2021-12-31-accounts - Friends Of Jerusalem Botanical Gardens

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FRIENDS OF JERUSALEM BOTANICAL GARDENS

TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND ACCOUNTS YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2021

Charity Reg. No. 1151347

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Trustees' Annual Report for the period

	Period start date	Period start date			Period end date	Period end date
	Day	Month	Year		Day	Month	Year
From	01	January	2021	To	31	December	2021

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Friends of Jerusalem Botanical Gardens

Other names charity is known by Friends of JBG Registered charity number (if any) 1151347 Charity's principal address 100 Green Lane Edgware Middx Postcode HA8 8EJ

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year
Aaron Bertelsen	Co-Chair
Jill Kowal	Co-Chair
Malcolm Goldstein
Zelman Lederman		Until 31.07.2021
Mima Taylor		Until 31.07.2021
Brandon George		From 01.08.2021

Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)	Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
Name	Dates acted if not for whole year

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Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser Name Address

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Barbara Sherling – Operations Manager

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Constitution

Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) Charitable Incorporated Organisation How the charity is constituted

(eg. trust, association, company)

Trustee selection methods

Election by the Board of Trustees

(eg. appointed by, elected by)

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
relationship with any related parties;
trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.

Reviewing the structure of the Board with the aim of creating opportunities to appoint new Trustees with particular skills to advance the charity’s activities.

The Friends of Jerusalem Botanical Gardens (JBG) continued its membership of the NCVO in order to be kept aware of current governance, organisational and charity best practice and to access training.

Work alongside the CEO and senior staff members of the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens; the Israel-based Friends of Jerusalem Botanical Gardens and two of the Trustees of the UK Friends represent the UK Friends on the international advisory panel of the Board of the JBG.

The Trustees have adopted the following policies and procedures: Conflict of Interests; Data Protection, Equality and Diversity; Grievance; Privacy, Register of Interests, and a Reserves Policy. The Trustees continue to review the financial position of the charity regularly.

Section C Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

To advance the education of the public on Israel's biodiversity, plant conservation and cultural uses of plants, in particular but not exclusively by supporting the work of the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens.

This is achieved by supporting the Gardens in:

• its cross-cultural education of school-age children in Jerusalem;

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its social action and environmental outreach programme which aims to engage disaffected and disadvantaged members of the community through working with plants; and
by offering UK-based qualified gardeners the opportunity to extend their education through learning about Israel’s biodiversity etc.
Online talks given via Zoom on botanical aspects and, in the UK, talks by the Operations Manager to various communal organisations.

The Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit in the undertaking of all their activities. In 2021, the work of the charity continued to be affected by COVID-19 and its implications on face-to-face meetings, travel and health.

Israel’s ongoing response to the pandemic was to refuse entry to nonIsrael passport holders and this meant the interns to whom offers were made in 2019 were still unable to take up their places. It has been agreed to hold these offers open until such time as the interns can safely travel to Israel.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)

In their absence, the Friends continued to sponsor Israeli student Omri B whose work in the nursery with rare and endangered plants was a valuable asset to the JBG. His enthusiasm for the conservation work he undertook was shared through Instagram feeds, guided tours in the Gardens and through a ticketed zoom talk to the Friends. His internship came to an end on 31 December 2021 after he successfully applied for a full-time post at the JBG. The other intern, Isaac O whose internship began in December 2020, was part of the team in the Tropical Conservatory where his dedicated work ethic was much appreciated. In September he moved on to another internship at the Hebrew University. The Friends continued to seek opportunities to continue their aims of informing about plants and the environment and to strengthen the connection between event guests and scholarship programme alumni/former Working Holiday volunteers. In 2021 this was achieved by:

A series of ticketed zoom talks beginning in January with horticultural journalist Hannah Gardner, who spoke about some of her plant discovery trips in Europe for Gardens Illustrated magazine;
• In February, JBG Scientific Director, Dr Ori Fragman-Sapir took attendees on a virtual tour of the JBG;
In March, intern Omri B spoke about his work ‘Saving rare and endangered species’;
In April, Friends’ Trustee Dr Jill Kowal explained the role of mycorrhizal fungi in the soil;
In May, Dr Fragman-Sapir spoke about ‘From the wild to our plates’ about edible plant cultivation, the last talk before the summer break;
In October the lecture programme resumed with Dr FragmanSapir’s talk about the ‘Botanical paradise of Madagascar’.
• In November, alumnus James Miller spoke about the work of APROVACA in conserving the orchid species of Panama;
The final lecture of the year in December was Dr FragmanSapir’s talk about ‘The desert’s wonderful blooms’.

