## **SWINDON ALLOTMENT & LEISURE GARDENS ASSOCIATION Registered charity number 1138814** 

**Charity Trustees’ Annual Report year ending 2024** 

**The Constitution of Swindon Allotment and Leisure Gardens Association states its purpose as being: “** _The advancement of education in horticulture and to promote, encourage and improve horticulture by the holding of horticultural shows, competitions, meetings, lectures, discussions, demonstrations and running allotment gardens_ **.”** 

## **Work of SALGA** 

SALGA continued to fulfil the objectives above with many events organised, as always, by the volunteers who make all these activities possible. 

## **Monthly Meetings** 

Our thanks go to Irene Cooke and Marilyn Stott for their sterling work in organising the speakers and trips over the years. The programme in 2024 included talks on the newly Opened Swindon Museum, Gardening the Globe, Horticulture of the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation Worldwide, The Cutting Garden and Christmas Floral Art. We finished the year with a Quiz & Fish and Chip Supper. Going forward, Sandie Mulcahy and Avril Muirhead have taken up the responsibility for organising the monthly speakers in 2025. 

## **Shop** 

The shop at Pickards Field continues to provide garden supplies to members at competitive prices despite the rising prices due to inflation. The shop opens on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings from February to November 10.00am-12.00 noon. Thank you to Viv Dipper and the volunteers who give up their time to run the shop and to those who help to unload the stock deliveries under the supervision of Roy Strange, Shop Manager. 

## **Horticultural Show** 

The annual Horticultural Show was held at the Pinetrees Centre and was very well attended. The Schools Garden Scheme continues to encourage children to take up gardening and is a big part of the day’s success. The Show Committee are looking at ways to expand their work in local schools in the coming year. 

## **Trips** 

Trip this year included visits to Welford Park in February, Kew Gardens in July and a trip to London in December. Although the current trip organiser has now stepped down, we are hoping to find someone to organise future trips as they are greatly enjoyed by our members. 

## **Newsletters** 

SALGA publishes three newsletters a year, with contributions from members giving local gardening news, sharing tips and recipes. 

## **Where SALGA’s money comes from** 

We rely totally on membership subscriptions to fund all our activities. The annual subscription has been increased to £7.00 per household, a £2.00 increase from 2023. The committee felt this was needed due to higher running costs and increased stock costs for the shop. We held our annual coffee morning in March 2024 which provided an opportunity for members to socialize and exchange hints and tips on gardening. SALGA finances are healthyand membership continues to flourish. 

## **How we spent our money 2023-2024** 

We recently purchased a new digital projector and sound system to improve the overall experience of our monthly talks. 

Due to constant flooding, repair works were recently carried out to improve the access area to the shop. These repairs were carried out in conjunction with Central Swindon Parish Council who own the site and we were asked to contribute 50% of the cost. 

Money is also spent on monthly speakers, hall rental and the schools competition. 

SALGA continues to provide many activities that the gardeners of Swindon enjoy, and we hope this will continue in the future. 



