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2025-08-31-accounts

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Fun at Sunday Garden Club
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Growing Ability’s Our Growing Ability monthly stallfirst strawberry!
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Created and cultivated by people of all ages and abilities at Ransom’s Rec Hitchin, Herts

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 Garden Clubs and Growing Ability.

It’s been an exciting and fulfilling year with lots going on and much more on the horizon. Grant funding success has enabled many practical improvements to take place on site, paving the way for several new projects and an enhanced ability to run existing ones. An expanding programme of workshops, projects and forest school activities has allowed us to reach and benefit more people. And we’re excited at the prospect of extending our activities out into Ransom’s Rec. with the Ransom’s Meadows project. None of this would be possible without the energy and support of our outstanding staff and volunteer team, including our new Project Manager Hayley Lanfear.

Our Garden Club volunteers provide invaluable care and management of our greenspaces under the sensitive and patient guidance of our site and horticulture manager Steve Granger.

Here’s some of the feedback we’ve had from Sunday Garden Club:

‘Absolutely loved it! Steve is a fountain of knowledge’

‘Another great morning. We always learn so much’

‘Great atmosphere, really enjoyed it. Satisfying to see the changes in the forest garden over the months’

Our vision is for ’a community where people feel happier and more fulfilled through a connection with the natural world and an understanding of our place in it’.

You can read about our existing, new and upcoming projects inside, together with information on the impact they deliver and the people behind them.

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:

As always we say thank you to our supporters, be they staff giving above and beyond, volunteers giving of their time, companies and individuals giving funds, or people supporting our events. Special thanks go to our Gold sponsors The Letting Quarter and longtime corporate supporters Crane BSU .

Vicky Wyer, Chair of Trustees

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

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.

The project operates primarily from our allotments but we’re regularly active at the Triangle Garden and Forest Garden, and in Ransom’s Rec.

Growing Ability sessions take place in a safe, caring and stimulating personcentred environment. This approach allows each participant to focus on their individual aims while building practical, reflective, and social skills. Through nurtured learning and meaningful community activities Growing Ability helps attendees or ‘gardeners’ as we call them, to build confidence and self-worth, strengthen their independence, and develop life skills.

Making herb planters

They gain valuable experience in horticulture, gardening and food growing, as well as cooking with the produce they grow. They’ve made delicious things like plum crumble, Crane cheque presentation courgette muffins, and green tomato jam. They also have the opportunity to sell their creations at local events and our monthly stall. This year, they used their skills to create beautiful pollinator-friendly hanging baskets, cut flower bouquets and wooden herb troughs, which have been sold really well. The monthly stalls are a real win-win for Growing Ability. Seeing people admiring and buying the things they’ve made or grown is a huge source of pride for our gardeners,

Crane cheque presentation

and brings them closer to feeling valued in the ‘able’ world. The sales generate valuable funds for the project, and the retail experience is very useful for those seeking work in that sector.

Running a successful vegetable plot requires skills such as planning ahead, organisation, decision-making, fine motor skills, literacy and numeracy. It fosters creativity, team-work and resilience as participants share responsibilities for their plots. Here’s what one gardener’s mum has to say:

‘[Growing Ability] is a huge support to [his] mental health, he needs to be busy, and he loves being outdoors. He has learned so much about growing plants, especially a huge variety of vegetables. He feels very comfortable speaking to staff about any problems he might be having both within the allotment groups and with his life in general. There would be a huge void in [his] life if he didn't have Growing Ability, it gives him a sense of purpose, and he feels he is making a contribution.’

We currently hold four half-day sessions a week, with 6–8 participants per session. Each session is led by two experienced care professionals and supported by at least one volunteer. There is a session fee of £12.6430.24/hr depending on support need, which can be paid via Direct Payments, Personal Independence Payment or Individual Service Fund. Alternatively, gardeners can seek Commissioned Care from Adult Care Services; or self-fund.

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

Inevitably as the living wage and cost of materials rise, the gap widens between what we can reasonably charge, and what it actually costs to run this provision. So we are increasingly grateful for donations and sponsorship from local businesses like Crane and The Letting Quarter to enable this valuable work to reach the people who need it most.

I joined the team in January 2025, and it’s been a busy time for us all - we celebrated the organisation’s 25th Anniversary , and have successfully completed a PAMMS (Provider Assessment Market Management Solution) inspection for Herts County Council. This is the equivalent of a CQC review for non-residential services and we were delighted to achieve a GOOD rating again. This year, Growing Ability participants have enjoyed visits to Hitchin Museum, Hitchin Garden Centre, and Wimpole Hall, plus a Quiz night at The Millstream and they got to enjoy a wonderful BBQ hosted by Crane. They have also taken part in a wide range of creative and enterprise activities, including our ‘Growing Gang’ venturing into Hitchin Town to plant up the town centre raised beds outside Next and WH Smith. And they have helped create our beautiful new mosaic, now installed in the community nature garden.

Maintaining a steady flow of new participants is essential to sustain the success of our service and we are aware of the need to grow in scale, to achieve financial stability.

