## **BRISTOL NATURAL HISTORY CONSORTIUM**
## **(A company limited by guarantee)**
## **REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
**Company registration number: 06472186 Registered charity number: 1123432**
## **BRISTOL NATURAL HISTORY CONSORTIUM**
## **REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
|CONTENTS|Page|
|---|---|
|Highlight report|2|
|Trustees notes|13|
|Independent Examiner’s report|15|
|Statement of financial activities|16|
|Balance sheet|19|
1
# **Annual Report 2024**
**The Natural History Consortium** 2
## **Dear Partners and collaborators,**
Our 2024 Annual Summary has been prepared for staff, volunteers, and stakeholders at our Consortium partner organisations as well as our external supporters, partners and funders. Please do share it with colleagues, and send us your feedback and ideas for future collaboration!
Throughout 2024, our partners have come together to create, curate and convene across all three of our strategic objectives. Together, we worked at a local, regional and national level and further shared our learning through international networks. We celebrated the 20th anniversary of our Communicate conference, which gave us numerous opportunities to reflect on how the collaboration between partners has strengthened, and how our joint activities have evolved alongside the environmental communication sector.
We continue to reflect on how we can increase our impact, and we welcome your support and challenge in this collective endeavour. More information about each of our programmes is available on our website at **www.bnhc.org.uk** , or we would be happy to speak to you about areas of interest.
## **Our Mission:**
## **Engaging everyone with the natural world through Collaborative Action**
The Natural History Consortium is a charitable partnership between 14 organisations engaging people with the natural world through collaborative action
ea)seaAga FS) BATHUNIVERSITY OF SS 3
## **Partnership in Action**
- Our **Steering Group** is our main strategic and decision-making body, where our Consortium partners meet regularly throughout the year. The group is supported by our charity’s small Trustee Board and direct the staff’s efforts by consensus.
- Our **Communicate committee** sets the editorial for our national conference and other sector-facing work.
- Our events, ad-hoc committees and working groups bring partners together around specialist topics and at events.
## **Leveraging Partner Contributions**
- NHC partners have made the same annual contribution for 21 years since the partnership was formed. Each year we leverage each organisation’s financial contribution and commitment into through fundraising into increased resources for joint programmes.
**£5,000** – your organisation’s contribution in 2024 (1%) **£65,000** – other partner’s contributions in 2024 (12.5%) **£450,000** – funds leveraged and raised for collaborative programmes (86.5%)
**= £520,000** – charity turnover for the year, supporting joint work between our partners.
## **Staff**
- Our experienced team supports our partners and delivers joint events under their direction.
**From left to right:**
**Savita Willmott** (CEO), **Ellie Turner-Wallace** (Head of Programmes), **Stuart Payton** (Senior Programmes Manager until July 2024), **Izzy Pulletz** (Marketing and Communications Manager until November 2024), **Loz Emerson** (Programmes Manager), **Molly Zeidler** (Communicate Conference Producer until December 2024). 4
## **Objective 1 - To deliver entertaining and informative events and activities that inspire greater public interest, volunteering and action for nature.**
NHC’s work on our first objective focuses on direct delivery and public engagement in the West of England, as well as supporting national projects and replicating our learning internationally. Our partners’ focus is to develop new methods and mechanisms for reaching the broadest possible audiences, underpinned by our own evaluation framework “Actions for Nature”.
**Festival of Nature** Festival of Nature is the only public festival to span the West of England region, and the UK’s largest free celebration of the natural world.
Our Festival of Nature in 2024 featured all 14 of our Consortium members and welcomed **over 30,000 visitors** to **96 different events** .
5
## **Milsom Street Takeover**
Festival of Nature activity in Bath included a takeover of Milsom Street, closing a busy city centre street in the centre of the city, attracting **over 11,000 visitors in 6 hours** .
Evaluation demonstrated the most popular activities were hands-on activities, alongside a solar powered cinema and nature themed performers.
## **Community Day**
NHC members Avon Wildlife Trust led the Festival’s first Community Day, supporting local groups to run their own events as part of the major event.
37 events took place across the West of England, reaching **over 2000 members of the public** . Events were added to two illustrated maps of the Bristol and Bath region which were freely distributed.
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6
fi. 6
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## **Local Nature Recovery Strategy**
In 2024, partners from across the West of England region worked together on a Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), led by the West of England Combined Authority. **NHC was commissioned to support community input** .
We ran a “Call for Evidence” from local community groups, gathering together previous material from nature engagement activities, and supported analysis from the statutory public consultation.
