## **Trustees’ Annual Report** for the period 1[st] January 2021 to 31[st] December 2021 ## **Oak Tree Farm Rural Project** Registered Charity 1138396 Co. Ltd by Guarantee 7343296 Oak Tree Farm Rural Project, Oak Cottage Farm Sandon Road Hilderstone Stone ST15 8RT **Charity Trustees for period** – serving during the period covered above. ## **Appointed by Members** David Folkes Chairman Janet Markwell Vice Chairman Carol Blurton Anne Bird Colin Campbell Alan Markwell Simon Mountford Sheila Penfold Angela Thomas Paul Wyatt **Appointed by Trustees** Harry Brunt Ian Parry Bill Scarlett ## **Patrons** The Earl of Harrowby The Countess of Harrowby The Lord Stafford Monica Moreton MBE Independent accounts examiner - David Rogers FCA General Manager - David Moreton ## **Structure, governance and management** Oak Tree Farm Rural Project is Company Limited by Guarantee governed by a Memorandum and Articles of Association and was incorporated in August 2010. Registered with the Charity Commission in October 2010 the organisation was previously an unincorporated association and charity set up in May 1988. Trustees/Directors are elected by the Members of the charity at the Annual General Meeting, one third of these Trustees are required to retire each year. Up to twelve Trustees are elected and three others have been appointed or co-opted by the elected Trustees. These appointed Trustees must all retire each year. New Trustee induction involves awareness of the Trustees’ responsibilities, constitution, procedures, policies, history and general ‘ethos’ of the charity. Trustees are required to read the pack of policies and procedures which are adopted annually. The Trustees review the risks that the charity faces annually. Currently the risks relate mainly to health and safety issues, and are managed by individual, area and process risk assessments and six-monthly health and safety meetings. There are some risks associated with employing staff which are covered by proper procedures and insurance. Trustees are also aware of threats to finances from recession, new projects, biological farming problems and possible changes in government funding or competition from other providers. The organisations Disasters and Emergency Plan anticipated large-scale absences due to illness but did not anticipate a crisis of the scale of the 2020/21 Coronavirus Pandemic. The current priority is to develop new toilet and office facilities in order to maintain the safety of beneficiaries and visitors. This is dependent on returning to a stable financial position following the lifting of coronavirus restrictions and re-establishing regular income streams. Our insurers carry out an independent review of risk periodically. ## **Objectives and Activities** The objects of the charity set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association are ‘the support of people with learning disabilities and difficulties through activities and of vocational training in horticulture, agriculture, catering, pottery and associated rural activities.’ The main activities relating to these objects are the provision of training and supported occupation for adults with learning disabilities known as ‘Team Members’. The setting for these activities is primarily a 15-acre small holding with a horticultural unit growing plants and flowers. The holding also has beef cattle and poultry and from time-to-time pigs. A fully equipped pottery on site produces garden pots and other ceramics. The ‘Oak Leaf Tea Room’ has established itself as a destination for visitors, including those with disabilities, as well as providing further opportunity for Team Members. ‘Acorn Garden Services’, a division of the farm project, carries out gardening work in the community, which helps those individuals with the potential of gaining sheltered employment. ‘Branching Out’ is a related scheme to give opportunity to less able Team Members to work off site and access community activities. The Charity’s staff team is headed by a General Manager who has regular contact with Trustees. The team consists of a Team Member Coordinator, four Project Assistants (three full time equivalents), a part time Pottery Instructor, a Team Leader for Acorn Garden Services, a Retail Catering Manager, Cook and two part time Assistants for the Oak Leaf Tea Room and an Admin/Finance Coordinator. A Cleaner completes the staff team. In addition, volunteers have a vital role providing additional support to Team Members with disabilities and offering time, expertise and experience to the Charity. All staff and volunteers undertake Disclosure and Barring Service checks. ## **Achievements and Performance** These facilities and human resources along with the activities listed below were disrupted during the year because of the various measures taken in response to the Coronavirus Pandemic. The Charity offered eighty-six