is an annual environmental communication conference bringing together a diverse group of delegates each year to develop their skills, share best practice and debate latest issues in science communication, nature conservation and engaging people with the natural world.
## BIOBLITZ
Since 2009 NHC has shown leadership in the development of BioBlitz as a format for public engagement in biological recording and citizen science, representing the West of England in the international City Nature Challenge since 2018. NHC represents Bristol & Bath City Region and spearheads UK participation in this global race for citizens to generate the most wildlife records data possible in 4 days.
## VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME
NHC runs an on-going, active volunteer programme designed to train and support students, those looking to develop skills, and those looking to make a change of career.
## RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Through our regular senior stakeholder meetings and frequent informal contact, we have a space for sharing learning and Challenges. Building on core programmes, we explore new ways to facilitate collaboration between Consortium members as well as external partners, to make things happen together.
GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
## **OUTPUTS**
## **IMPACT**
A cohesive, inspiring, engaging, ambitious Audiences in the West of England are more programme of activity that delivers against aware of environmental issues, more seven strategic priorities: connected with nature and empowered to - Partner interest take new, sustained, positive action for - Fundability nature. - User experience - Impact (action for nature) - Inclusivity - Covid regulations - Innovation & shared learning Convening the UK environmental Environmental communicators are better communications sector through an annual equipped with tools, knowledge and programme of innovative and engaging connections to influence positive change for conference, workshops and conversations nature A regional programme of activity promoting Participants feel better connected and more public participation in biological recording, knowledgeable about nature on their piloting new innovative formats for doorsteps, and are empowered to take new, participatory community science sustained, positive action for nature through community science. Convening and supporting national and international communities of practice The biological recording and community around BioBlitz and associated formats to science sector are better equipped with share learning, and foster collaboration tools, knowledge and connections to support public participation in biological Biological records data contributed at scale recording and community science to local, national and international datasets Conservation and land management practice and research are better informed by biological records data. Cohorts of volunteers are Volunteers are upskilled and build Trained and supported to take leadership experience in environmental roles in NHC public facing activities. Specific communications and engagement practice strands of volunteer training, advocacy and skills development are built into NHC Young volunteers and wildlife enthusiasts programmes benefit from peer-to-peer learning and social cohesion In 2014 NHC launched Bristol Nature Network as a forum for young volunteers NHC partners and the wider sector benefit and nature enthusiasts in the city and from a pool of year round, engaged, continues to support the independent upskilled volunteer talent in the West of committee England A collaborative portfolio of funded projects NHC reputation as a leading collaboration that support our charitable objectives, space and safe pair of hands for provide opportunities to support delivery of delivering against partner priorities partners individual priorities, build capacity and facilitate collaboration between New collaborations, and innovations are partners fostewred and disseminated through the Consortium charitable structure and activies – contributing to research and best practice in environmental communications Building core capacity through funded activity, and consultancy. Financial, administrative, team management Ensuring financial stability, compliance and and policy responsibilities best practice in charitable governance Regular meetings of the Trustees and Ensuring effective and efficient investment Steering Group of resources to meet charitable objectives
Biological records data contributed at scale to local, national and international datasets
In 2014 NHC launched Bristol Nature Network as a forum for young volunteers and nature enthusiasts in the city and continues to support the independent committee
## **2. Our future plans**
Building on the innovation and consolidation of our networks in 2020 and 2021, the partnership is poised to activate a series of opportunities already in the pipeline for 2022. These are outlined on paghes 4-5 of the attached Members Summary Report.
## **2.1. Programmes**
FESTIVAL OF NATURE will return in June 2022 with a mixed format of digital and hybrid activity alongside a partial return to faceto-face engagement. Proposals to build on a successful collaborative programme in September around European Researchers Night and Great Big Green Week are also in progress.
COMMUNICATE will start in January 2022 nwith a newly created ‘The Conversations’ format post-COP26 with the 2-day annual conference returning in November 2022
BIOBLITZ will build on learning as NHC leads Bristol & Bath participation and spearheads national collaboration in the 5[th] international City Nature Challenge in April 2022. There are also plans for EuroBioBlitz to return in September 2022 pending grant funding.
VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME will create new opportunities through evolving formats for digital volunteering regionally and nationally as plans for the Festival of Nature and City Nature Challenge develop
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME will continue expansion of our consultancy and collaboration portfolio as we continue our collaborations around Future Parks, Ecological Emergency and community engagement, as well as development of a new “Gateway” for brokering collaboration between researchers and practitioners across the consortium.
## **2.2. Website**
A major project for 2021 has been commissioning and designing a series of microsites for individual programmes, enhancing the online user experience for our different audiences and supporting the strategic communications aims of our major workstreams. This work will continue into 2022 with a new umbrella website for the charity that sits alongside the microsites.
## **3. Further notes to the accounts**
Funds totalling £24,000 have been designated for use in 2021. This is comprised of £7500.00 for staffing costs for the Parks Accelerator project, and £16,500.00 for staffing and programme costs for City Nature Challenge and Festival of Nature 2021.
## **BRISTOL NATURAL HISTORY CONSORTIUM**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES**
## **(INCLUDING INCOME & EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
|**INCOME AND EXPENDITURE**
**Note**
INCOME FROM
Donations
3
Other trading activities
Investments
_Charitable activities:_
Festival of Nature
4
Communicate Conference
4
Education and Engagement
4
_Other income_
TOTAL INCOME
EXPENDITURE ON:
_Charitable activities:_
Festival of Nature
5
Communicate Conference
5
Education and Engagement
5
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
5
Net income/(expenditure) and net
movement in funds for the year
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
76,625
-
-
26,816
22,678
48,575
-
174,694
55,700
72,916
33,587
162,202
12,492
59,027
71,519|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
2,000
-
-
5,730
-
31,001
-
38,731
22,443
2,644
33,645
58,731
(20,000)
20,980
980|**Total Funds**
**2021**
**£**
78,625
-
-
32,546
22,678
79,576
-
213,425
78,142
75,559
67,231
220,933
(7,508)
80,007
72,499|**Total Funds**
**2020**
**£**
68,417
-
-
58,080
37,343
57,367
-
221,207
62,184
62,186
48,734
173,104
48,103
31,904
80,007|
|---|---|---|---|---|
All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains and losses other than those stated above.
15
**BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEMBER 2021**
|FIXED ASSETS:
Tangible assets
CURRENT ASSETS:
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one year
NET CURRENT (LIABILITIES)/ASSETS
TOTAL NET (LIABILITIES)/ASSETS
THE FUNDS OF THE CHARITY
Restricted funds
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds
TOTAL CHARITY FUNDS
**Notes**
8
**9**
10
13
14
15|3,777
79,206
67,188
146,395
(77,672)
68,722
72,499
980
47,519
24,000
72,499|**2020**
**£**|
|---|---|---|
|||62,993
100,754|
|||163,747
(83,740)|
|||80,007|
|||80,007
20,980
35,027
24,000|
|||80,007|
The Trustees are satisfied that the company is entitled to exemption from the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 (the Act) relating to the audit of the financial statements for the year by virtue of section 477, and that no member or members have requested an audit pursuant to section 476 of the Act.
The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for:
(i) ensuring that the company keeps adequate accounting records which comply with section 386 of the Act, and
(ii) 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 year and of its profit or loss for the financial year in accordance with the requirements of section 393, and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Act relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the company.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions for small companies under Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.
These accounts have been delivered in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime.
These financial statements were approved by the directors and authorised for issue.
Approved by the Trustees on and signed on their behalf by
**(On behalf of Trustees)**
16
**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
## 1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES
## (a) **Basis of preparation**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with 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 2015) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
Bristol Natural History Consortium meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).
## (b) **Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis**
The Trustees have considered the 12 month period from the date of the approval of the financial statements. The Trustees note that the position of the unrestricted reserves has improved each year since 31st December 2019. At the time of filing the Trustees are reviewing the reserves policy and treatment of unrestricted reserves as they make long term plans for the success and stability of the charity.
## (c) **Income**
All income is included in full in the statement of financial activities when receivable. Intangible income is recognised as an incoming resource where the provider of the service has incurred a financial cost. Volunteer time is not included in the financial statements.
