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2024-08-31-accounts

Triangle Community Garden

Created and cultivated by people of all ages and abilities at Ransom’s Rec Hitchin, Herts

Annual Review 2023-24

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Sunday Garden Club
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Our Growing Ability monthly stall
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Contents
Chair’s report 1
Growing Ability 2
Branching Out 4
New Shoots 4
Forest School Activities 5
Our Garden Clubs 6
Events, Walks & Workshops
People		 7
8
Pavilion 8
Treasurer’s Report 9
Future plans 10

Welcome to our Annual Review for 2023-24

After the massive changes we underwent in 2022-23, this year has been a year of review, consolidation, and outreach. During her time with us, Project Manager Alice Woodward overhauled our internal processes and helped our new staff team secure an impressive ‘Good’ in last year’s Provider Assessment Market Management Solution (PAMMS) inspection. Business Development / Outreach lead Ed Harkness revamped our New Shoots project, initiated our Branching Out Easter Scheme and built relationships with many referrers and funders. Current Project Manager Julie Zirngast has taken these gains and run with them, moving the charity forward on all fronts, and creating many new opportunities. None of which would be possible without our outstanding staff and volunteer team.

Our vision is for a community where people feel happier and more fulfilled through a connection with gardening and the natural world.

Our aim is to help people of all ages and abilities to ‘connect, grow enjoy!’, through gardening and contact with the natural world. We do this through: • Supporting physical and mental health using social and therapeutic horticulture, arts and crafts, cooking and a focus on healthy living

We’re active in three areas within Ransom’s Rec (near Hitchin station): the allotments, our Community Nature Garden and our riverside Forest Garden. The areas vary in character and each has different challenges and rewards. All three sites continue to thrive under the loving care of our three green-care projects: Garden Club, New Shoots and Growing Ability.

Growing Ability works long-term with adults with additional needs such as learning disabilities, autism, and severe or enduring mental illness. The project focuses on the goals, abilities and support needs of each individual, and using horticulture, food growing and engagement in nature to increase the health, wellbeing, self-esteem and selfconfidence of our ‘gardeners’.

New Shoots is a 6-week project for people with stress, anxiety or depression. It uses the five ways to wellbeing to bring about improved health and wellbeing in a naturebased setting. Many New Shoots participants join our Friday Garden Club to nurture our community spaces and help at our events.

The projects we introduced last year - Family Forest School, Triangle Tribe and Sunday Garden Club – continue to thrive. We have secured ongoing funding for the first two and will run the third from our own funds in 2025 , when we’re planning several new initiatives as you’ll find out on page 10.

Vicky Wyer, Chair of Trustees

Find out more at www.trianglegarden.org

Triangle Community Garden: Registered charity No 1145243, Company Limited by Guarantee No 07676360 For more information please email info@trianglegarden.org

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Pedal-powered smoothies!
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Nettle soup made at GA
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Growing Ability welcomes young people transitioning from school or college

Please contact us for details: info@trianglegarden.org

Growing Ability

Growing Ability is our social therapeutic horticulture project for people with additional needs, including learning disabilities, autism, brain injury and severe or enduring mental illness.

Through supported learning and meaningful activities in the community Growing Ability helps people grow in confidence and selfworth, increase their independence, and develop and reinforce key skills.

Those who attend gain valuable training and experience not only in horticulture, gardening and food growing. They also prepare, cook and share the food they’ve grown among the groups.

Our Growing Ability ‘gardeners’ also regularly take part in activities such as nature conservation, mindful exercise, making art and crafts, selling produce and taking orders/making refreshments. This year they’ve used their skills to pot up succulents and make hanging baskets and wooden herb troughs to sell at our monthly stalls within Thursday sessions.

At Growing Ability we welcome new people including those transitioning from school or college.

We provide a safe, caring and stimulating environment where sessions are structured in a personcentred way. This allows us to focus on the goals that each individual wants to achieve, while also incorporating key training, reflection and life skills experience.

The project is primarily based at our allotments but also incorporates the Pavilion, Triangle Garden, Forest Garden and Ransom’s Recreation Ground. Regular trips to gardens of interest are an important part of the Growing Ability calendar.

Sessions are 2.5 hours long and there is a charge to attend (from £30 per session, depending on support need). Individuals pay via Direct Payments, their PIP or ISF or have the placement commissioned by Herts County Council, while some are self-funded. Sessions run Tuesday-Thursday with a capacity of 6-8 gardeners per session. Each session is run by two experienced care professionals, and at least one trained volunteer.

Running a successful vegetable plot requires planning and organisational skills, decision making, fine-motor skills and the application of literacy and numeracy. Growing food involves our gardeners in shared goals and responsibilities, like watering each other’s plots, as well as creativity, experimentation and resilience.

Our staff and volunteers understand the reciprocal benefits of working with nature: planting and nurturing a seed starts a process of growth in a mutually beneficial relationship. The rewards are shared and enjoyed, and the challenges borne and overcome together.

Growing Ability taps into the healing and restorative powers of nature to embed a culture of wellbeing, personal growth and connection.

Find out more at www.trianglegarden.org

Triangle Community Garden: Registered charity No 1145243, Company Limited by Guarantee No 07676360 For more information please email info@trianglegarden.org

Growing Ability continued

In September 2023 there were 15 Manager, Alice Woodward reviewed individuals attending Growing Ability, and streamlined our processes in down from 20 the previous year. close collaboration with our excellent Several gardeners had left to join staff team. In September 2023 we local free-to-attend horticulture successfully navigated a PAMMS projects. We saw this progression as a inspection (the equivalent of a CQC testament to the power of Growing inspection for non-residential services) Ability in promoting confidence and and achieved well-deserved GOOD , resilience in all those who attend. But an overall improvement on 2022. without a steady stream of new I’d like to congratulate our staff and gardeners coming on board, this volunteers for the professionalism, success could be the undoing of us.

I’d like to congratulate our staff and volunteers for the professionalism, care and dedication of their work, and thank our gardeners and their parents and carers for their positive feedback, independently given.

We know there is a local need for Growing Ability which deserves to be widely known as a welcoming and transformational place for young adults transitioning from school or college into the wider world. I’m pleased that this is now happening.

This year, our gardeners at Growing Ability have enjoyed many trips including to Buzzworks Bee Garden, Hitchin Garden Centre and Cambridge Botanical Gardens. They’ve also taken part in a range of activities including mosaic making, yoga, wassailing, willow weaving, fabric dyeing, applique, making soups, salads and desserts, as well as several enterprise projects such as hanging baskets, potted succulents, herb planters, and pedal-powered smoothies on our new smoothie bike!