day places each week for people with learning disabilities during 2021, normal attendance is two days a week. Fifty-four individuals regularly benefited from the farm’s activities. On-site provision was substituted with remote support during the ‘lockdown’ closures, for those who chose not to attend or were advised not to due to being extremely clinically vulnerable. This remote support was tailored to the individual and consisted of weekly welfare calls, Zoom sessions, a closed Facebook group, a closed Facebook Messenger group, monthly newsletter, deliveries of resources, doorstep visits etc. A limited number of Team Members attended on site during ‘lockdowns’ on a one-to-one basis. To enable Team Members to attend in person the site and operating procedures were made ‘Covid 19 secure’. Social distancing, PPE, hand hygiene, cough/sneeze etiquette, cleaning procedures, one-way systems, reduced numbers, virus testing, isolation etc. were used for infection control and detailed in a comprehensive risk assessment. Team Members happily accepted these measures and, because most activities are outside and there is ample space in buildings, greenhouses etc, we believe there was no transmission of the virus at Oak Tree Farm. During 2021, twenty-five Team Members were funded by Direct Payments, six by local authority agreements and nineteen by other agencies. In addition, four were funded by internal fundraising activities; the charity supported them. In normal times six are permanent ‘Acorn Garden Services’ Team Members, fourteen work regularly in the ‘Oak Leaf Tea Room’ and well over twenty are involved in ‘Branching Out’. In normal times the main activities are growing basket and bedding plants, perennials, vegetables and cut flowers, and planting hanging baskets, all targeted at public events, however these were not held in 2021. The Pottery produces slip cast, hand built and thrown wares. Fettling, decorating, glazing and firing are all done on site, along with associated reclaiming and designing. Plants and pottery ‘kits’ were delivered to Team Members during ‘lockdowns’, as were craft projects, colouring, word searches, activities etc. In addition to their core activities, Team Members normally assist at the public events, help in the shop, run coffee mornings and welcome visitors. This promotes ownership and pride in their achievements. Team Members were involved in the Advent Windows event in Stone town centre. Team Members artwork was used for the window display and a number attended the unveiling. Unfortunately, the Team Members Annual trip and Bikeathon fundraiser were not possible in 2021. ‘Acorn Garden Services’ Team Members provide gardening services to local elderly, churches and businesses. The team has an ongoing link with The National Trust at Biddulph Grange and the Team were able to continue this during 2021 as it was limited to a one-to-one basis. The ‘Branching Out’ team restarted their volunteer work in the gardens at Sandon Hall in the late summer. The Team Members’ own newsletter, produced entirely by them, ‘The Cowpat’ was replaced during the pandemic closures by a new publication, ‘Custard’s Quacks’. This was named by the Team Members and featured their pictures, contributions and news and produced by a member of staff. ‘The Cowpat’ was restarted as Team Members returned to the farm and includes news, features, jokes and a recipe. The Oak Leaf Tea Room’s menu includes lunches, cream teas, specials as well as drinks and ice cream. The tea room was closed to visitors for most of the 2021 period. When Team Members were able to attend, they did baking, jam making and supplied hot drinks for all those on site. Baking ‘kits’ were sent out as activities for Team Members, and the tea room kitchen was used on many of the Zoom sessions. The kitchen was refurbished during this time, a new dishwasher, grill and hobs were installed, and the layout was improved. The Dayroom was altered substantially to improve ventilation and space. The ceiling was raised, an internal wall removed and the main access door widened. ## **Financial Review** ## **Reserves** The Trustees policy is to hold reserves of at least £100,000. This would be sufficient to cover the Charity’s wind-up costs in the event of an unforeseen disaster. This figure includes the worst case of two years rent in lieu of notice, the redundancy of current staff and half of the three months running costs likely to be needed to wind up the charity. The reserves policy will be reviewed annually to take account of any changing circumstances. The level of reserve was £228,932 at the end of 2021 and is kept in a CAF account. ## **Sources of Funds and Expenditure** The principal sources of funds for 2021 are split into two, the sale of services and products £177,006 and donations and fundraising £37,505. Oak Tree Farm Rural Project received a legacy of £240,000 