Across the last year we’ve had a steady increase in new gardeners attending, prompting us to prepare to start a fifth session. Sadly a couple of gardeners left us recently due to reasons beyond our control, and another longstanding gardener has moved out of the area. So we are back to 17 gardeners this September (the same number as last year).

However, there is a steady local demand for Growing Ability, which continues to be recognised as a welcoming, transformative space - particularly for young adults who are moving from education into the wider world. We are pleased to see this need increasingly met through our outreach and partnerships.

Ongoing monthly stalls, visits, talks & trips are some of our regular activities and I am fully focused on what we can build on and enhance in the next 12 months, over what we are already doing at Growing Ability.

I would like to thank and congratulate our staff team and volunteers for their constant professionalism, care, enthusiasm and dedication, and extend appreciation to our gardeners and their families for their continued feedback and engagement.

We are currently working closely with Greenside school to help offer a place for a student they are reengaging with, and we hope this leads to longer term provision for this young person and many others transitioning from school or college.

Hayley Lanfear, Project Manager

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Our Hanging Baskets
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Town centre planters in progress

Growing Ability monthly stall

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

Decorating pots at Branching Out

Thanks to part-funding from the Neighbourly Trust, we were able to run a successful and fully subscribed Easter holiday scheme for young people with additional support needs. Branching Out took place across three days in April and had 9 attendees in total (6-8 per day).

This testimonial from a parent says it all: “After just three days at the gardening project, I've seen a remarkable change in my son. His confidence has visibly grown as he masters new skills in a supportive environment designed for adults with learning disabilities. The programme provides structure and purpose whilst nurturing his independence in ways I hadn't thought possible. The sense of accomplishment he feels when showing me what he's planted and learnt is invaluable. This programme isn't just about gardening—it's developing life skills, social connections, and genuine joy. Regular attendance would provide consistent growth opportunities that would benefit him tremendously in all aspects of his life. The community you've created gives both him and our family hope for a more independent future.”

The young people who attended took part in a variety of nature-based social therapeutic horticulture activities at our allotments and in the park including litter picking, nature observation, planting, building raised beds and arts and crafts Each session was run by two members of TCG staff plus volunteers.

The benefits were multiple – stimulation and meaningful activity, nature connection and the proven positive effects on mind and body, social interaction with established friends and new ones, and an insight into what Growing Ability has to offer for those on the cusp of leaving education. Feedback

was so good we were asked to run sessions across the summer, which we did,

from reserves, two half days per week for six weeks in July and August this year.

Hayley Lanfear, Project Manager

Our new raised manger beds

Planting up the herb manger bed

A lot of investment has gone into improving our spaces over the last year thanks to £20K of NHDC’s Prosperity Fund.

The communal surfacing of our allotments was upgraded this spring to a stable, even surface of compacted granite fines, providing reassurance for our gardeners, many of whom have mobility issues, visual impairments or both. Thanks also to Maydencroft for the excellent installation of that and of our new summer house at the end of allotment 2b, which is perfect for small group work. Two large rainwater catchment tanks funded by Herts Community Foundation’s Green Grant will help our growing spaces be more drought resilient.

We were able to install five raised manger beds thanks to a generous discount from Harrod Horticulture which now provide wheelchair-friendly growing spaces.

Tree management at our community garden sites has made a significant difference to the light levels there, improving perceived safety and benefiting nature. The reinstatement of our pond, thanks to NHDC, has been very welcome. Ponds are biodiversity hotspots – despite their small size they support a vast array of life. And we’re delighted with our new mosaic by Montet Designs depicting nature through the seasons.

Vicky Wyer, Volunteer Fundraiser

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

This is our third 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 almost all sessions have been fully booked across the year. Feedback has been excellent.

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:

“Being outdoors and doing something practical has helped my daughter with her anxiety and without it [she] would be quite socially isolated from real human interactions. She’s happier after the sessions and spends time with me which is getting harder as she hits her teens.”

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.

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

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 themes include:

Triangle Tribe:

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

This approach allows children to revisit and repeat favourite activities, fostering a sense of familiarity and mastery while encouraging creativity and play.

Learning fire skills at Triangle Tribe

Intended outcomes are to build individual and community resilience, strengthen family bonds, tackle isolation, create new networks, nurture interests outside the

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. We’ve also started providing weekly Forest School sessions for groups from Toad Hall Nursery as of May 2025.

Tanya Dickson, Culturewood CiC

Forest School toast marshmallows

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

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. Sunday Garden Club meets once a month on the second Sunday of the month 10am-12, and is open to those who can’t attend on a Friday, including families with children.

Friday Garden Club numbers attending this year were in double figures for most sessions. The highest attendance was in April with 14 people attending one Friday. The total volunteer hours for Garden Club sessions this year have been 822, up 34 from last year.

Fruit picking at the Forest Garden

With the help of North Herts Council (NHC) the pond has been relined and enlarged. Friday Garden Club and volunteers from Crane have been working to make the area around it a usable, inviting space for groups to take part in activities such as pond dipping next year, when hopefully there are more inhabitants in the pond. Garden Club planted native marginals, most of which seem to be thriving.