Through the combined efforts of my predecessor Alice Woodward, our Business Development / Outreach Lead Ed Harkness myself and our brilliant staff team, we have been able to share the excellent work happening at Growing Ability with the wider professional world of social care, both in Herts and across the border in Bedfordshire.

Our Growing Ability video has helped enormously, and we have had visits from many local care commissioners and user groups, including Herts Adult Commissioning Service for Learning Disabilities, the local Herts Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Mental Health team, and Herts Viewpoint, as well as Natural England, and local MPs Alistair Strathern and Bim Afolami. I joined the organisation at a pivotal time. During her tenure as Project

I’m delighted to say that all our outreach work is paying off and we have had five new gardeners join the project since Easter, three during this review period. We’re very grateful to Westland and Emmaus for donations in kind, to all the companies, trusts and individuals who have supported the project (see page 9), and to our Platinum Sponsors McCarthy Stone and The Letting Quarter.

Julie Zirngast, Project Manager

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Woodwork at Growing Ability
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Willow fish made by a gardener
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Applique work
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196 sessions 17 individuals 490 volunteer hrs 3 joiners, 1 leaver 4 off site trips 6 GA stalls

Find out more at www.trianglegarden.org

Triangle Community Garden: Registered charity No 1145243, Company Limited by Guarantee No 07676360 For more information please email info@trianglegarden.org

Branching Out

3 full-day sessions

11 attendees

Statistically significant improvement in wellbeing

Strong links to partner organisations in Beds

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A Branching Out participant
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New Shoots at CU Botanic Gdns
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New Shoots

6 half-day sessions 6 attendees

Statistically significant improvement in wellbeing

Branching Out – Easter 2024

Thanks to funding from the Bedfordshire Charitable Trust, we were able to run a successful and fully subscribed Easter holiday scheme for Bedfordshire residents. Branching Out took place from 9th-11th April and had 11 attendees in total (6 per day). It included a variety of naturebased activities and each session was run by two members of TCG staff plus volunteers and support workers. We carried out monitoring using the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) to generate paired data to monitor and evaluate the project’s effect on participants’ mental wellbeing. On average, wellbeing scores increased by a statistically significant 6 point score, indicating the scheme’s effectiveness as a mental wellbeing intervention.

In addition to this we had 3 referrals to our Growing Ability project from those who attended.

This suggests that the scheme is replicable in future to feed into our core offer of learning disability and mental health support through social and therapeutic horticulture.

The funding from Bedfordshire Charitable Trust also allowed us to deliver significant outreach to schools, colleges and community organisations in Bedfordshire. We have created strong links with these partner organisations and hope to continue working with them in future to generate referrals to future holiday schemes as well as our core services.

Ed Harkness, Outreach Coordinator

New Shoots – September 2023

New Shoots uses community gardening to reduce social isolation and promote mental wellbeing.

The WEMWBS (Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scores) at the beginning and end of each block, showed a statistically significant improvement in wellbeing taken as a median across the group.

The project was set up to respond to the high levels anxiety, stress and depression brought on by the pandemic and exacerbated by the cost of living crisis. Initially we ran it as a 15 week block, but in September 2023 we experimented with a more structured programme of six weeks , each session based around one of the five ways to wellbeing :

Feedback from the 6 week cohort showed the highest improvement in the following areas:

One September participant now volunteers with Sunday Garden Club.

We have been struggling to get sufficient referrals to run further blocks of New Shoots in 2024 but we are determined to persevere and run it in future years.

As before, the block culminated in a trip to Cambridge Botanic Gardens with our Friday Garden Club and an offer to continue volunteering with one of our weekly or monthly Garden Clubs.

Ed Harkness, Outreach Coordinator

Find out more at www.trianglegarden.org

Triangle Community Garden: Registered charity No 1145243, Company Limited by Guarantee No 07676360 For more information please email info@trianglegarden.org

Family Forest School and Triangle Tribe

This is our second year of providing Forest School opportunities at the Triangle Garden, in collaboration with Tanya Dickson at Culturewood CiC , and we’re delighted to report that all sessions have been pretty much fully booked across the year. Feedback has been excellent.

'I found the sessions of Triangle Tribe very beneficial for my daughter … She got to learn new skills in a different environment, all within a friendly situation so it felt like fun. I could see that she was less stressed after these sessions and always looked forward to the next … As well as helping my daughter, I also found these sessions a good relaxing end to the week. Meeting other parents is an added bonus for me, and I love learning some outdoor skills.’

Our provision covers a range of age groups with Family Forest School activities catering for families with children aged 3- 12, and Triangle Tribe tailored to families with older children aged 12-16, with more of a bushcraft focus.

Family Forest School sessions have a slightly different structure, offering a more open-ended approach. Each session provides access to a range of hand tools and natural resources, allowing children to explore and create freely. Popular activities include:

Triangle Tribe:

Over the last year, we’ve provided a range of engaging activities including:

Family Forest School meets monthly, every fourth Sunday morning 11am-12.30 plus half-terms and holidays. Triangle Tribe meets every third Friday evening 6.308.30pm. Sessions need to be booked in advance as places are limited. Both initiatives are neurodivergent-friendly.

Intended outcomes are to build individual and community resilience, strengthen family bonds, tackle isolation, create new networks, nurture interests outside the digital world, foster environmental awareness, reduce anxiety and encourage safe exploration of risk boundaries. Here’s a quote from one of our Triangle Tribe parents:

We’re very grateful to Hitchin Youth Trust and North Herts Council’s Community Fund for part-funding the continuation of Family Forest School and Triangle Tribe, respectively, from July 2024 to July 2025.

Tanya Dickson, Culturewood CiC Vicky Wyer, Triangle Garden

10 Triangle Tribe sessions 55 attendees including 30 young people

13 Family Forest School sessions 232 attendees including 127 children

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Hapazome at Family Forest School
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Whittling tools at Triangle Tribe
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To book your place at Family Forest School or Triangle Tribe please visit trianglegarden.org/events

Find out more at www.trianglegarden.org

Triangle Community Garden: Registered charity No 1145243, Company Limited by Guarantee No 07676360 For more information please email info@trianglegarden.org

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Hedge cutting at Sunday GC
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Friday Garden Club’s polytunnel
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To find out more about joining Friday Garden Club please contact Steve Granger via steve@trianglegarden.org

To book your free place at Sunday Garden Club visit trianglegarden.org/events

Our Garden Clubs

Friday Garden Club meets every Friday morning from 10am for some gentle guided social gardening. It is open to anyone, and its purpose is to maintain and develop the Triangle Garden and Forest Garden for the benefit of people and nature. Members enjoy learning new gardening skills, meeting new friends and being active in the fresh air, while making a positive contribution to the community and biodiversity. There are also regular trips and outings, and a shared allotment.