|**SWINDON ALLOTMENTS & LEISURE GARDENS ASSOCIATION - 1138814**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Income and Expenditure Account for year to 31/12/24**<br>**Notes**<br>**2024**<br>**2024**<br>**2024**<br>Membership fees income<br>2143<br>Gift Aid reclaim<br>505<br>OVO Energy support<br>0<br>Donations, investment interest, sundries<br>1<br>618<br>3266<br>**Services to members**<br>**Shop operations**<br>Shop sales<br>15676<br>Deduct costs of goods sold<br>2<br>13509<br>Deduct other expenses/overheads<br>3<br>981<br>14490<br>1186<br>**Seeds scheme**<br>Sales of Kings seeds<br>3911<br>Deduct purchases<br>3635<br>Deduct other expenses<br>10<br>3645<br>266<br>**Trips/holidays**<br>Holiday and day trip income (inc advance payments)<br>4433<br>Deduct Barnes coach hire and other costs<br>4258<br>175<br>**Horticultural Show**<br>Show expenditure<br>4<br>691<br>Deduct entry fees, sponsorship and sales<br>4<br>494<br>-197<br>**Schools support and garden competition**<br>0<br>0<br>**Monthly general meetings/AGM**<br>Speakers fees and travel<br>783<br>Hire of halls and other costs inc raffle<br>873<br>-1656<br>Deduct raffle ticket and refreshment sales<br>581<br>-1075<br>**Christmas Social**<br>Entertainment<br>5<br>291<br>Hire of hall and other costs<br>-291<br>Deduct raffle ticket and teas/coffees sales<br>171<br>-120<br>**Printing and distribution of newsletter**<br>231<br>-231<br>**Previously unbudgeted costs**<br>Emergency groundworks Pickards Field<br>-600<br>Replacement of PA Equipment<br>-539<br>-1139<br>**Surplus before overheads and other outgoings**<br>**2131**<br>**Overheads and other outgoings**<br>Printing, stationery, postages<br>120<br>Insurance - third party, public liability<br>75<br>Insurance - Trustees Indemnity<br>80<br>0<br>Affiliation fees<br>75<br>Gifts and honoraria<br>6<br>50<br>Website, publicity, IT<br>0<br>Bank charges<br>143<br>Other expenses<br>19<br>562<br>**NET SURPLUS FOR YEAR**<br>**1569**<br>**Fresh charge to Building Reserve**<br>**1000**|**2023**<br>14348<br>772<br>3340<br>30<br>623<br>834<br>298<br>26|**2023**<br>1816<br>301<br>201<br>112<br>15694<br>15120<br>3583<br>3370<br>3764<br>3267<br>657<br>587<br>31<br>-1457<br>788<br>-324<br>256<br>90<br>0<br>75<br>0<br>0<br>75<br>50<br>89<br>168<br>33|**2023**<br>2430<br>574<br>213<br>497<br>-70<br>-31<br>-669<br>-68<br>-90<br>**2786**<br>490<br>**2296**<br>**1000**|2<br>**Cost goods sold**<br>Stock blf<br>8244<br>Purchases<br>13669<br>21913<br>Stock c/f<br>8404<br>Cost goods sold<br>13509<br>3<br>**Shop overheads**<br>Utilities<br>167<br>Depreciation<br>700<br>Pat testing<br>30<br>Spare keys<br>14<br>Misc expenses<br>70<br>**981**<br>1<br>**Sundry income**<br>Bank/invest<br>571<br>Donations<br>47<br>618|
|||||**2023**<br>10200<br>32406<br>42606<br>4371<br>38235<br>34570<br>3665<br>38235|
|**Net Increase in Funds**<br>**569**|||**1296**||
|Notes<br>1<br>Much higher rate of interest from new<br>2<br>See calculation of COGS in table above<br>3<br>Shop overheads - see separate calcula<br>4<br>See separate accounting for Show inco<br>5<br>Cost of fish & chips at Xmas social (inv<br>6<br>Honoraria to Independent Examiner|Virgin inve<br> <br>tion<br>me & expe<br>oice 88)|stment acco<br>nditure|unt||
|General Reserve brought forward<br>Add Surplus for year<br>Transfer to Building Renewal Reserve<br>General Reserve carried forward<br>Reserve brought forward<br>Transfer from General Fund<br>Reserve carried forward<br>**Fixed Assets**<br>Four shipping containers at cost<br>Less accumulated depreciation<br>New PA equipment<br>**Current Assets**<br>Cash in bank current account<br>Cash on deposit accounts<br>Cash in hand (shop float)<br>Shop stocks at cost<br>Payments in advance<br>Sundry debtors (inc GA reclaim)<br>Total of fixed and current assets<br>Less: Current Liabilities<br>Receipts in advance (shop sales, memberships, trips)<br>Sundry creditors<br>**Appropriation Account**<br>**Building Renewal Reserve**<br>**Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2024**|**2024**<br>**£**<br>34570<br>1569<br>-1000|**2024**<br>9498<br>539<br>30474|**2023**<br>**£**<br>33274<br>2296<br>-1000|**2023**<br>10200<br>32406|
||35139||34570||
||3665||2665||
||1000||0<br>1000||
||4665||3665||
||**2024**<br>14050<br>4552<br>539<br>6764<br>13612<br>100<br>8404<br>1089<br>505||**2023**<br>14050<br>3850<br>13157<br>10604<br>100<br>8244<br>0<br>301||
||707<br>0|40511<br>707|1031<br>3340|42606<br>4371|
|**Net Assets**||39804||38235|
|Represented by:<br>General Reserve carried forward<br>Building Renewal Reserve carried forward||35139<br>4665||34570<br>3665|
|||39804||38235|
||||||
|**Accounts to be ratified by SALGA Committee at meeting on 3 April 2025**<br>Sandie Mulcahy<br>**Chairman**||39804<br>39804<br>0||38235<br>38235<br>0|



John Edgerton 

**Treasurer** 

## **SALGA Accounts 2024 – Independent Examiner’s Certificate** 

Herewith a certificate to attach to the accounts for the AGM. I have examined the accounts of SALGA for the year 2024 and received answers to the queries that I raised. I am satisfied that the revenue accounts, showing a nett increase in funds of £1,569 are a true and fair view of the transactions for the year and that the balance sheet, showing nett assets of £39,804 is an accurate representation of the position at 31st December 2024. 

_Ali White_ **Independent Examiner 31-Mar-25** 



## **SALGA Accounts 2024 – Independent Examiner’s Certificate** 

Herewith a certificate to attach to the accounts for the AGM. I have examined the accounts of SALGA for the year 2024 and receiv I am satisfied that the revenue accounts, showing a nett increase in fair view of the transactions for the year and that the balance sheet, £39,804 is an accurate representation of the position at 31st Decem 

_Ali White_ **Independent Examiner 31-Mar-25**