Garden Club continues to work in the Community Nature Garden, where a lot of new planting has taken place, with plants donated by volunteers. New areas have been developed around the Christmas tree, just outside the entrance, and in the Forest Garden. Here, an area of natural dye plants has been added, again with a lot of donated plants. Last autumn’s bulb planting gave a good display in the Spring, and more bulbs are being planted this autumn.

Planting up the pond

Friday Garden Club members had an interesting trip to the British Library this summer to see the Unearthed exhibition, about the history of gardens, community gardening and plants. Lots of ideas came out of that visit!

Due to holidays and time constraints, Garden Club didn’t grow plants for a May farmers market stall but did produce another bumper crop of jams and chutneys to raise funds for the garden for which we’re very grateful.

Sunday Garden Club has become established with a core group of volunteers and families attending each month, spending time maintaining the community nature garden. Last Autumn they planted bulbs, over the winter native bare root hedging and in the spring a donation of plants from a fire resistance rooftop test project in London.

In January they took part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch and families had chance to make willow bird feeders.

Crane continues to volunteer with us every month. This year we have had over 50 members of staff join us. They have carried out a range of activities, such as installing more rainwater storage tanks on the allotment so we can harvest rainwater from the new summerhouse. A group cleared the old fencing around the pond and installed new fencing and mulching over a larger area, so more people can fit in around it for pond dipping. After the allotments were resurfaced we had a soil ‘mountain’ on allotment 2B, and another hard-working group from Crane spent a morning filling a raised bed and levelling the rest so it was ready for our groups to use. We have some regular volunteers now from Crane that often come, and new people join each session. As always we’re very grateful for their support.

Steve Granger, Site & Horticulture Manager

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

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.

As this review runs from 1[st] September 2024 to 31[st] August 2025 let’s start with 2024’s September Summer Fete . Once again we expanded the event to include more stalls, activities and entertainments, this year joined by some new artists and dance groups including Neon Skies and Wild Soul Sisterhood. Our aim as always is to raise awareness of the community garden and our work, and showcase our local collaborators, like jewellery tutor Tuuli Parker, The Yoga Shed and Tai Chi practitioner Three Treasures Chris. The event was really well-attended and raised over £1000! Almost double last year’s profits.

Hot on the heels of the fete came our October Apple Day in Hitchin town centre. A celebration of English apples, local food in season and environmental sustainability, the event was a great success despite a very wet morning. Once the sun came out things picked up and even after the cost of hiring the square we made a respectable £640.

Our March Quiz Night raised over £350 and provided a lovely fun evening for us all. We‘re very grateful to The Millstream for their support in hosting this event.

In May 2025 we celebrated 25 years of the Triangle Garden with a ‘blossom day’ gathering for all our staff, volunteers, gardeners and their families at the community nature garden. Although it was cold, the weather stayed dry for us and the garden looked beautiful, decked out with naturally-dyed bunting. This was made last year specially for our anniversary with the help of Nature’s Rainbow, a fitting tribute to the much missed Susan Dye. Speeches and toasts were followed by a rousing performance

by the Hicca Hoodlums and a special fire ceremony to herald the spring, based on the traditions of Beltane. Everyone wrote their favourite memory of the garden on a ‘blossom tag’ and hung it on the apple trees. A sight to behold!

In 2025 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 new external tutors and volunteers.

The Savvy Herbalist Tracy Rothery held four Herbalism Workshops at the Pavilion which were a lovely addition to our events calendar. And with help from Hitchin Nature Network, we hosted a talk on the Wildlife of Hitchin by Phil Barron , an autumn Bat Walk and two summer Bug Hunts . All were well-attended.

Garden Club volunteers Gill and Lesley ran two successful Festive Wreath Workshops, and Steve Granger used his extensive expertise to run a very wellreceived full day Forest Garden workshop for us, as well as workshops on Fruit Pruning, Veg Growing, Food Photography and Botanical Cyanotype . Is there no end to this man’s talents? Here’s some feedback from participants:

‘Fantastic informative workshop, really enjoyed it’ ‘Great course/tutor, patient and knowledgeable – inspiring’ ‘Really interesting’ ‘Great ideas’

As always our five Seasonal Foraging Walks led by The Hitchin Forager did very well, and raised valuable funds for our work.

Feedback on workshops and events has been consistently good. Thanks to all who helped at our events and of course to our hardworking band of events organisers:

Gemma, Mel, Vicky, Isabelle and Steph

To check out our events programme or book onto a workshop please visit www.trianglegarden.org/events

Kids’ activities at our Summer Fete

Bug Hunting on the Rec

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

Man Made Meals class of ‘25

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Sharing what we’ve cooked
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Kendall demonstrating
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Man Made Meals does Baking

This year saw the launch of our Man Made Meals cookery project – aiming for ’confidence in the kitchen for men’, particularly men living alone, recently bereaved, or caring for a loved one, who have never had to fend for themselves before, let alone cook for others.

Inspired by the Lewes-based ‘Man with a Pan’ project, an initiative that struck a chord with founding trustee John, this was a project waiting to happen. And the idea happened to coincide with him stepping back to a 4-day working week.