7
## **Objective 2 - To facilitate, develop, and disseminate novel communication techniques that engage the widest possible audience.**
Our work on objective 2 focuses on innovation, piloting new approaches, evaluation and dissemination. The focus is on adaptation and learning – with some activities working closely with a few participants and other attracting thousands.
## **City Nature Challenge**
City Nature Challenge is an annual international wildlife recording taking place over 4 days. Over 400 cities take part and NHC inspires audiences across the West of England to take part.
In April 2024, **NHC focused on creating new materials that supported better data collection, pathways and quality.** After consultation with national and regional data organisations, we created three videos on license settings, observation location and taking better photos. The vidoes had thousands of views and engagements and were shared by partners.
License setting changes during City Nature Challenge resulted in **at least 37,749 records becoming more accessible and useable** to many data-users outside of iNaturalist, with data more likely to be used by scientists, conservationists, and ecologists.
**----- Start of picture text -----**
FREE
TREES!
**----- End of picture text -----**
The National Biodiversity Network noted that **1.5% of all iNaturalist UK's records changed to open licence** during the weeks we were promoting our videos for City Nature Challenge. 8
## **Emergency Tree Fund Pilots**
NHC was commissioned as part of the Woodland Trust’s Emergency Tree Fund to explore new approaches to **engagement** , **volunteering** , and **formal education** to help successfully deliver the West of England Tree and Woodland Strategy (Forest of Avon plan). In 2024 we launched our final toolkit, exploring opportunities for new approaches within formal education settings.
## **Disabled Adults Pilot projects**
As part of Festival of Nature, we worked with Emma Geen, a local Disabled artist, to test a number of new
formats and activities for Disabled adults.These included a Walk and Roll event at WWT Slimbridge, online talks and collaborative craft activities, bringing BSL interpreters to our main festival events, and creating a Disabled Adult’s social at Festival of Nature’s Wild Weekend.
**359 Disabled adults from across the West of England took part.**
## **Youth Panel**
NHC partners set up a new Youth Panel for Festival of Nature in 2024, noting that only 16% of our Festival visitors were aged 12-24 years old. **We recruited and supported a youth panel to create original events for the Festival** – including a community ‘campfire’ event themed around eco-anxiety, and a youth art competition.
**----- Start of picture text -----**
9
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## **Objective 3 - To build, support and pilot effective partnerships that bring together diverse organisations that face similar challenges and issues, and to help organisations learn from each other.**
Our work on this objective is both regional and national – bringing together professionals and organisations together in curated events, discussions, and co-delivery.
## **Communicate**
Communicate is a flagship event for our partnership: a national conference for environmental communication professionals, running since 2004.
In 2024, we celebrated our **20th anniversary** with 45 sessions at events in Manchester, London, Bristol and online, on the theme of “New Connections for Nature”. **1,326 professionals** joined the event from **346 different organisations** .
**----- Start of picture text -----**
10
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## **Citizen Science Local Pilot**
Our Citizen Science Local Pilot programme, funded by Natural England, focuses on convening and coordinating citizen science across the Wessex area. The programme has supported **115 professionals** in Wessex from **70 different organisations** . Activities have included a major citizen science conference in June 2024 (70 attendees), and a series of Knowledge Exchange events.
## **Making Connections**
In January 2024 we brought academic and nonacademic staff together from across our partnership to explore collaboration and connections. 24 researchers, attending from our HEI institutions, held facilitated discussions on **future academic research** , **impact case studies** , **joint funding bids** and **academic / student placement projects.**
## **Nature and Business**
A new series of roundtable events during Festival of Nature brought a wide range of businesses together around two focus themes: **Nature and the Creative Industries** , and **Biodiversity Net Gain and Skills** . NHC staff also supported training for regional business staff on nature communication and biodiversity. We aim to grow this programme across Festival of Nature in 2025.
## **Growing Shoots**
We are supporting NHC partners to explore a shared definition of “ **Engaged Environmental Research** ” and opportunities for collaborative research through an internal scoping and horizon scanning process.
11
**The Natural History Consortium is a charitable partnership between 14 organisations engaging people with the natural world through collaborative action.**
12
Report design by Isabelle Pulletz
**BRISTOL NATURAL HISTORY CONSORTIUM**
**TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
## **Reference and administrative details**
Company number: 06472186 Charity number: 1123432 Registered office: Jubilee House Bristol BS1 4RW Bankers: CAF Bank Limited 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ 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 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.
The Consortium undertakes a range of activities that are managed in the following way:
_**Organisational structure**_
13
14
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF BRISTOL NATURAL HISTORY CONSORTIUM**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of Bristol Natural History Consortium for the year ended 31st December 2024.
