2023-12-31-accounts - Friends Of Jerusalem Botanical Gardens

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FRIENDS OF JERUSALEM BOTANICAL GARDENS

TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND ACCOUNTS YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2023

Charity Reg. No. 1151347

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Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year From 01 January 2023 To 31 December 2023

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

red 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
Brandon George		Until 20/10/2023
Linda Smith		Until 26/09/2023

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

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

Constitution

Charitable Incorporated Organisation

(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 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.

	• 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 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.
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)	The Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit in the undertaking of all their activities. Our main support for the JBG comes through the horticultural internship programme. Our interns worked closely with professionals at the JBG gaining greater knowledge of Israel’s biodiversity and plant conservation. Ezile Tyutwana from South Africa began his nursery propagation internship in November 2022 and it was always his intention to stay for 12 months. He quickly became a popular member of the team, eager to share his knowledge of propagating South African species and enthusiastic about learning about the new or different methods used at the JBG. His internship finished slightly early because of the events on 7 October, about which more is written below. The Tropical Conservatory internship was awarded to Sam Slotin, an American who had emigrated to Israel. His internship began at the end of August 2022 and was planned to last for 12 months. Sam also proved himself to be a popular and reliable member of the team and contributed to our aim to advance the education of the public on Israel's biodiversity, plant conservation and cultural uses of plants by providing many of the photographs and commentaries on our Instagram feed. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Della and the late Fred Worms, a four-week travel bursary to the JBG is offered annually to a final year student at the Kew School of Horticulture. In 2023, the bursary was won by Josef Kreidt, whose visit was in May. To achieve an overlap between the new nursery intern and the outgoing one, Lucy Hoggett, a British horticulturist, arrived in Israel at the beginning of October, intending to stay for 6 months. Sadly, this was not possible because on 7 October 2023, the terrorist organisation Hamas, based in Gaza, launched a deadly attack on Israel and war was declared against them. Our interns’ safety was of paramount importance and we were able, after a few stressful days, to repatriate Ezile and Lucy. Sam decided to remain in Israel, where we ensured he was well connected with the other staff at the Gardens and we remained in frequent contact with him by phone and email. At the beginning of November, we agreed to sponsor Shai Alfi for 6 months who took the lead horticultural role in the tropical conservatory. Lucy Hoggett hoped to resume her internship, but the ongoing hostilities prevented her return in 2023. The ongoing hostilities also prevented the award of the Worms Travel Bursary to a final year Kew Diploma student. The Friends continued their aims of informing the public about plants and the environment through talks given by the Operation Manager. Fewer talks were given in 2023 as a result of a general feeling of‘zoom

•
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 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.

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)

The Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity
Commission on public benefit in the undertaking of all their activities.
Our main support for the JBG comes through the horticultural internship
programme. Our interns worked closely with professionals at the JBG
gaining greater knowledge of Israel’s biodiversity and plant conservation.
Ezile Tyutwana from South Africa began his nursery propagation
internship in November 2022 and it was always his intention to stay for
12 months. He quickly became a popular member of the team, eager to
share his knowledge of propagating South African species and
enthusiastic about learning about the new or different methods used at
the JBG. His internship finished slightly early because of the events on 7
October, about which more is written below.
The Tropical Conservatory internship was awarded to Sam Slotin, an
American who had emigrated to Israel. His internship began at the end
of August 2022 and was planned to last for 12 months. Sam also proved
himself to be a popular and reliable member of the team and contributed
to our aim to advance the education of the public on Israel's biodiversity,
plant conservation and cultural uses of plants by providing many of the
photographs and commentaries on our Instagram feed.
Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Della and the late Fred Worms, a
four-week travel bursary to the JBG is offered annually to a final year
student at the Kew School of Horticulture. In 2023, the bursary was won
by Josef Kreidt, whose visit was in May.
To achieve an overlap between the new nursery intern and the outgoing
one, Lucy Hoggett, a British horticulturist, arrived in Israel at the
beginning of October, intending to stay for 6 months. Sadly, this was not
possible because on 7 October 2023, the terrorist organisation Hamas,
based in Gaza, launched a deadly attack on Israel and war was declared
against them.
Our interns’ safety was of paramount importance and we were able, after
a few stressful days, to repatriate Ezile and Lucy. Sam decided to
remain in Israel, where we ensured he was well connected with the other
staff at the Gardens and we remained in frequent contact with him by
phone and email.
At the beginning of November, we agreed to sponsor Shai Alfi for 6
months who took the lead horticultural role in the tropical conservatory.
Lucy Hoggett hoped to resume her internship, but the ongoing hostilities
prevented her return in 2023. The ongoing hostilities also prevented the
award of the Worms Travel Bursary to a final year Kew Diploma student.
The Friends continued their aims of informing the public about plants and
the environment through talks given by the Operation Manager. Fewer
talks were given in 2023 as a result of a general feeling of‘zoom

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overload’ from the COVID years, followed by the impact of the 7 October attacks. Some planned talks were postponed until 2024.