Gathering fellow enthusiastic home cooks Mike and Elaine, John and Vicky made a project plan and started seeking outreach collaborators and applying for funding. Launched at Apple Day 2024, our Man Made Meals Crowdfunder was a huge success raising over £5000 including match funding we secured from the Aviva Community Fund. A Council grant to upgrade and equip the pavilion for cookery classes also helped and soon we were ready to start our first block of six classes.

After a dry run at the Pavilion inflicted on friends, a lot of frantic recipe writing, and very welcome offer of help from volunteer Julie, we welcomed our first six men in February and our next six in June, aiming to run three blocks of six weeks per year, engaging 6 new men each time.

The idea is to teach transferable skills, the ‘why’s and ‘how’s of food prep, cooking, nutrition, budgeting and food hygiene, in a simple and accessible way. We deliberately chose recipes that could be jumping off points for different variations, encouraging experimentation and the use of taste and eye over a reliance on weighing and measuring.

Key skills taught include safe chopping, how long to ‘sweat’ an onion and why, how to develop flavour through caramelisation, and how to transform

everyday vegetables like cabbage into mouthwatering dishes. Participants cook in pairs, and each session is a combination of demonstration by the tutors and food prep and cooking by the men, followed by a shared meal, and a portion of food to take home.

After the course all the men reported a significant rise in their confidence level in cooking, mostly from 2/6 at the start to 5/6 at the end (on a scale of 1-6 where 6 is very confident). All said they would cook at least one more meal each week from scratch, with several keen to cook 2-3 more. When asked what the course meant to them participants said:

“Given the confidence to attempt dishes and now happy to prepare food for myself and others”

“Found the course perfect for what I needed. I will expand my cooking at home with a well-rounded repertoire”

“It has given me an incentive to rely less on my daughter who provides me with 5-6 meals a week”

“Given me the confidence to try my hand after a lifetime of not cooking”

One participant was particularly keen that we should offer classes in baking in addition to the standard MMM course.

Always up for a challenge we tried to work out how we could do this without overloading our volunteers. Enter Kendall Hurley of Fife Bakery who we met through Webbs the Greengrocers (great supporters of MMM). Kendall, a professional pastry chef and experienced tutor, offered to run a couple of baking sessions which if successful could become a regular thing. Needless to say the participants loved it and we will do more Man Made Meals Does Baking.

Vicky Wyer Triangle Garden

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

This year we’ve welcomed a number of new people to the Triangle Garden team and said farewell to some staff members trustees, and volunteers. Project Manager Julie Zirngast left in January to move closer to family, and Support Worker Helen Fitch Hunter moved on in the spring as her own circumstances changed. New joiner Pippa Luck , who replaced Helen, has also now moved on – to a new life in Australia! And it’s farewell to trustees Andrew Green, Adrian Stones and Gareth Hills who resigned last year after long and dedicated service, for which we thank them. We wish them all the very best.

Growing Ability volunteers Sue Malcolm and Kevin Banks stepped back from supporting our sessions this year. We owe huge thanks to them and to current volunteers Yolanda, Sarah and Carole for

their hard work and dedication to Growing Ability.

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

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 we thank Steve Granger for his ongoing Caretaker role.

External hires provide welcome income for our Garden Clubs which have no formal funding stream. At the equivalent of £8-12/hour for community or private hire, the pavilion is very good value.

We’d also like to thank our amazing staff team of Steve Granger, Liz Millbank and

Dulcie Buckenham for their fantastic work at our GA Branching Out and Space to Grow sessions this year.

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 Funmi, and all our collaborators, supporters and funders.

This autumn it will be host to evening cookery classes for young people from One YMCA’s Anderson House.

And in the park Chris Nutley of Three Treasures Tai Chi continues to run weekly outdoor Tai Chi classes every Friday morning, bringing grace and positivity to the park. Beginners always welcome!

Vicky Wyer, Chair of Trustees

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Hayley (left) and Steve (right)
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GA volunteer Sarah (left) and Pippa (right)
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Dulcie (right) at Wimpole Hall
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Tai chi with the Pavilion behind
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Triangle Community Garden: Registered charity No 1145243, Company Limited by Guarantee No 07676360 For more information please email info@trianglegarden.org

The financial year to 31 August 2025 ended with a surplus of £9,880, after the small deficit of £6,540 in 2023-24. The main reason for this surplus was a £10K grant received at the end of this year, to be spent predominantly over the following financial year.

This takes our reserves to £55,760, which is 52% of annual turnover, and within our reserves policy parameters of 1858%. These reserves are important to ensure the charity can withstand financial risks such as loss of clients, longterm staff sickness or (and we hope this is never needed) the winding up of the charity if circumstances required it.

This year our income from donations and fundraising was similar to last year. The main fundraising income being £5,363 raised for the ‘Man Made Meals’ initiative, which included match-funding from Aviva. Regular events like the Summer Fete, Apple Day and Quiz nights at the Millstream also generated funds and fulfilled their role of community engagement for the organisation.