## **Responsibility and basis of report**
As the charity's trustees are also its directors for the purposes of company law, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act ').
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited 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 matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
- Accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required under section 386 of the 2006 Act: or
- The accounts do not accord with those records; or
- The accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements under section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of my independent examination: or
- The accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommend 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.
## **Signed:**
**Name:** Michael Grant ACPA
**Address:** Linden Accountants Limited, Scrapstore House, 21 Sevier Street, St Werburghs, Bristol, BS2 9LB
**Date:** 19/08/25
15
## **BRISTOL NATURAL HISTORY CONSORTIUM**
## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
The Trustees are pleased to present their annual directors’ report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ending 31 December 2024 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.
- Citizen Science – 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.
16
|**ACTIVITY**|**OUTPUTS**|**IMPACT**|
|---|---|---|
|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.|A cohesive, inspiring, engaging, ambitious
programme of activity that delivers against
seven strategic priorities:
- Partner interest
- Fundability
- User experience
- Impact (action for nature)
- Inclusivity
- Covid regulations
- Innovation & shared learning|Audiences in the West of England are more
aware of environmental issues, more
connected with nature and empowered to
take new, sustained, positive action for
nature.|
|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.|Convening the UK environmental
communications sector through an annual
programme of innovative and engaging
conference, workshops and conversations|Environmental communicators are better
equipped with tools, knowledge and
connections to influence positive change for
nature|
|CITIZEN SCIENCE
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.|A regional programme of activity promoting
public participation in biological recording,
piloting new innovative formats for
participatory community science
Convening and supporting national and
international communities of practice
around citizen science and associated
formats to share learning, and foster
collaboration
Biological records data contributed at scale
to local, national and international datasets|Participants feel better connected and more
knowledgeable about nature on their
doorsteps, and are empowered to take new,
sustained, positive action for nature through
community science.
The biological recording and community
science sector are better equipped with
tools, knowledge and connections to
support public participation in biological
recording and community science
Conservation and land management
practice and research are better informed
by biological records data.|
|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.|Cohorts of volunteers are
Trained and supported to take leadership
roles in NHC public facing activities. Specific
strands of volunteer training, advocacy and
skills development are built into NHC
programmes|Volunteers are upskilled and build
experience in environmental
communications and engagement practice
Young volunteers and wildlife enthusiasts
benefit from peer-to-peer learning and
social cohesion|
|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.|A collaborative portfolio of funded projects
that support our charitable objectives,
provide opportunities to support delivery of
partners individual priorities, build capacity
and facilitate collaboration between
partners|NHC reputation as a leading collaboration
space and safe pair of hands for
delivering against partner priorities
New collaborations, and innovations are
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.|
|GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT|Financial, administrative, team management
and policy responsibilities
Regular meetings of the Trustees and
SteeringGroup|Ensuring financial stability, compliance and
best practice in charitable governance
Ensuring effective and efficient investment
of resources to meet charitable objectives|
17
## **BRISTOL NATURAL HISTORY CONSORTIUM**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING INCOME & EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024**
|**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
Transfer between funds
Reconciliation of funds:
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
70,000
-
-
42,489
40,107
298,275
-
450,871
136,681
102,442
184,927
424,051
26,819
(50,000)
59,735
36,554|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
13,545
-
-
34,708
-
-
-
48,253
48,253
-
-
48,253
-
50,000
-
50,000|**Total Funds**
**2024**
**£**
83,545
-
-
77,197
40,107
298,275
-
499,124
184,934
102,442
184,927
472,304
26,819
59,735
86,554|**Total Funds**
**2023**
**£**
87,714
-
-
-
53,416
30,645
285,972
-|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||457,747|
|||||158,334
86,881
225,343|
|||||470,558|
|||||(12,811)
72,546|
|||||59,735|
All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains and losses other than those stated above.