A very important part of the Garden Club experience is the cuppa, cake and chat at the end of each session! Thanks go to Lesley for her homemade cakes at coffee time, often using produce from our sites.

Friday Garden Club has been running for ten years now, since June 2014, when I joined the organisation to coordinate, plan and run what had previously been ad hoc volunteer-run gardening sessions.

This year has seen another increase in volunteers with an average of 10 attending each session . Many of our volunteers have been attending for a number of years, and new members are always welcome. Amongst those volunteers is Chris, who was there in the early days and remains an integral part of the group, producing plants to sell and the ever popular jams and chutneys we sell at our community events and at our Hitchin Farmers Market plant stall in May.

Overall Friday Garden Club volunteers have this year put in 788 hours of time on the gardens, and also provide invaluable help at our Apple Day and Summer Fete.

We have had trips this year, as we often do, to Cambridge Botanic Garden and to Walworth Community Garden in London.

Unfortunately the Triangle Garden suffered some fire damage over the summer, but it was mainly confined to the paved areas and the trees overhanging

the compost bins which need management anyway. Most of the planting is now well established and we added more bulbs and perennials over the year to boost biodiversity. The Forest Garden continues to mature and provides a range of unusual plants to harvest. Our volunteers receive many positive comments about the garden from dog walkers and visitors while we are working there.

Sunday Garden Club has seen 72 volunteers attending the monthly sessions, of whom 28 were children . Tasks have included bulb planting, wildflower planting and fruit tree pruning. The gardens also hosted two Beaver groups this year who had the chance to learn about and create insect habitats, do bug hunts and take root cuttings.

Groundwork UK ran a GOGA session (Go Outside Get Active) at the garden for people living with substance addiction towards the end of last year, and those who attended learnt how to take mint root cuttings and use hedge trimmers to trim the hedge at the front of the community garden. They also planted a large number of Camassia bulbs in the meadow areas in front of the community and forest gardens.

Local building services company Crane continue their volunteering visits to us. They have carried out numerous tasks including preparing our new allotment 2B and installing rainwater harvesting on the polytunnel on 2A. We have some regular volunteers from Crane and new faces join us when they can. We were delighted to be invited to attend Crane’s anniversary barbecue event in July this year.

In May Garden Committee and the trustees held a joint strategy morning, the outcomes of which have formed the basis of our new programme for 2024-25.

Steve Granger, Garden Club Leader

Find out more at www.trianglegarden.org

Triangle Community Garden: Registered charity No 1145243, Company Limited by Guarantee No 07676360 For more information please email info@trianglegarden.org

Community Events and Workshops

Each year we put on a number of workshops and community events to engage and connect people with the natural world, spread the word about what we do and raise funds for our work.

We also held a Talk on Dickens and his local connections at the garden - the first of many garden-based events perhaps?

In 2024 we introduced a number of new workshops to our calendar, building on the skills of our staff and volunteer team and collaborating with some great external tutors.

In 2023 we held our annual Summer Fete the skills of our staff and volunteer team in September as a bit of an experiment, and collaborating with some great having previously held it in high summer. external tutors. The timing gave us more time to prepare Two of our Garden Club volunteers ran a and meant we weren’t competing with successful Festive Wreath Workshop in so many other local events. We also December 2023 and Steve Granger used hoped it would protect us from summer his extensive expertise to run two very heatwave conditions although that year it well-received Seasonal Photography didn’t prove to be the case! Workshops for us, as well as a wellWe expanded the event to include more attended Vegetable Growing Workshop .

We expanded the event to include more stalls, activities and entertainments, headlined by Garden City Samba and Imajica Theatre. The aim was to raise awareness of the community garden and our work, and showcase our local collaborators like jewellery tutor Tuuli Parker, dyeplant experts Nature’s Rainbow, and Tai Chi practitioner Three Treasures Chris. It was a really wellattended day, raised £550 and sealed the September timing for 2024!

Local artist Yoshie Allen held three naturebased Fabric Collage Art Workshops at the Pavilion in collaboration with us, which were a lovely addition to our events calendar and very popular.

We ran an Easter holiday Mini-beast Safari but the wet spring and late onset of warm weather meant the insect count was slightly disappointing. Hopefully our pond works will be finished by next spring we’ll be able to reinstate pond-dipping at Easter and move the bug hunt to June.

In October 2023 we held our 19[th] Apple Day in Hitchin town centre. A celebration of English apples, local food in season and sustainability, the event was a great success with several new stalls including The Wildlife Trusts, Culturewood and Wymondley Community Garden. The event was supported by a £200 grant from Cllr Hoskins’ Locality fund to cover the costs of hiring the square.

And we invited Hitchin’s Dr Bike (aka Mark Nash) to run a couple of Cycle Repair Workshops from the Pavilion this summer to help promote sustainable travel.

Our well-established Seasonal Foraging Walks around Ransom’s Rec and Oughtonhead Common, led by The Hitchin Forager (Jane Simmons), have had a steady flow of bookings as always, and this year Jane introduced a new walk at Purwell Meadows.

May 2024 was a busy month for events with an outreach stall at Plastic Free Hitchin’s Eco-Fair followed by a very successful plant stall at Hitchin Farmers’ Market run by Friday Garden Club, which made a whopping £530. Lastly the Millstream pub hosted a Quiz Night on our behalf, raising £430 and providing a lovely fun social for us all. We‘re very grateful to the Millstream for their support.

As always feedback for our workshops has been excellent, thanks to our fantastic tutors. Thanks to all who helped at our events and of course to our hardworking band of events organisers:

Gemma, Mel,Vicky, Gill,Karenanne & Isabelle

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Mini-beast Safari
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Cuppa time!
Forest Garden haul
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Vicky Gill & Gemma at Apple Day
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1 Festive Wreath Workshop - 12 attendees; 1 Minibeast Safari - 15 people (8 children); 5 Foraging Walks - 70 attendees; 3 Collage Art Workshops - 26 attendees; 2 Photography Workshops - 16 attendees; 2 Cycle Repair Workshops - 10 attendees; 1 Veg Growing Workshop -7 attendees.