Grants are recognised in full in the statement of financial activities in the year in which they are receivable, unless they specifically relate to a future period, in which case they are deferred.
## (d) **Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT**
Expenditure is included in the Statement of Financial Activities on an accruals basis, inclusive of any VAT which cannot be recovered.
Most expenditure is directly attributable to a specific activity and is allocated to that activity. However, the costs of overall direction and administration of each activity, comprising the salary and overhead costs of the central function, is apportioned on the following basis which are an estimate, based on core staff time, of the amount attributable to each activity.
Festival of Nature 20% Communicate Conference 40% Education & Engagement 40%
## (e) **Donated services and facilities**
Donated services & facilities are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) where the benefit to the charity is reasonably quantifiable and measurable. The value placed on these resources is the estimated value to the charity of the service or facility received. This will be the price the charity estimates it would pay in the open market for a service or facility of equivalent utility to the charity.
## (f) **Interest receivable**
Interest on funds held is included when receivable by the charity.
## (g) **Funds accounting**
Funds held by the charity are:
Unrestricted general funds - these are funds which can be used in accordance with the charitable objects at the discretion of the Trustees.
Restricted funds - these are funds that can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor of when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.
Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each funds is included in the notes to the accounts.
17
**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
- 1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)
- (h) **Tangible fixed assets**
The cost of tangible fixed assets is written-off by equal annual instalments over their expected useful life as follows:
|Computer equipment|3 years straight line|
|---|---|
|Website|4 years straight line|
|Fixtures, fittings and furniture|4 years straight line|
(i) **Pension costs** The charity contributes to a defined contribution pension scheme. The employer contributions made by the charity are treated as an expense and disclosed in note 7 to the accounts.
## (j) **Operating leases**
No leases at 31st December 2021
## 2 PRIOR PERIOD COMPARATIVES
|INCOME FROM
Donations
Other trading activities
_Charitable activities:_
Festival of Nature
Communicate Conference
Education and Engagement
TOTAL INCOME
EXPENDITURE ON:
_Charitable activities:_
Festival of Nature
Communicate Conference
Education and Engagement
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
Net income/(expenditure) and net
movement in funds for the year|Unrestricted
Funds
£
66,517
-
37,310
32,963
52,987
189,777
55,206
60,449
46,998
162,653
27,123|Restricted
Funds
£
1,900
-
20,770
4,380
4,380
31,430
6,977
1,736
1,736
10,449
20,980|Total Funds
2020
£
68,417
-
58,080
37,343
57,367
221,207
62,184
62,186
48,734
173,104
48,103|
|---|---|---|---|
18
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
|3
DONATIONS
Unrestricted
Funds
£
Member subscriptions
70,000
_Donations:_
In kind donations
-
Company donations
6,625
Individual donations
-
76,625
A summary of the in kind donated services is set out below:
Design costs
Use of exhibition space/site services (Festival of Nature)
Use of exhibition space (Communicate)
Marketing support
Event consumables
Storage space|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
2,000
-
-
2,000|Total Funds
2021
£
70,000
2,000
6,625
-
78,625
Total Funds
2021
£
2,000
-
-
-
-
-
2,000|Total Funds
2020
£
65,000
1,900
1,517
-
68,417
Total Funds
2020
£
1,000
-
-
-
200
700
1,900|
|---|---|---|---|
## 4 INCOME
|**Festival of Nature**
Sponsorship
Sales
Grants
**Communicate Conference**
Sponsorship
Sales
Grants
