2025-03-31-accounts

Ko climate - community - future

Transition Bath

Trustees’ Annual Report 2024-25

Activity Year: 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025

Reference and Administrative Information

Organisation Name: Transition Bath Charity Number: 1139853 Contact Email: [e-mail] Website: https://transitionbath.org/

Trustees During the Reporting Period:

• Dr Nicholas Abercrombie (resigned during the period)

• Dr Lyn Barham

• Rodney Emrys Morgan

• Philip Haile

• Emma Louise Clegg

• Alexander James Coles

• Katrina Ruth Crowson

• Rachel Patricia Bird (appointed and resigned during the period)

• Mark Andrew Owen (appointed during the period)

• Natalie Charlotte Middleton (appointed during the period)

• Marc Radley (appointed during the period)

Organisation’s Objectives and Aims

Transition Bath is an environmental charity with the following aims, as outlined in its governing document:

1. The promotion of the conservation, protection and improvement of the natural environment and prudent use of natural resources for public benefit.

2. Advancing the education of the public and promoting research into:

3. Community and personal responses to climate change and energy scarcity.

4. Sustainable development and the protection, enhancement and rehabilitation of the environment.

5. The promotion of sustainable development for public benefit particularly through the preservation and prudent use of natural resources.

Sustainable development is defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

These aims guide Transition Bath’s activities, ensuring they align with our mission to create a resilient, sustainable future for Bath and its surrounding areas. Our focus includes:

• Encouraging sustainable practices that support the transition to Net Zero.

• Empowering individuals, businesses and organisations to take meaningful steps toward sustainability.

• Promoting collaboration and innovation to address challenges in energy, food, transport and biodiversity.

Through impactful projects and engaging events, Transition Bath strives to inspire positive change and build a thriving, sustainable community.

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Group Activities Overview

Transition Bath’s work is driven by a range of dedicated groups, each focusing on a key area of sustainability. These groups form the backbone of our efforts, delivering impactful projects and fostering collaboration to drive environmental progress. By addressing challenges in energy, food, transport and biodiversity, they empower individuals and organisations to contribute to a thriving, sustainable future for Bath and its surrounding areas.

Below is a summary of the achievements and ongoing initiatives from each group during the reporting period.

Food Group

In earlier years, Transition Bath broke new ground by encouraging community growing groups, including through guerrilla gardening initiatives. Such groups have now become widespread (more than 30 within the city), which paradoxically means there is less need for a central group promoting activity. Almost all Bath residents now have a gardening project within walking distance. We remain actively committed to Bath Area Growers, the grouping which allows these various projects to maintain contact with each other.

We continue involvement as a member of the Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) Fair Food Alliance, where we collaborate to address local food insecurity and promote sustainable practices. Our food systems adviser contributes to several council activities, including the Climate and Nature Network (CANN) and the development of a local Food Strategy. Wherever possible, we champion local food and sustainable practices, positioning soil health at the heart of Bath’s journey to Net Zero.

We continue our stewardship of Smallcombe Nuttery, a thriving hub for biodiversity and community engagement since 2011. Following last year’s funding from the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) Bee Bold scheme which enabled biodiversity improvements, such as planting to attract pollinators and mapping flora and fauna, we focused this year on the boundaries. We were fortunate to receive matched funding from CPRE to support several days’ work hedge-laying the lower hedge, and used this opportunity to welcome groups of volunteers on site to learn the skills as well as contributing to site enhancement and maintenance. As a spin-off, we were advised on using some of the cuttings to create a dead hedge as a sanctuary for wildlife, and this is now an on-going project.

We had additional support from the Cotswold volunteers who replaced the structural part of some notice boards and made them more vandal-proof. Community involvement continued with events like a picnic, pruning and a scything workshop. Our children’s activity sheets remain a useful resource with younger visitors.

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Transport Group

Transition Bath has played a vital role in advocating for sustainable transport solutions that reduce reliance on cars. The Ride to Work by Bike project continued throughout the year, supported by a volunteer based at the Julian House Bike Workshop. The project loans e-bikes to local commuters who would otherwise travel by car, helping them to trial cycling for everyday journeys and build confidence in commuting by bike.

