2021-07-31-accounts - Elmswild

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date Period end date 01 08 2020 31 07 2021

From

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) Charity's principal address	ElmsWild	ElmsWild


	1152850
	Rose Cottage, School Road
	Elmswell
	Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
	Postcode	IP30 9EA

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee(if any)
	Robert Victor Boardman	Treasurer
	MaryJo Feeney	Chair
	Keith Harvey
	John Ibbetson	Vice-Chair
	Maria Sol Indurain
	Lisa Jane Pratt

Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

Name Dates acted if not for whole year

TAR

March 2012

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser Name Address

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

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Constitution (Foundation Model) Type of governing document Adopted 8 April 2013 (eg. trust deed, constitution)

Charitable Incorporated Organisation How the charity is constituted

(eg. trust, association, company)

Appointed by existing Trustees Trustee selection methods

(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.

ElmsWild has a Health & Safety policy and a Safeguarding policy, copies of which are given to all existing and new Trustees. Site risk assessments for the sites for which we are responsible and activity risk assessments are maintained. All are reviewed annually and circulated to all Trustees. Safety advice is given to all volunteers. Safeguarding training is undertaken by all Trustees.

ElmsWild is affiliated to the Green Light Trust.

ElmsWild is a member of The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) and Community Action Suffolk.
ElmsWild receives advice and support from Orchards East on matters relating to the community orchard.

All Trustees give their time voluntarily and received no remuneration or other benefits.

Section C Objectives and activities

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

(1) To promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment in the parish of Elmswell, Suffolk, by the development of native species woodland, orchards and wildlife areas.
(2) To advance the education of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment.

TAR

March 2012

Trustees planned and carried out the year’s activities having due regard for the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit, which was discussed at trustee meetings.

Our activities included:

Events open to the whole community (general work parties, wildflower meadow creation, willow cutting and distribution). This benefits people by providing opportunities to learn new skills, and to enhance their local environment.

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)

Activities with people of all ages, including children from our local nursery and uniform groups (learning about wildlife, craft activities). This benefits people by providing facilities for learning outside the classroom, learning about nature, and encouraging people’s positive interaction with the natural environment.
Development and maintenance of the community woodland and orchard at Lukeswood and wildlife area at Kiln Meadow (keeping paths and rides open, maintaining trees and hedges, maintaining wildflower areas). This benefits people by providing natural areas where they can walk, take healthy exercise, be close to nature, and share these experiences with children, families, and other community members. It has been particularly important during the pandemic restrictions to provide natural areas where people can enjoy outside exercise.
Creating and improving wildlife habitats (hedgerows, wildflower areas, woodpiles, ponds) and surveying local wildlife. This benefits people by providing opportunities to explore nature on their doorstep and contribute to its conservation.
Maintaining and improving other local natural areas (e.g. public garden, mini wildflower meadows and scattered orchard), and establishing a new project at Town Field This benefits people by providing pleasant open/green spaces for recreation and enjoyment.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

The Trustees are very grateful for the contribution of volunteers who help out at our wildlife and woodland sites and who also help with community events and educational activities. In particular the Trustees would like to acknowledge:

Help received from teams of volunteers from Anglian Water and Thomas & Young, who have assisted with conservation work.

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

policy on grantmaking;
policy programme related investment;
The help and cooperation received from members of the Trefoil Guild towards community activities.
The help and support received from the staff of Street Farm Nursery.
Continuing advice and assistance given by members of the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society, Suffolk Biodiversity Information Service, Suffolk Wildlife Trust and Suffolk Butterfly Conservation.
contribution made by volunteers.

TAR

March 2012

Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

Educational activities Whenever Covid restrictions permitted members of ElmsWild continued to facilitate educational activities and visits by local groups and organisations, including Rainbows, Elmswell Toddlers and Trefoil Guild. Visits to Lukeswood by children and staff from Street Farm Nursery Forest School continued wherever possible. Community activities and events It was difficult to hold community events during the year and our annual Apple Day was unfortunately cancelled due to the government restrictions. However, we were able to cut willow and distribute bundles to members of the public who were interested in using willow for a variety of garden and craft projects. Wildlife/conservation activities Work parties were suspended at various times during the year in order to comply with government restrictions. However, essential maintenance work was continued at all sites by volunteers working alone. ElmsWild adopted TCV guidelines for safe working during the pandemic. The annual cut and rake at Kiln Meadow was again carried out with the assistance of volunteers from Anglian Water. A group of volunteers from Thomas & Young helped with maintenance of the mini wildflower meadows. In March Trustees were delighted to find a rare fungus at Lukeswood, Caloscypha fulgens, which was confirmed as only the second record for Suffolk by the County Recorder. Trustees started a programme of tree guard removal at Lukeswood in order to remove plastic from the environment. Other achievements ElmsWild negotiated and signed an agreement with Elmswell Poor Lands charity to manage Town Field, an historic field in the village, with the aim of establishing a wildflower meadow. Members of ElmsWild, along with other volunteers, have continued to maintain the Elmswell Memorial Garden and to keep it open for the local community to enjoy.

TAR

March 2012

Section E Financial review

Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves

We hold £4325 at this year end and aim to hold at least £1000 to meet running costs and any unforeseen expenditure.

Details of any funds materially Not applicable in deficit

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;

Our main sources of income this year have been donations from local organisations and parish council, along with a Locality Budget grant from Mid Suffolk Council.

The funds raised have gone towards:

Basic running costs which allow us to keep our sites open for everyone to enjoy.
Purchase of PPE to facilitate safe working during the pandemic.
Maintaining/developing the woodland, orchards and wildspace, including the tools and equipment required to do this.
Development of a new wildflower meadow at Town Field.
investment policy and  Holding community events and activities objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.

Section F Other optional information

The Coronavirus pandemic and successive lockdowns have continued to be a challenge during the year. Workparties were suspended from December 2020 until April 2021 and in-person Board meetings could not be held from November 2020 to March 2021. Some community events also had to be cancelled. However, essential maintenance work continued, with volunteers working individually. This has meant that all of our sites remained open for local people to enjoy access to open space. Trustees remained in regular contact through email and phone calls; Board meetings were held outside at Lukeswood during the summer months.

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) Mary Jo Feeney Position (eg Secretary, Chair, Chair etc)

Date 09/05/2022

TAR

March 2012

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							311s7t2A21
		Unrestricted funds		Restricted funds		Endowment funds	Totalfunds			Last year
		to the nearest t		to the nearestt		to the nearestf	to the nearest€		to	the nearestf
								2,227		1,665
								500		500
								90
								2,817		2,165
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								2{8		218
								150
										35
								390		1,17A
								758		1,423
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purchases,(seetable
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