**Education & Engagement**
_Parks Foundation_
_Parks Accelerator_
_Euro Bioblitz_
Grants-Parks Foundation
**Education & Engagement (Total)**|Unrestricted
Funds
£
-
4,366
22,450
26,816
-
9,628
13,050
22,678
48,575
-
-
48,575|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
5,730
5,730
-
-
-
-
-
31,001
-
31,001|Total Funds
2021
£
-
-
4,366
28,180
32,546
-
9,628
13,050
22,678
-
48,575
31,001
-
79,576|Total Funds
2020
£
-
7,531
50,549
58,080
-
16,134
21,209
37,343
-
57,367
-
0
57,367|
|---|---|---|---|---|
19
**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
## 5 TOTAL EXPENDITURE
|Staff
Costs
£
Festival of Nature
55,209
Communicate Conference
48,240
Education & Engagement
47,489
150,938
OTHER DIRECT COSTS
Event & project costs
Premises costs
Office costs
Legal & professional costs
Depreciation
Miscellaneous fees
VAT partial exemption adjustment
Unrestricted
Funds
£
Festival of Nature
55,700
Communicate Conference
72,916
Education & Engagement
BioBlitz
-
National Bioblitz
-
WENP
-
Bristol Nature Network
-
Euro Bioblitz
-
Places Where People Live
-
Ecological Emergency
-
Parks Foundation
-
Parks Accelerator
33,587
_Sub-total_
33,587
TOTAL
162,202
6
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) FOR THE YEAR
This is stated after charging:
Depreciation
Independent Examination
Accounting & Book-keeping services|Other
Direct
Costs
£
21,433
27,320
21,242
69,995
Restricted
Funds
£
22,443
2,644
-
-
-
-
31,001
-
-
-
2,644
33,645
58,731|Total
2021
£
76,642
75,559
68,731
220,934
Total
2021
£
5,471
19,205
24,769
13,828
1,388
-
5,334
69,995
Total Funds
2021
£
78,142
75,559
-
-
-
-
31,001
-
-
-
36,230
67,231
220,934
2021
£
1,388
550
5,400|Total
2020
£
62,184
62,186
48,734
173,104
Total
2020
£
2,769
26,851
8,922
8,524
-
17,353
-
64,419
Total Funds
2020
£
62,184
62,186
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
48,734
48,734
173,104
2020
£
-
550
3,845|
|---|---|---|---|
20
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
- 7 STAFF COSTS AND TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION
|Staff costs were as follows:
Wages and salaries
Employer's National Insurance
Employer's pensions
Freelance staff|2021
£
110,666
5,786
2,407
27,743
146,602|2020
£
90,399
3,857
2,066
12,363
108,684|
|---|---|---|
No employee earned £60,000 p.a. or more. The average number of employees during the year was 4 (2020 - 4).
The charity Trustees were not paid or received any other benefits from employment with the charity in the year (2020: £nil), neither were they reimbursed expenses during the year (2020: £nil). No charity Trustee received payment for professional or other services supplied to the charity (2020: £nil).
The key management personnel of the charity comprise the Trustees and the Chief Executive Officer. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the charity were £30,980 (2020: £21,097).
|8
TANGIBLE ASSETS
COST
At 1 January 2021
Additions
Disposals
At 31 December 2021
DEPRECIATION
At 1 January 2021
Charge for the year
At 31 December 2021
NET BOOK VALUE
At 31 December 2021
At 31 December 2020
9
DEBTORS
Trade debtors
Prepayments & accrued income
Taxation and social security
Other debtors||Website
Development
£
-
4,000
-
4,000
-
1,000
1,000
**3,000**
-||Computer
Equipment
£
1,593
1,165
-
2,758
1,593
388
1,981
**777**
-||Office
Furniture
£
664
-
-
664
664
-
664
**-**
-|2021
£
62,851
2,123
3,873
10,359
79,206|Total
£
2,257
5,165
-
7,422
2,257
1,388
3,645
**3,777**
-
2020
£
48,956
2,466
7,721
3,850
62,993|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The trade debtors include a credit of £15,224 (2020 : £20,224) in relation to the BBC. A credit was raised in 2018 and annual memberships for the BBC have been set against this. This will continue until the credit has been used up.
21
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
|10
CREDITORS
Amounts falling due within one year:
Trade creditors
Taxation and social security
Accruals
Deferred income
Other creditors
11
DEFERRED INCOME
Deferred income comprises subscriptions and grants invoiced in advance.