Our programme of talks and workshops contributed too, and we thank our tutors for their collaboration. Thanks also go to Hitchin Nature Network and The Yoga Shed who raised funds on our behalf. Donations from Crane and Sponsorship from The Letting Quarter were also very gratefully received.

We remain very aware of the hard truth that the charity would certainly have made a substantial deficit if it had to rely solely on fees from clients; so fundraising, donations and company sponsorship make a huge difference.

This year grant income increased substantially to £34,457, up from £4,152 last year. We are grateful for the support received from ASDA (£1,000), Herts Community Foundation (£11,573), Herts County Council (£384), Neighbourly Community Trust (£1,500) and North Herts Council (£20,000) which funded the improvements set out on page 4.

Our main expenditure is on salaries for the five part-time members of staff, with wages totalling £48,426. Our dedicated staff and volunteer team continue to be the vital backbone of all the charity’s achievements.

Our thanks and appreciation also go to those who continue to support our work by volunteering, and attending events and workshops. Special thanks go to Vicky, our Chair, for her continued dedication to fundraising and to Funmi, our volunteer Accounts Assistant.

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

Isabelle Robinson, Treasurer

Triangle Community Garden (AKA Hitchin Community Gardens) Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31[st] August 2025

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

Last year we set ourselves some quite challenging goals to mark our 25[th] year, partly prompted by internal strategy sessions and partly as a result of the outcomes of community surveys.

New Mosaic at the Garden: this was a wonderful project to be able to complete for our 25[th] anniversary. It involved all our groups contributing to the design and creation of a new circular mosaic under the guidance of community mosaic artist Audrey Montet. Celebrating biodiversity through the seasons, we hope you agree it’s a stunning addition to our central meeting space. We’re delighted that the old mosaic was able to be partially saved and several panels will be installed up at our growing spaces on the allotments.

Having bolstered our financial stability and raised our profile locally, thanks to sterling work by our Project Managers, we looked at how we could increase the benefits that we could provide to people and nature in the wider Rec, creating some lasting improvements on the ground. In our last Annual Report we set out several planned initiatives and we can now report on their ongoing progress:

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Priory School students planting
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Our feasibility study into the business case for a Community Café/Coffee Hatch at the Pavilion, funded by Herts County Council Locality funding, showed that the rise in wages, cost of coffee, and cost of living generally made this prospect much less promising than originally thought, especially given our reliance on outdoor seating and the British weather. So we’ve parked it temporarily while we focus on other things. Notably Ransoms Meadows!

New Garden Clubs: In 2025 we started a fortnightly Garden Club for students aged 12-16 from The Priory School . Unfortunately for various reasons, this did not materialise in the way we had hoped, but it did prompt us to make contact with

other local secondary schools and we have had the first of several visits by students from Hitchin Boys School .

Ransoms Meadows is a project to improve the Rec for people and nature. Having drafted proposals for new woodland edge and meadow planting at the Rec., we consulted with NHDC and the Countryside Management Service, and held a public consultation at the Pavilion in July. Thanks to favourable feedback all round we were able to secure £20K of funding from the National Lottery Community Fund which will be used to install large swathes of wetland wildflower meadow, carry out tree and shrub planting, and build benches and habitat towers. The meadow planting will be carried out by contractors in September 2026 and this spring we will be holding hard and soft landscaping work experience sessions for young people in temporary accommodation and volunteers from local businesses to complete the rest of the project.

Space to Grow Support Group: in collaboration with local autism charities, we devised a programme of regular nature connection / social therapeutic horticulture (STH) sessions for parents/ carers of young people with autism, coupled with half-term and holiday family sessions - Space to Grow Families - which started this summer. Both these projects are funded by Herts Community Foundation (HCF).

Mosaic in progress, and installed

New Shoots for Carers: also funded by HCF, this project provides a six-week block of half-day sessions of natureconnection / STH for mental health, framed around the five ways to wellbeing in a nature-based setting.

Although the first block started outside the reporting period of this Annual Review, I’m pleased to say that feedback was excellent with several members signing up to our Friday Garden Club as a result.

Vicky Wyer, Chair of Trustees

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 2025

CONTENTS

Page

2 Legal and Administrative Details 3 Balance Sheet

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.pdf

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

ORGANISATIONAL PROFILE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

TRUSTEES

Chair Victoria Mary Wyer Vice Chair Katherine Maria Hughes Treasurer Isabelle Robinson Hilary Jean Oughton John Anthony Wyer Adrian Stones (until 27 November 2024) Andrew Green (until 27 November 2024) Gareth Hills (until 27 November 2024) Caroline Borenzstajn (from 17 June 2025) Stephanie White (from 19 August 2025) Holly Butcher (from 19 August 2025) 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, FCIE, AFA, ATA, MCIPP Flat 3, 11 Rochdale Way, Deptford London SE8 4LY

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.pdf

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Hitchin Community Gardens aka Triangle Community Garden