Find out more at www.trianglegarden.org

Triangle Community Garden: Registered charity No 1145243, Company Limited by Guarantee No 07676360 For more information please email info@trianglegarden.org

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Julie (right) at the Crane BBQ
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Carole, Liz and Karenanne
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Susan Dye at our allotment
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Indigo-dyeing at Growing Ability
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People

This year we’ve welcomed a number of new people to the Triangle Garden team and said farewell to some familiar faces over the year. Project Manager Alice Woodward left in April as the commute by train from her houseboat on the Grand Union canal was proving too much, and Support Worker Karenanne Hay moved on as her own business has flourished. Our Outreach Coordinator Ed Harkness qualified as a Psychotherapist and left in June to pursue his new career.

Growing Ability volunteers Lesley Brown and Carole Knight stepped back from supporting our sessions since 2023. We owe huge thanks to them and to current volunteers Sue and Yolanda for their hard work and dedication to Growing Ability. We’d also like to thank Lou Green and Clare Chambers for their help with cover at our GA sessions this year.

We also said farewell to webmaster Robin Clarke who has looked after our website for many many years. We’re so grateful for all the time and effort that longstanding volunteers like Robin, Carole and Lesley have given. It is invaluable.

Several new staff members and trustees joined us over the last year:

• Julie Zirngast joined us in April as Project Manager and has been an absolute powerhouse. We’ll be gutted when she moves away in January

As always we say a big thank you to our wonderful Garden Club volunteers who help to keep our sites so biodiverse and beautiful, to our Growing Ability gardeners and their supportive parents and carers, our events team, our trustees, our accounts volunteer, and all our collaborators, supporters and funders.

• Helen Fitch-Hunter joined us in September, as GA 1:1 support worker • Isabelle Robinson and Kate Hughes joined as trustees over the winter, with expertise in events and fundraising

Pavilion hires and Nature’s Rainbow

It’s great to see our Pavilion continuing to host creative workshops such as Tuuli Parker’s glass fusion and silver clay jewellery classes, and Kim Raymont’s MakeSpace art workshops. This year Herts Wildlife Trust also held a creative nature writing workshop from the pavilion run by Guardian Country Diary writer Nic Wilson .

fabric dyeing, sewing and applique to our GA sessions and ran a number of special workshops for Friday Garden Club including botanical printing, mordanting and natural dyeing of old sheets to make 25[th] anniversary bunting for next year. We were all very saddened to learn of her recent death after a short illness, and will cherish our memories of her fathomless patience and generosity.

These hires provide welcome income to help fund our Garden Clubs and make good use of our little community facility.

In addition Chris Nutley of Three Treasures Tai Chi now runs a weekly outdoor Tai Chi class at the Rec. every Friday 11.15am-12.15. This class is slowly building a following, bringing grace, power and positivity to the park. Chris is also running evening tai chi classes in the park when the evenings are light, and from our allotment shelter in the winter months. Why not give it a try? Beginners welcome!

Nature’s Rainbow have also been regular hirers of the pavilion and our outdoor classroom space on the allotment. As well as running their internationally acclaimed natural dye workshops and dye garden tutorials, Susan Dye and Ashley Walker have been generously giving their time to working with our Growing Ability and Garden Club groups. Susan introduced

Find out more at www.trianglegarden.org

Triangle Community Garden: Registered charity No 1145243, Company Limited by Guarantee No 07676360 For more information please email info@trianglegarden.org

Treasurer’s Report

For the first time in many years, the financial year to 31 August 2024 saw TCG make a deficit (£6,540) which has therefore reduced the charity’s reserves. For a number of reasons, a deficit had been budgeted at the start of the year and so whilst the result is not unexpected, the size of the final deficit is much less than expected. This is in large part due to an increase in donations, fundraising surpluses and grants that we received during the year (some of which are for projects programmed for 2024-25).

We remain very aware of the hard truth that without other sources of income, the charity would certainly have made a larger deficit if it had to solely rely on fees from clients. That said, attendance at Growing Ability has improved during the year such that we are almost at capacity for the existing sessions and hope to begin new sessions if demand continues to grow.

A key reason for the budgeted deficit was the salary for our Business Development Manager, Ed Harkness, who left us this summer after laying the groundwork for a number of future income opportunities. The outreach part of his role has been taken on by our new Project Manager.

In 2024, TCG’s Summer Fete was again held in September, meaning it falls outside this financial reporting period so only the 2023 surplus is reflected in these accounts. The Fete continues to be a key event for TCG both in terms of fundraising but also bringing the local community together and showcasing the charity’s work. Other events - Apple Day (in October 2023), our Farmers Market plant stall and our Foraging Walks - did very well too and a Pub Quiz at The Millstream, plus several new workshops, contributed to the ever-growing TCG events calendar last year.

We remain very grateful to those who continue to support our work through attending our events, buying our produce, or making donations. In this financial period this includes very kind donations from Crane BSU, New England Biolabs, The Hadley Trust, Hitchin Tilehouse Rotary Club, St Marks Church, various Hitchin cubs and beavers, Hitchin Nature Network members and private individuals via our People’s Fundraising website. We’re also grateful for the grants awarded to us by Hitchin Youth Trust, North Herts Council (NHC) Community Fund and Cllr Keith Hoskins. This also shows the hard work undertaken by the team in submitting robust and convincing grant applications – their efforts this year have yet again been vital. We would also like to thank McCarthy Stone (2023-24) and The Letting Quarter (September 2024 onwards) for their Platinum Sponsorship.

Along with our other income sources, the pavilion continues to be an important generator of funds – bringing in fees from use by local community groups and tutors, and providing facilities for TCG activities and projects. Income from client fees has shown a modest increase during the year. However under the fee structure introduced by Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) for community social care provision, the level of this income is precarious going forward, as the new rates for commissioned community opportunities services represent a significant reduction on those paid pre-2021.

Abbreviated accounts are included with this report. The full accounts in the format required by the Charities Commission are available on our website.

Andrew Green, Treasurer

Find out more at www.trianglegarden.org

Triangle Community Garden: Registered charity No 1145243, Company Limited by Guarantee No 07676360 For more information please email info@trianglegarden.org

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Meadow in front of the garden
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Paths to be fully accessible
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Planting for people and nature
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Future plans

Next year is our 25[th] anniversary year and we want to mark the occasion with some lasting improvements to the Rec, and our community spaces, for the benefit of people and nature.