Balance as at 1 January 2021
Amount released to income earned from charitable activities
Amount deferred in year
Balance as at 31 December 2021
12
OPERATING LEASES
The total future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases are as follows:
Not later than 1 year
Later than 1 year and not later than 5 years|2021
£
1,988
3,795
1,890
70,000
-
77,672
2021
£
71,000
(71,000)
70,000
70,000
2021
£
-
-
-|2020
£
8,481
2,268
1,800
71,000
190
83,740
2020
£
65,000
(65,000)
71,000
71,000
2020
£
-
-
-|
|---|---|---|
22
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
## 13 RESTRICTED FUNDS
|_Bristol Festival of Nature_
_Communicate_
_Education & Engagement_
Parks Accelerator
Euro Bioblitz|At 1
January
2021
15,693
2,644
2,644
-
20,980||Income
£
7,730
-
-
31,001
38,731|Expenditure
£
(22,443)
(2,644)
(2,644)
(31,001)
(58,731)|At 31
December
2021
£
980
-
-
-
980|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
## Purposes of Restricted Funds
## _Postcode Local Trust_
This funding is in support City Nature Challenge.
## _The D'Oyly Carte Charitable Trust_
This funding is in support of City Nature Challenge.
## _South Gloucestershire Council_
This funding is in support of City Nature Challenge.
## _National Lottery_
This funding is in support of covering core costs.
## 14 UNRESTRICTED FUNDS
|General Fund
15
DESIGNATED FUNDS
Designated funds|At 1
January
2021
£
35,027
At 1
January
2021
£
24,000|Income
£
174,694
Income
£
-||Expenditure
£
(162,202)
Expenditure
£
-|Transfers
Between
Funds
£
-
Transfers
Between
Funds
£
-|At 31
December
2021
£
47,519
At 31
December
2021
£
24,000|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Designated funds consist of £7,500 of funds received from Bristol City Council for the staffing of the Future Parks Accelerator projects, to finalise work on this project and £16,500 towards costs for our public facing programmes, City Nature Challenge and Festival of Nature.
## 16 ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS
|Tangible fixed assets
Cash at bank and in hand
Other net current assets/(liabilities)|General
Funds
£
3,777
66,208
1,534
71,519|Restricted
Funds
£
-
980
-
980||Designated
funds
-
-
-
-|Total
£
3,777
67,188
1,534
**72,499**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||
23
**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2021**
## 17 RELATED PARTIES
## _Avon Wildlife Trust_
Avon Wildlife Trust is represented on the Steering Group by Lisa Jones. Avon Wildlife Trust is a subscribing organisation and paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2021.
## _Bath & North East Somerset Council_
Bath & North East Somerset Council is represented on the Steering Group by Mark Minkley. Bath & North East Somerset Council is a subscribing organisation and paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2021.
## _BBC_
BBC is represented on the Steering Group by Stephanie Marshall. BBC is a subscribing organisation and paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2021.
## _Bristol City Council_
Bristol City Council is represented on the Steering Group by Richard Ennion and Ray Barnett. BCC is a subscribing organisation and paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2021.
## _Bristol Zoo Gardens_
Bristol Zoo Gardens is represented on the Steering Group by Simon Garrett. As a subscribing organisation, Bristol Zoo paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2021.
## _Defra_
Defra is represented on the Steering Group by Claire Holland and as a subscribing organisation paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2021.
## _Forestry England_
Forestry England is represented on the Steering Group by Naomi Fuller and is a subscribing organisation which paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2021.
## _National Trust_
National Trust is represented on the Steering Group by Nerys Jones and is a subscribing organisation which paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2021.
## _University of West of England_
The University of the West of England is represented on the Steering Group by Jackie Rogers and is a subscribing organisation which paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2021.
## _The Woodland Trust_
The Woodland Trust is represented on the Steering Group by Rosie Walker and is a subscribing organisation which paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2021.
## _University of Bristol_
The University of Bristol is represented on the Steering Group by Rhys Charles and is a subscribing organisation which paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2021.
## _University of Bath_
The University of Bath is represented on the Steering Group by Heather Featherstone and is a subscribing organisation which paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2021.
## _Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust_
The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust is represented on the Steering Group by Mark Simpson and is a subscribing organisation which paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2021.
24
_Natural England_
Natural England is represented on the Steering Group by Kanta Mall and is a subscribing organisation which paid £5000 to BNHC in 2021
25