in 2019, the Trustees have set aside an initial £170,000 of this for capital purchases. This includes the building of new toilets and office and the replacement of the thirty-year-old tractor. These purchases were put on hold due to the financial uncertainties of the pandemic. The cost of them is likely to have risen over time. The charity’s key objective, the support of people with learning disabilities, is covered both directly and indirectly (write down of fixed assets) by an expenditure of £266,303. The largest proportion of this expenditure being a staff cost of £198,287. ## **Declaration** The Trustees declare that they have approved the above Trustees’ Report. Signed on behalf of the Trustees Signature Full Name David Folkes Position Chairman Date 12[th] April 2022 Signature Full Name Anne Bird Position Secretary Date 12[th] April 2022 ||**OAK TREE FARM RURAL PROJECT**|**OAK TREE FARM RURAL PROJECT**|**OAK TREE FARM RURAL PROJECT**|Charity No
(if any)|**1138396**|**CC39a**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||Annualaccountsforthe period|||||| ||Period
start date|**1.1.2021**|**To**|Period end
date|**31.12.2021**|| |||||||| |**Section A**|**Statement of financial activities**|||||| |**Recommended categories by**
**activity**
Note
**Incoming resources (Note 3)**
Donations, legacies and Grants
Shop sales
Fees for charitable services
Interest and dividends
Fundraising events
S01
**Resources expended (Notes 4-7)**
Wages, salaries, pensions and NI
Rent, rates and Insurance
Repairs and maintenance
Light and heat
Telephone postage and stationery
Bank charges and interest
Depreciation
Cost of fundraising events
S02
S03
S04
S05
S06
S07
S08
S09
S10
**_Total resources expended_**
**_Total incoming resources_**
**_Total funds carried forward_**
**Total funds brought forward**
**_Net movement in funds_**
**_Net incoming/(outgoing) resources_**
**_before transfers_**
Gains and losses on investment assets
Gains and losses on revaluation of fixed
assets for the charity’s own use
**Other recognised** **gains/(losses)**
**_Net incoming/(outgoing) resources_**
**_before other recognised_**
**_gains/(losses)_**
**_Gross transfers between funds_**||**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**income**
**funds**
**Endowment**
**funds**
**Total this**
**year**
**Total last**
**year**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
F01
F02
F03
F04
F05||||| |||35,627||-|35,627|28,025| |||22,108|-|-|22,108|30,905| |||156,987|-|-|156,987|160,725| |||592|-|-|592|1,514| |||1,878|-|-|1,878|4,269| ||||-|-|-|-| |||-|-|-|-|-| |||-|-|-|-|-| |||-|-|-|-|-| |||-|-|-|-|-| |||-|-|-|-|-| |||217,192|-|-|217,192|225,438| |||||||| |||198,287|-|-|198,287|216,945| |||10,666|-|-|10,666|10,492| |||13,658|-|-|13,658|11,776| |||7,817|-|-|7,817|13,283| |||3,635|-|-|3,635|3,323| |||1,536|-|-|1,536|1,908| |||17,750|-|-|17,750|17,759| |||15,635|-|-|15,635|28,422| ||||-|-|-|-| |||-|-|-|-|-| |||-|-|-|-|-| |||-|-|-|-|-| |||-|-|-|-|-| |||-|-|-|-|-| |||268,984|-|-|268,984|303,908| |||51,792
-|-|-|51,792
-|78,470
-| |||-|-|-|-|-| |||51,792
-|-|-|51,792
-|78,470
-| |||||||| |||-|-|-|-|-| ||||-|-|-|| |||51,792
-|-|-|51,792
-|78,470
-| |||494,062|-|-|494,062|572,532| |||442,270|-|-|442,270|494,062| CC17a (Excel) 09/09/2022 1 ## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report** |**Report to the trustees/**
**members of**
**On accounts for the year**
**ended**
**Set out on pages**|Charity Name
OAK TREE FARM RURAL PROJECT|Charity Name
OAK TREE FARM RURAL PROJECT|Charity Name
OAK TREE FARM RURAL PROJECT| |---|---|---|---| ||||| ||31STDECEMBER 2021|**Charity no**
**(if any)**|1138396| ||||| ||1-15||| I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/12/2021 **Responsibilities and** As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the **basis of report** accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. **Independent** [The charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to **examiner's statement** undertake the examination by being a qualified member of The Institute of Chartered Accountants _._ I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: - the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or - the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or - the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. 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. - _Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply._ |**Signed:**
**Name:**
**Relevant professional**
**qualification(s) or body**
**(if any):**|David Rogers|06/09/2022| |---|---|---| |||| ||David Rogers|| |||| ||Chartered Accountant – Member of Institute of Chartered Accountants|| **Oct 2018** 1 **IER** **Address:** 3 Balliol Way Shrewsbury SY3 6AP ## **Section B Disclosure** Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). **Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** . **Oct 2018** 2 **IER**