Registered Charity No. 1145243 Company Registration: 7676360

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Hitchin Community Gardens
Balance Sheet as at 31st August 2025
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total Total
Funds Income Funds Funds This Year Last Year
Fixed Assets
Tangible Fixed Assets - Equipment £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Total Fixed Assets £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Current Assets
Stock £410.00 £0.00 £0.00 £410.00 £20.00
Debtors and Prepayments £409.55 £2,196.00 £0.00 £2,605.55 £2,838.20
Cash at Bank and in Hand £36,845.53 £20,313.12 £0.00 £57,158.65 £44,246.81
Total Current Assets £37,665.08 £22,509.12 £0.00 £60,174.20 £47,105.01
Current Liabilities
Creditors and Accruals £3,962.52 £451.61 £0.00 £4,414.13 £1,225.06
Deferred Income £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Total Current Liabilities £3,962.52 £451.61 £0.00 £4,414.13 £1,225.06
Net Current Assets £33,702.56 £22,057.51 £0.00 £55,760.07 £45,879.95
Total Assets less Current Liabilities £33,702.56 £22,057.51 £0.00 £55,760.07 £45,879.95
Amounts falling due after more than 1 Year
Deferred Income £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Net Assets £33,702.56 £22,057.51 £0.00 £55,760.07 £45,879.95
Funds of the Charity
Triangle Community Garden Fund £33,702.56 £0.00 £33,702.56 £37,115.38
Specified General Funds £0.00 £0.00 -£102.10
Restricted Funds £22,057.51 £0.00 £22,057.51 £8,866.67
Total Funds £33,702.56 £22,057.51 £0.00 £55,760.07 £45,879.95
----- End of picture text -----

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31st August 2025.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31st August 2025 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 21.04.2026 Isabelle Robinson 21.04.2026

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.pdf

3

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

----- Start of picture text -----
Hitchin Community Gardens
Income and Expenditure for the year ended 31st August 2025
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total Total
Funds Income Funds Funds This Year Last Year
Income from:
Charitable Activities 5,984.10 49,011.85 0 54995.95 42406.40
Donations and Legacies 6,511.10 36,991.40 0 43502.50 12231.04
Other Trading Activities 9,024.40 187.11 0 9211.51 9618.76
Investments 0 0 0 0.00 0.00
Total Income 21520 86190 0 107710 64256
Expenditure on:
Charitable Expenditure 12,731.62 54,965.15 0 67696.77 67494.21
Raising Funds 11,272.60 18,860.47 0 30133.07 3301.70
Total Expenditure 24004 73826 0 97830 70796
Net Income before Other
-2484.62 12,365 0 9,880 -6,540
Recognised Gains and Losses
Other Recognised Gains and Losses 0 0 0 0 0
Transfer between Funds -826.10 826.10 0 0
Net Movement in Funds -3311 13191 0 9,880 -6539.71
Total funds Brought Forward 37,013.28 8,866.67 0 45880 52419.77
Total Funds Carried Forward 33702.56 22057.51 0 55760 45880
----- End of picture text -----

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.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 2025

1. Basis of Accounting

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the FRSSE and the 2015 SORP

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 commissioning and payment of fees for six of the gardeners attending the Growing Ability project. Fees of £18,347.23 were received from HCC in the year ended 31st August 2025.

(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.

(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

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.pdf

5

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

(a) Donations

Crane Charitable Funds - £2,534.90 Crowdfunding (Man Made Meals) - £5,363.25 (Including match-funding from Aviva) Other donations - £751.60

(b) Grants

ASDA grant - £1,000 Herts Community Foundation - £11,572.50 (three grants in total) Herts County Council – £384 (Councillors’ Locality Funds) North Herts District Council (Prosperity Grant) - £20,000 Neighbourly Community Trust - £1,500

(c) Gift Aid Claim

HMRC – 396.25

4. Expenditure

For analysis see attached appendix

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 2025, 5 part time staff were employed.

Total wages including pension contributions paid in the year to 31[st] August 2025 were £48,425.76.

9. Tangible Fixed Assets

Net Value of Assets as of 31[st] August 25 is £0

11. Debtors

Prepaid expenses £ 881.29 Debtors £1724.26 Reclaimable Gift Aid Tax £ 0.00 £2605.55

12. Creditors and Accruals

Income received in advance £1755.31 Creditors £3078.00 Payroll & pension liabilities* £(419.18) Total £4414.13

*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 12 months)

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.pdf

6

13. Analysis of Net Assets Between Funds

Triangle Community Garden and Ransom’s Pavilion £33,702.56 Growing Ability Group and other Restricted Runds £22,057.51

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.