18
## **BALANCE SHEET AT 31 DECEMBER 2024**
|**BALANCE SHEET**
**AT 31 DECEMBER 2024**||||
|---|---|---|---|
||||**2023**|
||**Notes**||£|
|FIXED ASSETS:||||
|Tangible assets|8|1,922|3,934|
|CURRENT ASSETS:||||
|Debtors|9|75,932|61,568|
|Cash at bank and in hand||103,412|74,389|
|||179,344|135,957|
|CREDITORS: Amounts famng due within one year|10|(94 712)|(80,158)|
|NET CURRENT (LIABILITIES)/ASSETS||84,632|55,800|
|TOTAL NET (LIABILITIES)/ASSETS||86,554|59,735|
|THE FUNDS OF THE CHARITY||||
|Restricted funds|13|||
|Unrestricted funds|14|36,554|56,235|
|Designated funds|15|50,000|3,500|
|||86,554|59,735|
|TOTAL CHARITY FUNDS||||
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
Gor EL. **(On behalf of Trustees)**
19
## 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|25%|
|---|---|---|
|·|Communicate Conference|25%|
|·|Education & Engagement|50%|
## (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.
20
## 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 2024
## 2 PRIOR PERIOD COMPARATIVES
|2
PRIOR PERIOD COMPARATIVES||||
|---|---|---|---|
|INCOME FROM
Donations
Other trading activities
Investments
_Charitable activities:_
Festival of Nature
Communicate Conference
Education and Engagement
Other income
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
3
DONATIONS|Unrestricted
Funds
£
70,000
-
-
37,281
30,645
186,013
-
323,939
129,585
86,881
96,284
312,751
11,188|Restricted
Funds
£
17,714
-
-
16,135
99,959
-
133,808
28,749
-
129,059
157,808
(24,000)|Total Funds
2023
£
87,714
-
-
-
53,416
30,645
285,972
-|
||||457,747|
||||158,334
86,881
225,343|
||||470,558|
||||(12,811)|
|||||
|Member subscriptions
_Donations:_
In kind donations
Company donations
Individual donations|Unrestricted
Funds
£
70,000
-
70,000|Restricted
Funds
£
-
12,500
1,045
13,545|Total Funds
2024
£
70,000
12,500
-
1,045
83,545|Total Funds
2023
£
70,000
12,000
5,100
614|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||87,714|
21
- 3 DONATIONS (Continued)
A summary of the in kind donated services is set out below:
||||
|---|---|---|
|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
Storage space|Total Funds
2024
£
2,500
10,000
-
-
-
12,500|Total Funds
2023
£
2,000
10,000
-
-
-|
|||12,000|
4 INCOME
|**Festival of Nature**
Sponsorship
Sales
Grants
**Communicate Conference**
Sponsorship
Sales
Grants
**Education & Engagement**
_Education & Engagement_
_Euro Bioblitz_
Sponsorship
Sales
Grants
**Education & Engagement (Total)**
5
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
Festival of Nature
Communicate Conference
Education & Engagement
OTHER DIRECT COSTS
Premises costs
Event & project costs
Office costs
Legal & professional costs
Depreciation
Bad Debt write off
VAT partial exemption adjustment|Unrestricted
Funds
£
15,332
933
26,224
42,489
5,000
35,107
40,107
196,365
101,910
298,275
Staff
Costs
£
87,225
55,190
135,065
277,480|Restricted
Funds
£
34,708
34,708
-
-
Other
Direct
Costs
£
97,709
47,252
6,321
151,282|Total Funds
2024
£
15,332
933
60,932
77,197
5,000
35,107
-
40,107
-
-
-
196,365
101,910
298,275
Total
2024
£
184,934
102,442
141,385
428,762
Total
2024
£
55,375
83,126
33,183
10,272
2,568
10,300|Total Funds
2023
£
17,260
1,911
32,245|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||51,416|
|||||5,000
25,645
-|
|||||30,645|
|||||99,959
3,500
-
20,742
161,771|
|||||285,972|
|||||Total
2023
£
158,346
86,892
225,365|
|||||470,603|
|||||Total
2023
£
62,960
83,533
23,478
4,007
2,756
15,000
2,810|
22
## 5 TOTAL EXPENDITURE (Continued)
|TOTAL EXPENDITURE (Continued)|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Festival of Nature
Communicate Conference
_Euro Bioblitz_
_Education & Engagement_
_Sub-total_
TOTAL|Unrestricted
Funds
£
136,681
102,442
184,927
184,927
424,051|Restricted
Funds
£
48,253
-
48,253|194,824
Total Funds
2024
£
184,934
102,442
-
184,927
184,927
472,304|194,545|
|||||Total Funds
2023|
|||||£
158,346
86,892|
|||||24,000
201,365|
|||||225,365|
|||||470,603|
|6
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) FOR THE YEAR
This is stated after charging:
Depreciation
Independent Examination
Accounting & Book-keeping services
7
STAFF COSTS AND TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION
Staff costs were as follows:
Wages and salaries
Employer's National Insurance
Employer's pensions
Freelance staff|2024
£
2568
550
6423
2024
£
156,492
11,466
3,352
65,631
236,941|2023|
|---|---|---|
|||£
2,801
550
3,457|
|||2023|
|||£
146,683
9,285
4,190
33,259|
|||193,416|
No employee earned £60,000 p.a. or more. The average number of employees during the year was 6 (2024).