Last year’s goal of bolstering our financial stability and raising our profile locally, has been very successful and we are now looking to realise some of the outcomes of our May Strategy morning and initiate collaborations with local organisations that have mutual goals.

Our plans for the Rec will be based around the views of our community and to that end we have two surveys running at present, a general park survey and a café-specific one (that emerged out of the park survey). These will feed into our strategy for the Rec and we have recently secured Levelling Up funding through North Herts Council (NHC) for the following improvements:

• A biodiversity boost to the Triangle Garden – tree management to let more light in, repair of our central raised beds and new pollinator-friendly planting. The pond refurbishment work currently being done by North Herts Council will also enhance the garden’s biodiversity.

• Resurfacing of the communal spaces at our allotments to facilitate better wheelchair and visually impaired access plus an enclosed timber shelter on plot 2B for small groups work

Which leads us nicely on to our new project, Man Made Meals, which will offer confidence in the kitchen for men, and aims to build a community of men who can support each other through learning to cook together. We have a Crowdfunder for the project running until the beginning of December and hope to raise £3000+ for kitchen equipment.

The project will be run by two volunteers, one of whom is trustee, John Wyer.

We have commissioned a feasibility study into the business case for a Community Café/Coffee Hatch at the Pavilion, thanks to Herts County Council Locality funding. And we are working with NHC and the Countryside Management Service to draw up proposals for new tree, and meadow planting for Ransoms Rec and a new mosaic in the Triangle Garden.

Our goals for next year also include:

Growing Ability: Now that our current sessions are at capacity, we want to run more Growing Ability sessions to give us further secure, regular income and benefit more disadvantaged people.

Branching Out: We plan to run a second Easter scheme next year to introduce young people (16-25) to our social and therapeutic horticulture offer. When it comes time for these young people to leave further education and choose a future path, we hope they will feel more confident and comfortable joining our Growing Ability sessions.

New Shoots: We are hoping to attract funding to run new blocks of New Shoots for Carers specifically, in collaboration with Carers in Herts.

New Garden Clubs: In 2025 we’re starting a fortnightly Garden Club for students aged 12-16 from The Priory School . We’re also hoping to collaborate with local autism charities to run a fortnightly Garden Club for parents/carers of children with autism, coupled with halfterm and holiday nature-based sessions for families with teens with autism.

Project Manager: To help us get all this done we will need a passionate, agile and committed Project Manager in post. If this sounds like your sort of challenge, please get in touch by 1st December!

Vicky Wyer, Chair of Trustees

Find out more at www.trianglegarden.org

Triangle Community Garden: Registered charity No 1145243, Company Limited by Guarantee No 07676360 For more information please email info@trianglegarden.org

Hitchin Community Gardens

(Also known as Triangle Community Garden)

Company registration number 7676360 Charity registration number: 1145243

TRUSTEES' ACCOUNTING REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024

CONTENTS

Page

2 Legal and Administrative Details 3 Balance Sheet

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

1

Hitchin Community Gardens aka Triangle Community Garden Registered Charity No. 1145243 Company Registration: 7676360

ORGANISATIONAL PROFILE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024

TRUSTEES

Chair Victoria Mary Wyer Vice Chair Adrian Peter Stones Treasurer Andrew Danger Green Hilary Jean Oughton Gareth Hills John Anthony Wyer Isabelle Robinson (from 11 January 2024) Katherine Maria Hughes (from 14 March 2024) REGISTERED OFFICE: 23 Priory Way Hitchin SG4 9BJ BANKERS: The Co-operative Bank-Business PO Box 250 Skelmersdale WN8 6WT INDEPENDENT EXAMINER: Charles Osei, BSc (Hons), MSc, ACIE, AFA, ATA, MCIPP Flat 3, 11 Rochdale Way, Deptford London SE8 4LY

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

2

Hitchin Community Gardens aka Triangle Community Garden Registered Charity No. 1145243 Company Registration: 7676360

Hitchin Community Gardens

Balance Sheet as at 31st August 2024
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total Total
Funds Income Funds Funds This Year Last Year
Fixed Assets
Tangible Fixed Assets-Equipment £0 £0 £0 £0 £0

Total Fixed Assets		 £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Current Assets
Stock (note 2) £20 £0 £0 £20 £206

Debtors and Prepayments (note 3)		 £457 £2,381 £0 £2,838 £2,270

Cash at Bank and in Hand (note 4)		 £37,112 £7,135 £0 £44,247 £51,382

Total Current Assets		 £37,589 £9,516 £0 £47,105 £53,858
Current Liabilities
Creditors and Accruals (note 5) £576 £649 £0 £1,225 £1,438

Deferred Income		 £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Total Current Liabilities £576 £649 £0 £1,225 £1,438
Net Current Assets £37,013 £8,867 £0 £45,880 £52,420
Total Assets less Current Liabilities £37,013 £8,867 £0 £45,880 £52,420
Amounts falling due after more than 1 Year
Deferred Income £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Net Assets £37,013 £8,867 £0 £45,880 £52,420
Funds of the Charity
Triangle Community Garden Fund £37,115 £0 £0 £37,115 £27,315

Specified General Funds		 -£102 £0 £0 -£102 £8,749

Restricted Funds		 £8,867 £0 £8,867 £16,356
Total Funds £37,013 £8,867 £0 £45,880 £52,420

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31st August 2024.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31st August 2024 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies’ regime.

Signed by two trustees on behalf of all trustees:

Signature

Print Name Date Vicky Wyer 14.11.2024 Andrew Green 14.11.2024

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

3

Hitchin Community Gardens aka Triangle Community Garden Registered Charity No. 1145243 Company Registration: 7676360

TCG Funds Restricted
Funds		 Specified
unrestricted
Funds		 Total Last Year
22/23
Income from:
Charitable Activities £4,652 £37,754 £0 £42,406 £36,953
Donations and Legacies £5,400 £2,679 £0 £8,079 £12,992

Grants		 £668 £3,484 £0 £4,152 £8,966
Fundraising £8,977 £642 £0 £9,619 £7,311
Investment Income £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Other Income £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Total £19,696 £44,560 £0 £64,256 £66,222
Expenditure on:
Charitable Expenditure £15,184 £51,792 £519 £67,494 £58,122

Raising Funds		 £2,862 £439 £0 £3,302 £6,074
Total £18,046 £52,231 £519 £70,796 £64,196
Net Income £1,650 -£7,671 -£519 -£6,540 £2,026
Transfer between Funds £5,488 £0 -£5,488 £0 £0
Net Movement in Funds £7,138 -£7,671 -£6,007 -£6,540 £2,026
Total funds Brought Forward £29,977 £16,538 £5,905 £52,420 £50,394
Total Funds Carried Forward £37,115 £8,867 -£102 £45,880 £52,420
Triangle Community Garden

Note: In September 2023 the Charity changed to a new accounting software which has meant some changes in the way the accounts are presented. The transition led to some minor one off discrepancies in the value of funds brought forward at the time of the changeover.