See page 8 for Appendix A (Note 4) and page 9 for Reserves Statement

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.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 2025
Unrestricted
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Total
Charity Management and Adminstration, and running costs
Advertisement,Recruitmentand General Publicity £162.00 £162.00 £324.00
Office Costs £313.46 £688.76 £1,002.22
Staff training £94.80 £1,341.42 £1,436.22
Subscriptions £91.02 £209.06 £300.08
AllotmentandPavilion Rent £3,960.00 £3,960.00
Insurance £418.74 £418.72 £837.46
Materialcosts,PPE,Tools and equipment £560.30 £1,345.83 £1,906.13
Refreshments £169.64 £272.87 £442.51
TravelandVisits £228.00 £373.95 £601.95
WorkshopNominalCosts £2,396.88 £5,210.19 £7,607.07
AdHoc Contractor/temporary Staff £324.97 £324.97
£4,434.84 £14,307.77 £18,742.61
Payroll Expenses
Salary andwages costs (Including payrollcosts) £2,527.41 £24,058.00 £26,585.41
Project manager wages (Including payrollcosts) £5,265.71 £13,949.15 £19,214.86
StaffCover wages £131.16 £909.28 £1,040.44
Support 1:1 wages £0.00 £1,585.05 £1,585.05
£7,924.28 £40,501.48 £48,425.76
Governances Costs
Accountant/Examinercharges £350.00 £0.00 £350.00
DBS Check £15.70 £143.70 £159.40
Legal costs £6.80 £27.20 £34.00
TrusteeTraining -£15.00 -£15.00
£372.50 £155.90 £528.40
Expenditure on Raising Funds
Eventcosts £919.15 £0.00 £919.15
Produce cost £1,484.78 £3.50 £1,488.28
Pavilioncost £1,449.60 £51.93 £1,501.53
Gazebo cost £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Premisesrefurb: Community Garden,Pavilion&Allotments £7,419.07 £18,805.04 £26,224.11
£11,272.60 £18,860.47 £30,133.07
Total Expenditure £24,004.22 £73,825.62 £97,829.84

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.pdf

8

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

Hitchin Community Gardens Reserves Statement 2025

Hitchin Community Gardens needs reserves to:

Hitchin Community Garden Reserves at 31[st] August 2025:

Hitchin Community Garden’s reserves policy states that reserves should be between 18% and 58% of turnover.

Reserves at 31[st] August 2025 are £55,760 of which £22,425 are restricted. £55,760 represents 52% of turnover.

A large proportion of our unrestricted reserves is 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 and unknown 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 and unknown challenges and provide a safety net to offset reduced income.

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.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 2025

CONTENTS

Page

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.pdf

1

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

ORGANISATIONAL PROFILE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2025

TRUSTEES

Chair Victoria Mary Wyer Vice Chair Katherine Maria Hughes Treasurer Isabelle Robinson Hilary Jean Oughton John Anthony Wyer Adrian Stones (until 27 November 2024) Andrew Green (until 27 November 2024) Gareth Hills (until 27 November 2024) Caroline Borenzstajn (from 17 June 2025) Stephanie White (from 19 August 2025) Holly Butcher (from 19 August 2025) 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, FCIE, AFA, ATA, MCIPP Flat 3, 11 Rochdale Way, Deptford London SE8 4LY

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.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 2025 set out on pages 4 - 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: 23/04/2026

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.pdf

3

Hitchin Community Gardens aka Triangle Community Garden

Registered Charity No. 1145243 Company Registration: 7676360

----- Start of picture text -----
Hitchin Community Gardens
Balance Sheet as at 31st August 2025
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total Total
Funds Income Funds Funds This Year Last Year
Fixed Assets
Tangible Fixed Assets - Equipment £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Total Fixed Assets £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Current Assets
Stock £410.00 £0.00 £0.00 £410.00 £20.00
Debtors and Prepayments £409.55 £2,196.00 £0.00 £2,605.55 £2,838.20
Cash at Bank and in Hand £36,845.53 £20,313.12 £0.00 £57,158.65 £44,246.81
Total Current Assets £37,665.08 £22,509.12 £0.00 £60,174.20 £47,105.01
Current Liabilities
Creditors and Accruals £3,962.52 £451.61 £0.00 £4,414.13 £1,225.06
Deferred Income £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Total Current Liabilities £3,962.52 £451.61 £0.00 £4,414.13 £1,225.06
Net Current Assets £33,702.56 £22,057.51 £0.00 £55,760.07 £45,879.95
Total Assets less Current Liabilities £33,702.56 £22,057.51 £0.00 £55,760.07 £45,879.95
Amounts falling due after more than 1 Year
Deferred Income £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Net Assets £33,702.56 £22,057.51 £0.00 £55,760.07 £45,879.95
Funds of the Charity
Triangle Community Garden Fund £33,702.56 £0.00 £33,702.56 £37,115.38
Specified General Funds £0.00 £0.00 -£102.10
Restricted Funds £22,057.51 £0.00 £22,057.51 £8,866.67
Total Funds £33,702.56 £22,057.51 £0.00 £55,760.07 £45,879.95
----- End of picture text -----

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31st August 2025.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31st August 2025 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 21.04.2026 Isabelle Robinson 21.04.2026