During 2024/25 we secured significant funding from M&G, who selected Transition Bath as their local Charity of the Year, alongside CIL funding from BANES Council. Together, this support will enable us to expand the fleet from five e-bikes to more than ten, including the addition of a cargo bike, and to fund a paid project worker to run and grow the programme over the next five years.

We also started planning how to market the e-bike scheme to new audiences, including the production of an A5 leaflet.

Energy Group

The Energy Group has continued to lead on energy-related initiatives. We support homeowners, developers and the council where applications demonstrate strong performance, and we challenge proposals where energy standards are weak or insufficiently evidenced.

During the year we commented on 317 planning applications across new build, historic buildings, HMOs and renewable energy proposals. Under policy SCR6 – one of the most demanding local authority energy standards in the UK – our principal concerns on new-build schemes related to missing or incomplete documentation, which can make compliance difficult to verify. While most developments ultimately appeared compliant, we continue to raise questions around the practical delivery of solar PV, particularly where panels shown in energy calculations are not clearly reflected in proposed elevations. We have also highlighted the absence of a clear mechanism to verify SCR6 compliance at sign-off prior to occupation, which we raised with the council in 2025.

Work on historic buildings has continued to be a positive area of engagement. We have used the planning system to promote energy efficiency upgrades that respect heritage value, notably advocating for vacuum glazing in refurbished sash windows. Significant progress was made with planning approval for energy-efficient upgrades at the Assembly Rooms, including vacuum glazing, heat pumps and solar PV, as well as consent for works at the Grade I listed Francis Hotel. However, we remain concerned that some council-led refurbishment schemes for historic buildings have not consistently demonstrated exemplar energy performance.

Most HMO applications were broadly compliant, though in some cases we questioned the robustness of EPC assessments. We have observed instances of rapid EPC rating improvements without clear evidence of fabric upgrades, and we continue to monitor this closely given the importance of EPC C standards for new HMO licensing.

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Our Heat Pump Advisory Service, launched in autumn 2023, completed assessments for 20 properties during the year. Over this time we broadened the offer into a more comprehensive lowcarbon home energy service, incorporating advice on insulation improvements, solar PV and battery storage alongside heat pump suitability.

We also supported Bath & West Community Energy (BWCE) to establish a paid service to succeed the volunteer-led programme previously delivered by Transition Bath. This included helping to train three professional assessors and transferring the processes, templates and quality-assurance approach we had developed. BWCE began delivering the replacement local service during the year, ensuring continuity of support for households while enabling Transition Bath to focus volunteer capacity on other priority areas.

Community Programme

The Transition Bath project EcoTogether, which started in 2020, continues to demonstrate the power of collective action to inspire meaningful change via its two main hubs in Bath and Birmingham. These groups focus on practical steps to address climate change over five group sessions, including the themes energy, food, transport and resource use. EcoTogether launched nationally in October 2024, registered as a UK Company with a charitable purpose, and it is now supporting the spread of the EcoTogether programme UK wide.

Ecooperation continues to strengthen connections between environmental organisations in Bath. Building on its foundation from previous years, the programme facilitated communication through a WhatsApp group and laid the groundwork for a directory of local environmental groups, enhancing opportunities for shared resources and coordinated efforts.

Together, these initiatives highlight Transition Bath’s commitment to collaboration, empowering both individuals and organisations to take effective action for a sustainable future.

Events

Transition Bath has continued its events programme with a diverse mix of indoor and outdoor gatherings designed to inspire, educate and engage the community on sustainability.

Our “Sustainability Shorts” events, conceived in 2023, offer attendees concise, engaging talks on pressing environmental topics at venues across the city. The two events this year attracted lively audiences, with attendance ranging from 30-50 people per session. The 12 speakers included Philip Sturgeon from Protect Earth talking about its ambitious plans to create and restore the land disused land between Claverton and Warleigh Wood; Anthony Simpson looking at the opportunities and risks posed by growing volumes of storage and electric vehicles; and Stella Davies on climate change and flood risk. The format of short snappy talks always sparks thought-provoking discussions and practical takeaways.