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

4

Hitchin Community Gardens aka Triangle Community Garden Registered Charity No. 1145243 Company Registration: 7676360

Notes forming part of the Financial Statements for the year ended 31[st] August 2024

1. Basis of Accounting

These accounts have been prepared on an accrual basis and include income and

expenditure as they are earned or incurred, rather than as cash received or paid. Reference to the "Charities SORP" refers to the Charites SORP (FRS 102): 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. 2nd edition effective 1 January 2019, and in accordance with the Companies Act 2006.

2. Accounting Policies

The principal accounting policies are summarised below. The accounting policies have been applied consistently throughout the year.

(a) Fund Accounting

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.

Designated finds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular purposes. Restricted funds are subject to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor.

(b) Income

All income is included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income: Voluntary Income is received by way of grants, donations and gifts and is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable.

Donated Services are included at the value to the charity where this can be quantified. The value of services provided by volunteers has not been included in these accounts.

Income from Trading and Charitable Activities are accounted for when earned. Hertfordshire County Council is responsible for the payment of fees for six of the gardeners. Fees of £15,056 were received from HCC in the year ended 31st August 2024.

(c) Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised on an accrual basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes VAT which cannot be recovered and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates.

Costs of generating funds comprise the costs associated with attracting voluntary income and the costs of trading for fundraising purposes.

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them. It includes governance costs which are those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include the accountant’s fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the charity.

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

5

(d) Fixed Assets

Fixed Assets are included at cost less accumulated depreciation. The cost of minor additions, those costing below £1000 and those whose purchase costs are fully covered by a grant are not capitalised. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of the asset over its expected useful life, which in all cases is estimated at 5 years. Currently the charity has no fixed assets which have not been written off.

3. Income

Income
(a) Donations
St Mark’s Church £250
Crane Charitable Funds £2,675
NEB UK £2,000
Hadley Trust £1,000
Tilehouse Rotary Club Hitchin £1,000
Other donations £1,154

(b) Grants

Herts Community Foundation £968 Workforce development grants (2No) Herts County Council £200 Locality fund (Cllr Keith Hoskins) Hitchin Youth Trust £1,372 North Herts District Council £1,612

4. Expenditure

For analysis see attached appendix A

5. Trustee Remuneration and Related Party Transactions

Reimbursements were made to trustees for purchases made directly for Hitchin Community Gardens.

Details of Trustees other transactions with the charity are given in note 14.

6. Salaries and Wages

At 31[st] August 2024, 5 part time staff were employed.

Total wages including pension contributions paid in the year to 31[st] August 2024 were £51,892.

9. Tangible Fixed Assets

At Cost
At 1stSeptember 2023
Acquisitions
At 31stAugust 2024
Depreciation
At 1stSeptember 2023
Charge for Year
At 31stAugust 2024		 Equipment
£
2916
0
2916
2916
0
2916

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

6

Equipment Net Book Value At 31[st] August 2022 At 31[st] August 2023 At 31st August 2024

11. Debtors

Prepaid expenses £ 843 Debtors £1995 Reclaimable Gift Aid Tax £ 0 £2838

12. Creditors and Accruals

Income received in advance £1337 Creditors £ 50 Payroll & pension liabilities* £ (162) Total £1767

All deferred income has now been written back.

13. Analysis of Net Assets Between Funds

Triangle Community Garden and Ransom’s Pavilion £ 31,627 Growing Ability Group and other Restricted Runds £ 8,867 Specified General Funds £ 5,386

14. Related Parties

One trustee is a director of Bowles & Wyer who do the photocopying for Hitchin Community Gardens. No charge is made for black and white copies, and colour copies are invoiced at cost. This is considerably cheaper than using another supplier.

*Amount is based on the outstanding refund of £542 from HMRC (change payroll provider halfway through the Tax Financial year (Sept 23) resulted in TCG being overcharged by HMRC. HMRC hope to sort it out within 24 months)

See page 8 for Appendix A (Note 4) and page 10 for Reserves Statement

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

7

Hitchin Community Gardens aka Triangle Community Garden Registered Charity No. 1145243 Company Registration: 7676360

Appendix A

Note 4
Hitchin Community Gardens
Expenditure for the Year ended 31st August 2024
Unrestricted
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Total
Charity Management and Adminstration, and running costs
Advertisement, Recruitment and General Publicity £619 £239 £858
Office Costs £1,383 £1,216 £2,599
Staff training £465 £1,518 £1,983
Subscriptions £87 £113 £200
Allotment and Pavilion Rent £0 £3,478 £3,478
Insurance £359 £359 £719
Material costs, PPE, Tools and equipment £832 £648 £1,480
Refreshments £56 £186 £242
Travel and Visits £23 £158 £181
Workshop Nominal Costs £1,130 £1,930 £3,060
£4,955 £9,845 £14,800
Payroll Expenses
Salary and wages costs (Including payroll costs) £2,925 £19,532 £22,456
Business devt manager wages (Including payroll costs) £4,713 £6,708 £11,421
Project manager wages (Including payroll costs) £2,804 £11,905 £14,708
Staff Cover wages £5 £943 £948
Support 1:1 wages £0 £2,358 £2,358
£10,446 £41,446 £51,892
Governances Costs
Accountant/Examiner charges £250 £0 £250
DBS Check £31 £487 £518
Legal costs £20 £14 £34
£302 £500 £802
Expenditure on Raising Funds
Event costs £1,138 £261 £1,399
Produce cost £820 £135 £955
Pavilion cost £905 £43 £948
Gazebo cost £0 £0 £0
£2,862 £439 £3,302
Total Expenditure
£70,796
*Note: All the Employer allowance recovered has been posted to TCG
Payroll cost allocated to funds and catogories appropriately

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

8

Hitchin Community Gardens aka Triangle Community Garden Registered Charity No. 1145243 Company Registration: 7676360

Hitchin Community Gardens Reserves Statement 2024

Hitchin Community Gardens needs reserves to:

Hitchin Community Garden Reserves at 31[st] August 2024:

Hitchin Community Garden’s reserves policy states that reserves should be between 30% and 40% of turnover.