As part of the review begun in December 2022 to improve the Friends’ social media and information goals, a new website, designed by Trustee and alumnus Brandon George went live in the Spring. To assist us in furthering our aims to inform and educate about Israel’s plant biodiversity and conservation, our interns provided a steady flow of photographs and information about plants in flower at the Gardens and in the wild.

The Trustees are aware that the war has impacted on our membership and our activities, compounding the decline we were experiencing, like many organisations, following COVID 19. We continue to try to make the charity more attractive online to a worldwide audience.

In the autumn of 2023, our two USA-based Trustees, Linda Smith and Brandon George, resigned as Trustees but remained as Special Advisors. We are grateful for their ongoing support and advice.

The Friends thank supporters and acknowledge the donations from individuals which have supported our projects in 2023.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information) Grant-making

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

policy on grant-making; • policy programme related investment;
contribution made by volunteers.

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 2023 a grant was allotted towards accommodation for the interns.

Volunteers

Help from our members continues to be of crucial importance to the Friends. 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 Five interns were sponsored of whom two continued internships started achievements of the charity in 2022. during the year

The charity continues to be in a stable fiscal position.

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Section D Achievements and performance

Section E Financial review

The Trustees take seriously their fiscal responsibility to ensure that the Brief statement of the charity is sustainable. A reserves policy was adopted which states that charity’s policy on reserves 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 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 There are no deficits. in deficit

Further financial review details (Optional information)

A donation from a UK-based charitable trust provides the charity with its
You may choose to include main source of funds. Its largest expenditures are the salary of the
additional information, where Operations Manager and expenses associated with the International
relevant about: Horticultural Internship Programme. These expenditures are funded by
• the charity’s principal donations and fundraising events, as highlighted in Section C above and sources of funds (including bequests. The Trustees recognise that a generous bequest from the any fundraising); estate of Mrs Philippa Rakusen enables the Internship Programme to
• how expenditure has continue. supported the key objectives Investment
of the charity; The charity is financially cautious, maintaining only a current account and
• investment policy and an interest-paying savings account. objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.

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.

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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) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date

	Aaron Kaen Bertelsen
	Co-Chair
	24 September 2024
	24 September 2024

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FRIENDS OF JERUSALEM BOTANICAL GARDENS Statement of Financial Activities - Year Ended 31st December 2023 Unrestricted L RestTiCt¢d Funds Funds Total Funds YIE 31.12.22 Totsl Funds Notes Income and endowments from: Membership subscriptions Donations and le acies FLsnd Raising Other trading activities Interest Received 1,350 1,395 19,535 813 20,089 30 30 40 Totsl 21,783 Expenditure on: Raising funds Charitable activitses Other 15 39,180 10,468 15 39,1801 10,468,, 49,663 49,663 39.459 (Net expenditure) -26,927 -17,676 Net movement in funds -26,927 -26,927 -17,676 Total funds brought forward 118,344 129,439 147,115 Total funds caffigd forward 91,417 11,095 102,512 129,4

FRIENDS OF JERUSALEM BOTANICAL GARDENS Notes to the Accounts - Year Ended 31st Docomber 2023 .Restrict8d Fund Donations YIE 31.12.22 Totsl Restricted Unrestrictgd Craps CT General donations 16,000 16,000 16,000 3,535 20,089 20,089 19,5 Fund Raieing aetiviti06 Income Ex ense$ Profitl YIE 31.12.2 Talks Visit 30 15 15 198 600 798 30 15 3 .Charftable Activities Unrestricted Rostricted Total YIE 31.12.22 , Internships Apartment 20,780 19,414 18,400 39.180 39,180 24,414 other Exponses 31.12.23 31.12.22 Isalaries & NIC Trave.1 Bank char9es Computer expenses 'Subs¢riplions-NCVOIBGCI Insuran iweb site costs Accountancy fees Audrt Fees offi expenses Telephone & broadband 13,500 478 185 169 42 -1,383 70 10,468 15,030 Total Funds at 31st December 2023 are represented by the followÉng". . Bank Current account ! Bank Deposit account 106,873 107,878 . LeSs..ArUalS 5,366 102,512,