Another major event, which was fully booked, was Bath Future City: Planning, Development,

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Sustainability and Community which explored landscape policy, the Local Plan, exemplar new development, the power of community engagement in planning, and Bath as a landscape city.

The collaboration with the Little Theatre Cinema, a local independent cinema, continued this year with the “Green Screen” series. Pairing environmental films with expert-led panel discussions, this initiative provides a platform to explore complex issues in an engaging and relatable way. A total of 10 Green Screens were run this year – from Rave On For the Avon to Six Inches of Soil, with attendance ranging from 30-60 people per session.

We also ran a plastic-free workshop, a practical session exploring how to reduce everyday plastic use and push for wider systemic change. Outdoor events included a session harvesting nuts at Smallcombe Nuttery; a litter pick along the river; an Avon River Cleanup from Batheaston to Pulteney Weir, collaborating with Bath Outdoors, E-Bike Hire and Wild Swim Bike Run; an edible wildflowers event with a spring ramble; and a foraging walk and the preparation of a wild salad picnic.

Through these events, Transition Bath continues to foster environmental awareness and collective action, building a more engaged and informed community.

Organisation

Transition Bath relies on the dedication of its volunteers, who play a vital role across all aspects of the organisation, from project delivery to event coordination, significantly amplifying our impact and strengthening our connection with the community. With a core team of volunteers, we also recognise that volunteers are an ever-changing group, and we are happy to have many regular engaged people from Bath who follow our work through our regular newsletter, attend our events regularly and contribute when they can, as well as to welcome both returning volunteers who know us and new faces bringing new ideas.

We ran monthly “All Transition” meetings, which provide a forum for volunteers to share updates, discuss ideas and collaboratively shape the direction of Transition Bath. The meetings are designed to foster a sense of belonging and encourage innovation. By ensuring all voices are heard, these meetings help align our initiatives with the needs and aspirations of the community.

Public Benefit Statement

The trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty under section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. Transition Bath’s activities – from hands-on projects to inspiring events – are designed to benefit the public by promoting environmental sustainability, reducing carbon emissions and fostering resilience in our community.

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Registered Number 06898132

TRANSITION BATH LIMITED

Micro-entity Accounts

31 March 2025

TRANSITION BATH LIMITED

Registered Number 06898132

Micro-entity Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2025

	Notes	2025	2024
		£	£
Current Assets		80,004	26,055
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year		(6,720)	(986)
Net current assets (liabilities)		73,284	25,069
Total assets less current liabilities		73,284	25,069
Total net assets (liabilities)		73,284	25,069
Reserves		73.284	25,069

• ® For the year ending 31 March 2025 the company was entitled to exemption under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

• ® The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

• ® The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.

• © The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the micro-entity provisions and delivered in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subjcct to the small companics regime.

Approved by the Board on 12 December 2025

And signed on their behalf by:

E Clegg, Director

TRANSITION BATH LIMITED

Registered Number 06898132

Notes to the Micro-entity Accounts for the period ended 31 March 2025

] Employees 2025 2024 Average number of employees during the period 0 0

This document was delivered using electronic communications and authenticated in accordance with the registrar's rules relating to electronic form, authentication and manner of delivery under section 1072 of the Companies Act 2006.

do! CHARITY COMMISSION | Independent examiner's report on the FOR ENGLAND AND WALES accounts

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Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ Transition Bath Limited
members of
On accounts for the year | 31°! March 2025 Charity no | 1139853
ended (if any)
| report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/03/2024.
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’).
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• | 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, | have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

• Independent | am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of

• examiner's statement The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. | have completed my examination. | 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:

• e the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or

• e the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or

• e 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.

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| 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.
Plea s-delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Relevant professional
qualification(s) or body /CLA.
(if any):
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IER

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Oct 2018
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DowcdVI

Address: "H\OS\WESS COP Teo RED WVdHw N2D ,O SATH BAD 2rPY

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.

IER

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Oct 2018