Reserves at 31[st] August 2024 are £45880. This is 71% of turnover.

These reserves are earmarked for the continuation of our Community Outreach role which allows us to reach more beneficiaries and provide more wide-ranging services to address the needs of our community.

Part of the purpose of this role, which has become subsumed into the Project Manager role with a proportionate increase in hours, is to seek new markets and new funding to address future known financial shortfalls: cuts to our contract income from the local authority came into play in 2021-22. Any new clients we attract through the Adult Care Services

Commissioning Framework since then have and will come in on the new low rates. These rates are well below the per-client cost of running our service. This continues to impact us as we recruit new clients, although as we grow our service to reach more people, we hope to be able to make economies of scale to reduce this per person deficit.

For the moment we need relatively high reserves to address future known challenges and provide a safety net to offset reduced income.

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

9

Hitchin Community Gardens

(Also known as Triangle Community Garden)

Company registration number 7676360 Charity registration number: 1145243

TRUSTEES' ACCOUNTING REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024

CONTENTS

Page

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

1

Hitchin Community Gardens aka Triangle Community Garden Registered Charity No. 1145243 Company Registration: 7676360

ORGANISATIONAL PROFILE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2024

TRUSTEES

Chair Victoria Mary Wyer Vice Chair Adrian Peter Stones Treasurer Andrew Danger Green Hilary Jean Oughton Gareth Hills John Anthony Wyer Isabelle Robinson (from 11 January 2024) Katherine Maria Hughes (from 14 March 2024) REGISTERED OFFICE: 23 Priory Way Hitchin SG4 9BJ BANKERS: The Co-operative Bank-Business PO Box 250 Skelmersdale WN8 6WT INDEPENDENT EXAMINER: Charles Osei, BSc (Hons), MSc, ACIE, AFA, ATA, MCIPP Flat 3, 11 Rochdale Way, Deptford London SE8 4LY

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

2

Hitchin Community Gardens aka Triangle Community Garden Registered Charity No. 1145243 Company Registration: 7676360

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO THE TRUSTEES OF HITCHIN COMMUNITY GARDENS

I report on the financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2024 set out on pages 3 - 9.

Respective responsibilities of Trustees and independent examiner

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). The Charity Trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1)(d) of the 2006 Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1)(c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner's statement

My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity, and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from you as Trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a “true and fair view” and the reports limited to those matters set out in the statement as follows:

Independent examiner's statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

have not been met; or

Charles Osei, BSc (Hons), MSc, ACIE, AFA, ATA , MCIPP, MIPA Flat 3, 11 Rochdale Way Deptford London SE8 4LY

Date: 14/11/2024

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

3

Hitchin Community Gardens aka Triangle Community Garden Registered Charity No. 1145243 Company Registration: 7676360

Hitchin Community Gardens

Balance Sheet as at 31st August 2024
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total Total
Funds Income Funds Funds This Year Last Year
Fixed Assets
Tangible Fixed Assets-Equipment £0 £0 £0 £0 £0

Total Fixed Assets		 £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Current Assets
Stock (note 2) £20 £0 £0 £20 £206

Debtors and Prepayments (note 3)		 £457 £2,381 £0 £2,838 £2,270

Cash at Bank and in Hand (note 4)		 £37,112 £7,135 £0 £44,247 £51,382

Total Current Assets		 £37,589 £9,516 £0 £47,105 £53,858
Current Liabilities
Creditors and Accruals (note 5) £576 £649 £0 £1,225 £1,438

Deferred Income		 £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Total Current Liabilities £576 £649 £0 £1,225 £1,438
Net Current Assets £37,013 £8,867 £0 £45,880 £52,420
Total Assets less Current Liabilities £37,013 £8,867 £0 £45,880 £52,420
Amounts falling due after more than 1 Year
Deferred Income £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Net Assets £37,013 £8,867 £0 £45,880 £52,420
Funds of the Charity
Triangle Community Garden Fund £37,115 £0 £0 £37,115 £27,315

Specified General Funds		 -£102 £0 £0 -£102 £8,749

Restricted Funds		 £8,867 £0 £8,867 £16,356
Total Funds £37,013 £8,867 £0 £45,880 £52,420

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31st August 2024.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31st August 2024 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies’ regime.

Signed by two trustees on behalf of all trustees:

Signature

Print Name Date Vicky Wyer 14.11.2024 Andrew Green 14.11.2024

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

4

Hitchin Community Gardens aka Triangle Community Garden Registered Charity No. 1145243 Company Registration: 7676360

TCG Funds Restricted
Funds		 Specified
unrestricted
Funds		 Total Last Year
22/23
Income from:
Charitable Activities £4,652 £37,754 £0 £42,406 £36,953
Donations and Legacies £5,400 £2,679 £0 £8,079 £12,992

Grants		 £668 £3,484 £0 £4,152 £8,966
Fundraising £8,977 £642 £0 £9,619 £7,311
Investment Income £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Other Income £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
Total £19,696 £44,560 £0 £64,256 £66,222
Expenditure on:
Charitable Expenditure £15,184 £51,792 £519 £67,494 £58,122

Raising Funds		 £2,862 £439 £0 £3,302 £6,074
Total £18,046 £52,231 £519 £70,796 £64,196
Net Income £1,650 -£7,671 -£519 -£6,540 £2,026
Transfer between Funds £5,488 £0 -£5,488 £0 £0
Net Movement in Funds £7,138 -£7,671 -£6,007 -£6,540 £2,026
Total funds Brought Forward £29,977 £16,538 £5,905 £52,420 £50,394
Total Funds Carried Forward £37,115 £8,867 -£102 £45,880 £52,420
Triangle Community Garden

Note: In September 2023 the Charity changed to a new accounting software which has meant some changes in the way the accounts are presented. The transition led to some minor one off discrepancies in the value of funds brought forward at the time of the changeover.

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

5

Hitchin Community Gardens aka Triangle Community Garden Registered Charity No. 1145243 Company Registration: 7676360

Notes forming part of the Financial Statements for the year ended 31[st] August 2024

1. Basis of Accounting

These accounts have been prepared on an accrual basis and include income and

expenditure as they are earned or incurred, rather than as cash received or paid. Reference to the "Charities SORP" refers to the Charites SORP (FRS 102): 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. 2nd edition effective 1 January 2019, and in accordance with the Companies Act 2006.