The charity Trustees were not paid or received any other benefits from employment with the charity in the year (2024: £nil), neither were they reimbursed expenses during the year (2024: £nil). No charity Trustee received payment for professional or other services supplied to the charity (2024: £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 £44593 (2024: £42950).
23
|8
TANGIBLE ASSETS
Website
Computer
Development
Equipment
£
£
COST
At 1 January 2024
8,000
4,055
Additions
-
556
Disposals
-
-
At 31 December 2024
8,000
4,611
DEPRECIATION
At 1 January 2024
5,000
3,340
Charge for the year
2,000
500
At 31 December 2024
7,000
3,841
NET BOOK VALUE
At 31 December 2024
**1,000**
**770**
At 31 December 2023
3,000
714
9
DEBTORS
Trade debtors
Prepayments & accrued income
Taxation and social security
Other debtors
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 2024
Amount released to income earned from charitable activities
Amount deferred in year
Balance as at 31 December 2024||Office
Furniture
£
664
-
-
664
664
-
664
**-**
-||Festival
Equipment
£
271
-
271
51
68
118
**152**
220
2024
£
73,800
2,132
-
-
75,932
2024
£
19,877
9,835
-
65,000
-
94,712
2024
£
70,000
(70,000)
65,000
65,000|Total
£
12,990
556
-|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||13,545|
||||||9,055
2,568|
||||||11,623|
||||||**1,922**|
||||||3,934|
||||||2023
£
60,256
1,312
-
-|
||||||61,568|
||||||2023
£
2,731
7,401
26
70,000
-|
||||||80,158|
||||||2023
£
70,000
(70,000)
70,000|
||||||70,000|
24
- 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
13
RESTRICTED FUNDS
_Bristol Festival of Nature_
_Communicate_
_Education & Engagement_
Parks Accelerator
Euro Bioblitz
14
UNRESTRICTED FUNDS
General Fund
15
DESIGNATED FUNDS
Designated funds|At 1
January
2024
-
-
-
-
-
-
At 1
January
2024
£
56,235
At 1
January
2024
£
3,500||Income
£
48,253
-
-
-
48,253
Income
£
450,871
Income
£
-|Expenditure
£
(48,253)
-
-
-
(48,253)
Expenditure
£
(420,551)
Expenditure
£
(3,500)|2024
£
-
-
-
Transfers
Between
Funds
£
-
-
Transfers
Between
Funds
£
(50,000)
Transfers
Between
Funds
£
50,000|2023
£
-
-|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||-|
|||||||At 31
December
2024
£
-
-
-
-
-|
||||||||
|||||||-|
|||||||At 31
December
2024
£
36,554|
|||||||At 31
December
2024
£
50,000|
Designated funds consist of £3,500 of funds received for Festival of Nature Youth panel 2024
Designated funds consist of £50,000 for Festival of Nature 2025
25
16 ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS
|ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|Tangible fixed assets
Cash at bank and in hand
Other net current assets/(liabilities)|General
Funds
£
1,922
103,412
(18,780)
86,554|Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
-||Designated
funds
-
-
-
-|Total
£
1,922
103,412
(18,780)|
|||||||
||||||**86,554**|
## 17 RELATED PARTIES
## _Avon Wildlife Trust_
Avon Wildlife Trust is represented on the Steering Group by Julie Doherty. Avon Wildlife Trust is a subscribing organisation and paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2024.
## _Bath & North East_
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 2024.
## _BBC_
BBC is represented on the Steering Group by Hannah Stott and Dulcie Arnold. BBC is a subscribing organisation and paid £5,000 to BNHC
## _Bristol City Council_
Bristol City Council is represented on the Steering Group by Richard Ennion and Isla Gladstone. BCC is a subscribing organisation and paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2024.
## _Bristol Zoological_
Bristol Zoological Society is represented on the Steering Group by Mark Kennett. As a subscribing organisation, Bristol Zoological Society paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2024.
## _Defra_
Defra is represented on the Steering Group by Jessica Everett and as a subscribing organisation paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2024.
## _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 2024.
## _National Trust_
National Trust is represented on the Steering Group by Simon Lawrence and is a subscribing organisation which paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2024.
## _Natural England_
Natural England is represented on the Steering Group by Chloe Lawson and is a subscribing organisation which paid £5000 to BNHC in 2024.
## _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 2024.
## _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 2024.
## _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 2024.
## _University of Bath_
The University of Bath is represented on the Steering Group by Helen Featherstone and is a subscribing organisation which paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2024.
26
_Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust_
The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust is represented on the Steering Group by Hannah Millbank and is a subscribing organisation which paid £5,000 to BNHC in 2024.
27