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.pdf

4

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

----- Start of picture text -----
Hitchin Community Gardens
Income and Expenditure for the year ended 31st August 2025
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment Total Total
Funds Income Funds Funds This Year Last Year
Income from:
Charitable Activities 5,984.10 49,011.85 0 54995.95 42406.40
Donations and Legacies 6,511.10 36,991.40 0 43502.50 12231.04
Other Trading Activities 9,024.40 187.11 0 9211.51 9618.76
Investments 0 0 0 0.00 0.00
Total Income 21520 86190 0 107710 64256
Expenditure on:
Charitable Expenditure 12,731.62 54,965.15 0 67696.77 67494.21
Raising Funds 11,272.60 18,860.47 0 30133.07 3301.70
Total Expenditure 24004 73826 0 97830 70796
Net Income before Other
-2484.62 12,365 0 9,880 -6,540
Recognised Gains and Losses
Other Recognised Gains and Losses 0 0 0 0 0
Transfer between Funds -826.10 826.10 0 0
Net Movement in Funds -3311 13191 0 9,880 -6539.71
Total funds Brought Forward 37,013.28 8,866.67 0 45880 52419.77
Total Funds Carried Forward 33702.56 22057.51 0 55760 45880
----- End of picture text -----

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.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 2025

1. Basis of Accounting

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the FRSSE and the 2015 SORP

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 commissioning and payment of fees for six of the gardeners attending the Growing Ability project. Fees of £18,347.23 were received from HCC in the year ended 31st August 2025.

(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.

(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

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.pdf

6

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

(a) Donations

Crane Charitable Funds - £2,534.90 Crowdfunding (Man Made Meals) - £5,363.25 (Including match-funding from Aviva) Other donations - £751.60

(b) Grants

ASDA grant - £1,000 Herts Community Foundation - £11,572.50 (three grants in total) Herts County Council – £384 (Councillors’ Locality Funds) North Herts District Council (Prosperity Grant) - £20,000 Neighbourly Community Trust - £1,500

(c) Gift Aid Claim

HMRC – 396.25

4. Expenditure

For analysis see attached appendix

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 2025, 5 part time staff were employed.

Total wages including pension contributions paid in the year to 31[st] August 2025 were £48,425.76.

9. Tangible Fixed Assets

Net Value of Assets as of 31[st] August 25 is £0

11. Debtors

Prepaid expenses £ 881.29 Debtors £1724.26 Reclaimable Gift Aid Tax £ 0.00 £2605.55

12. Creditors and Accruals

Income received in advance £1755.31 Creditors £3078.00 Payroll & pension liabilities* £(419.18) Total £4414.13

*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 12 months)

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.pdf

7

13. Analysis of Net Assets Between Funds

Triangle Community Garden and Ransom’s Pavilion £33,702.56 Growing Ability Group and other Restricted Runds £22,057.51

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.

See page 8 for Appendix A (Note 4) and page 9 for Reserves Statement

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.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 2025
Unrestricted
Funds		 Restricted
Funds		 Total
Charity Management and Adminstration, and running costs
Advertisement,Recruitmentand General Publicity £162.00 £162.00 £324.00
Office Costs £313.46 £688.76 £1,002.22
Staff training £94.80 £1,341.42 £1,436.22
Subscriptions £91.02 £209.06 £300.08
AllotmentandPavilion Rent £3,960.00 £3,960.00
Insurance £418.74 £418.72 £837.46
Materialcosts,PPE,Tools and equipment £560.30 £1,345.83 £1,906.13
Refreshments £169.64 £272.87 £442.51
TravelandVisits £228.00 £373.95 £601.95
WorkshopNominalCosts £2,396.88 £5,210.19 £7,607.07
AdHoc Contractor/temporary Staff £324.97 £324.97
£4,434.84 £14,307.77 £18,742.61
Payroll Expenses
Salary andwages costs (Including payrollcosts) £2,527.41 £24,058.00 £26,585.41
Project manager wages (Including payrollcosts) £5,265.71 £13,949.15 £19,214.86
StaffCover wages £131.16 £909.28 £1,040.44
Support 1:1 wages £0.00 £1,585.05 £1,585.05
£7,924.28 £40,501.48 £48,425.76
Governances Costs
Accountant/Examinercharges £350.00 £0.00 £350.00
DBS Check £15.70 £143.70 £159.40
Legal costs £6.80 £27.20 £34.00
TrusteeTraining -£15.00 -£15.00
£372.50 £155.90 £528.40
Expenditure on Raising Funds
Eventcosts £919.15 £0.00 £919.15
Produce cost £1,484.78 £3.50 £1,488.28
Pavilioncost £1,449.60 £51.93 £1,501.53
Gazebo cost £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Premisesrefurb: Community Garden,Pavilion&Allotments £7,419.07 £18,805.04 £26,224.11
£11,272.60 £18,860.47 £30,133.07
Total Expenditure £24,004.22 £73,825.62 £97,829.84

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.pdf

9

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

Hitchin Community Gardens Reserves Statement 2025

Hitchin Community Gardens needs reserves to:

Hitchin Community Garden Reserves at 31[st] August 2025:

Hitchin Community Garden’s reserves policy states that reserves should be between 18% and 58% of turnover.

Reserves at 31[st] August 2025 are £55,760 of which £22,057 are restricted. £55,760 represents 52% of turnover.

A large proportion of our unrestricted reserves is 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 and unknown 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 and unknown challenges and provide a safety net to offset reduced income.

Triangle_Garden_Accounts_2024-25.pdf

10