2. Accounting Policies

The principal accounting policies are summarised below. The accounting policies have been applied consistently throughout the year.

(a) Fund Accounting

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.

Designated finds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular purposes. Restricted funds are subject to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor.

(b) Income

All income is included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income: Voluntary Income is received by way of grants, donations and gifts and is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable.

Donated Services are included at the value to the charity where this can be quantified. The value of services provided by volunteers has not been included in these accounts.

Income from Trading and Charitable Activities are accounted for when earned. Hertfordshire County Council is responsible for the payment of fees for six of the gardeners. Fees of £15,056 were received from HCC in the year ended 31st August 2024.

(c) Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised on an accrual basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes VAT which cannot be recovered and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates.

Costs of generating funds comprise the costs associated with attracting voluntary income and the costs of trading for fundraising purposes.

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them. It includes governance costs which are those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include the accountant’s fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the charity.

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

6

(d) Fixed Assets

Fixed Assets are included at cost less accumulated depreciation. The cost of minor additions, those costing below £1000 and those whose purchase costs are fully covered by a grant are not capitalised. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of the asset over its expected useful life, which in all cases is estimated at 5 years. Currently the charity has no fixed assets which have not been written off.

3. Income

Income
(a) Donations
St Mark’s Church £250
Crane Charitable Funds £2,675
NEB UK £2,000
Hadley Trust £1,000
Tilehouse Rotary Club Hitchin £1,000
Other donations £1,154

(b) Grants

Herts Community Foundation £968 Workforce development grants (2No) Herts County Council £200 Locality fund (Cllr Keith Hoskins) Hitchin Youth Trust £1,372 North Herts District Council £1,612

4. Expenditure

For analysis see attached appendix A

5. Trustee Remuneration and Related Party Transactions

Reimbursements were made to trustees for purchases made directly for Hitchin Community Gardens.

Details of Trustees other transactions with the charity are given in note 14.

6. Salaries and Wages

At 31[st] August 2024, 5 part time staff were employed.

Total wages including pension contributions paid in the year to 31[st] August 2024 were £51,892.

9. Tangible Fixed Assets

At Cost
At 1stSeptember 2023
Acquisitions
At 31stAugust 2024
Depreciation
At 1stSeptember 2023
Charge for Year
At 31stAugust 2024		 Equipment
£
2916
0
2916
2916
0
2916

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

7

Equipment Net Book Value At 31[st] August 2022 At 31[st] August 2023 At 31st August 2024

11. Debtors

Prepaid expenses £ 843 Debtors £1995 Reclaimable Gift Aid Tax £ 0 £2838

12. Creditors and Accruals

Income received in advance £1337 Creditors £ 50 Payroll & pension liabilities* £ (162) Total £1767

All deferred income has now been written back.

13. Analysis of Net Assets Between Funds

Triangle Community Garden and Ransom’s Pavilion £ 31,627 Growing Ability Group and other Restricted Runds £ 8,867 Specified General Funds £ 5,386

14. Related Parties

One trustee is a director of Bowles & Wyer who do the photocopying for Hitchin Community Gardens. No charge is made for black and white copies, and colour copies are invoiced at cost. This is considerably cheaper than using another supplier.

*Amount is based on the outstanding refund of £542 from HMRC (change payroll provider halfway through the Tax Financial year (Sept 23) resulted in TCG being overcharged by HMRC. HMRC hope to sort it out within 24 months)

See page 9 for Appendix A (Note 4) and page 10 for Reserves Statement

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

8

Hitchin Community Gardens aka Triangle Community Garden Registered Charity No. 1145243 Company Registration: 7676360

Appendix A

Note 4
Hitchin Community Gardens
Expenditure for the Year ended 31st August 2024
Unrestricted
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Total
Charity Management and Adminstration, and running costs
Advertisement, Recruitment and General Publicity £619 £239 £858
Office Costs £1,383 £1,216 £2,599
Staff training £465 £1,518 £1,983
Subscriptions £87 £113 £200
Allotment and Pavilion Rent £0 £3,478 £3,478
Insurance £359 £359 £719
Material costs, PPE, Tools and equipment £832 £648 £1,480
Refreshments £56 £186 £242
Travel and Visits £23 £158 £181
Workshop Nominal Costs £1,130 £1,930 £3,060
£4,955 £9,845 £14,800
Payroll Expenses
Salary and wages costs (Including payroll costs) £2,925 £19,532 £22,456
Business devt manager wages (Including payroll costs) £4,713 £6,708 £11,421
Project manager wages (Including payroll costs) £2,804 £11,905 £14,708
Staff Cover wages £5 £943 £948
Support 1:1 wages £0 £2,358 £2,358
£10,446 £41,446 £51,892
Governances Costs
Accountant/Examiner charges £250 £0 £250
DBS Check £31 £487 £518
Legal costs £20 £14 £34
£302 £500 £802
Expenditure on Raising Funds
Event costs £1,138 £261 £1,399
Produce cost £820 £135 £955
Pavilion cost £905 £43 £948
Gazebo cost £0 £0 £0
£2,862 £439 £3,302
Total Expenditure
£70,796
*Note: All the Employer allowance recovered has been posted to TCG
Payroll cost allocated to funds and catogories appropriately

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

9

Hitchin Community Gardens aka Triangle Community Garden Registered Charity No. 1145243 Company Registration: 7676360

Hitchin Community Gardens Reserves Statement 2024

Hitchin Community Gardens needs reserves to:

Hitchin Community Garden Reserves at 31[st] August 2024:

Hitchin Community Garden’s reserves policy states that reserves should be between 30% and 40% of turnover.

Reserves at 31[st] August 2024 are £45880. This is 71% of turnover.

These reserves are earmarked for the continuation of our Community Outreach role which allows us to reach more beneficiaries and provide more wide-ranging services to address the needs of our community.

Part of the purpose of this role, which has become subsumed into the Project Manager role with a proportionate increase in hours, is to seek new markets and new funding to address future known financial shortfalls: cuts to our contract income from the local authority came into play in 2021-22. Any new clients we attract through the Adult Care Services

Commissioning Framework since then have and will come in on the new low rates. These rates are well below the per-client cost of running our service. This continues to impact us as we recruit new clients, although as we grow our service to reach more people, we hope to be able to make economies of scale to reduce this per person deficit.

For the moment we need relatively high reserves to address future known challenges and provide a safety net to offset reduced income.

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2023-24.pdf

10