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Additional details of objectives Youmay chooseto include further statements, where relevant, about: •policy on grant-making; •policy programme related investment; •contribution made by volunteers.	These talks and those from the previous year remained accessible online and brought the Friends to a new audience as well as making a welcome addition to funds. Positive feedback was received from attendees but by the end of 2021, zoom talks had lost their attraction for many people and it was decided not to continue them in 2022. The Friends thank supporters and acknowledge the donations from individuals which have supported our projects in 2021.
	and activities (Optional information)
	Grant-making The policy in awarding internships as part of our International Horticultural Internship Programme is to select students who are most likely to benefit from the education and experience provided at the Gardens. Candidates apply using a standardised form and their experience and qualifications are assessed. Short-listed candidates are then interviewed by a panel to assess their suitability to the conditions and lifestyle in Israel and to identify what they wish to gain from the experience and how to achieve their aims. The policy of grant-making to the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens involves identifying those areas which most effectively meet the UK Friends’ objectives. In 2021 a grant was allotted for accommodation for the interns. Volunteers Help from our members continues to be of crucial importance to the Friends. COVID restrictions affected our members’ generosity in making their homes available for events, opening their gardens and participating in Working Holidays but their offers of support, assistance and encouragement has been crucial to the charity and its staff member. The willingness of alumni to speak to an online audience has also been greatly appreciated. Involving volunteers continues to be an on-going area of development as the Trustees recognise that volunteering is a key element of the charity’s sustainability and diversity.

Section D	Achievements and performance
Wo Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year	A successful series of eight on-line lectures was held. Two interns were sponsored and offers to the remaining three were held open until COVID restrictions are raised. The charity continues to be in a stable fiscal position.
Section E	Financial review
Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves
	The Trustees take seriously their fiscal responsibility to ensure that the charity is sustainable. A reserves policy was adopted which states that funds which have not been designated for specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to six months’ expenditure. The Trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in income, they will be able to continue the charity’s current activities while consideration is given to the way in which additional funds may be raised. The Trustees recognise that many

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charities only operate on a 3-month policy. They are satisfied that the reserves more than meet the requirements to maintain the charity as an ongoing concern. The charity has no contracts which could not be met by its current reserves.

Details of any funds materially in deficit

There are no deficits.

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.

A donation from a UK-based charitable trust provides the charity with its main source of funds. Its largest expenditures are the salary of the Operations Manager and expenses associated with the International Horticultural Internship Programme. These expenditures are funded by donations and fundraising events, as highlighted in Section C above and bequests. The Trustees recognise that a generous bequest from the estate of Mrs Philippa Rakusen enables the Internship Programme to continue.

Investment

The charity is financially cautious, maintaining only a current account and an interest-paying savings account.

Section F Other optional information

The Trustees will continue to seek opportunities to strengthen the Friends of Jerusalem Botanical Gardens’ Board; develop its programmes in response to its on-going objectives and review the day-to-day activities to optimise the charity’s future.

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Aaron Kaen Bertelsen Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Co-Chair Date 2 October 2022

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FRIENDS OF JERUSALEM BOTANICAL GARDENS statement of Financial AetNitses- Year Énded 31st December 2021 YIE 31.12.20 Total Funds Fund5 Funds Notes Income and end07Aents from: Membership subscriptsons Donations and legacies Fund Raising other trading activities Interest Received 1,450 18.013 18.0131 3.330 24,119 2,460 2iJO 16 16 22.809 22,809 28.713 Expenditiire on: Raising funds Charitable actitIeS Other 168 18.265 34.%7 34.967 25,lQ2 Net incomel(expenditurel -12.158 3,611 Net movement in funds -11158 -12,158 3.611 Totsl ful$ brought forward 11.095 159.273 Total funds carried forward 136,0201 11,095 147.115 159,273

FRIENDS OF JERUSALEM BOTANICAL GARDENS Notes to the Accounts- Year Endèd 31st Decembar 2021 Restricted Fund Donations YIE 31.12.20 Total Unrestricted Craps CT General donations 18,013 18.013 24,11S Fund Raising activltles Income Profiu YIE 31.12.20 Talks 3.330 3,330 286 2,292 Charitable Activities Total y 31.12.20 Intemships Apartment 11.416 5.000 6.41 5.000 16.416 9.159 Other Exse$ 31.1121 31.12.20 ries & NIC Pension contributions Bank charges Computer expenses Subscriplions-NCVOIBGCI Insurance Web site costs Accountancy fres 'Office expenses Telephone & broadband 14.000 15 119 270 491 36 200 580 18,265 15.775 Total Funds at 31st Decemtser 2021 are represented the following:_ Bank Current account Bank Deposit account 1,072 152,374 Less.'AccTuals 147,115