2023-12-31-accounts

Charity number: 1154161

Agroforestry Research trust Report of the Trustees and Unaudited Financial Statements

For the year ended 31 December 2023

Agroforestry Research Trust

Contents Page

For the year ended 31 December 2023

Report of the Trustees 3-5 Independent Examiner’s report to the Trustees 6 Statement of Financial Activities 7 Statement of Financial Position 8 Notes to the Financial Statements 9-11

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Agroforestry Research Trust

Agroforestry Research Trust

Trustees Annual Report

for the period 01.01.2023 to 31.12.2023

Reference and administration details

The Agroforestry Research Trust is a registered Charitably Incorporated Organisation (CIO), No. 1154161.

Its principal address is at 46 Hunters Moon, Dartington, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 6JT.

The charity Trustees during the year to 31 December 2020 were:

Ms M Rose

Mr D Edge

Ms M Jain

Senior staff: Mr M Crawford, Director

Structure, governance and management

The Agroforestry Research Trust is constituted as a CIO under a constitution dated 18[th] September 2014.

New Trustees are appointed by resolution of the existing Trustee body.

Objectives and activities

Objects

To advance education for the public benefit into all aspects of temperate agroforestry systems including tree shrub and perennial crops through research and the dissemination of all useful results arising from the research, courses to teach various aspects of growing tree crops and agroforestry systems and tours of the research sites.

Main activities

Three research sites in and near Dartington, totalling 20 acres in size, are managed as agroforestry demonstrations and experiments.

• (1) The two acre Forest Garden site in Dartington demonstrates intensive agroforestry, having been started in 1994. The maturity of this site means that there is greatest public interest in visiting this, also increasing interest from researchers in the fields of carbon sequestration, wildlife surveys and sustainable agriculture.

• (2) An eight acre site at Dartington site has trials of nut trees and other unusual crops

• (3) A nine acre site at Littlehempston hosts the plant nursery, three more recent forest gardens, a forest garden greenhouse and other agroforestry experiments.

Courses are run to teach aspects of agroforestry, particularly forest gardening.

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Agroforestry Research Trust

Guided tours of our research sites are conducted for the public and also private groups.

Books are published and sold on different aspects of agroforestry and tree/shrub crops.

Seeds of many unusual agroforestry species are collected from our sites and made available.

Plants of many unusual agroforestry species are propagated and made available.

A consultancy service gives advice on agroforestry systems from garden scale to large farm scale systems.

The work is undertaken a team of 7 led by the ART founder Martin Crawford.

The Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.

Achievements and performance

The year 2023 was a year of consolidation and planning for future projects.

As usual, a mixture of public tours and private bookings from diverse groups were undertaken on all three of our research sites. Private tours were undertaken for businesses, official bodies, Colleges, Community organisations and land-based organisations.

The Forest garden site at Dartington continues to be the most popular site for visiting, with 80% of tours and courses happening on this site.

Interest continues in the nut trials taking place on the 8 acre site at Dartington, and a course run on growing nut crops happens here in October. The interest in nut milks and nuts as alternative sources of oils is driving increased interest in nut crops in general.

Planting continued at the Littlehempston site, mainly in the two larger outdoor forest garden areas. Planting also continued in the ‘Forest garden greenhouse’, mainly underplanting of shrubs and ground layer plants. At the start of 2023 a processing kitchen was constructed which has enabled more processing and experimental use of novel crops.

We ran seven of our own courses in 2022 which were all fully booked, and remain as hybrid courses with some online content. Our main online forest gardening course is integrated under license into a certified forest gardening course run by the Orchard Project in the UK, and is also translated into French and sold under license there. It is also being translated into Spanish under a similar arrangement.

The Second International Forest Garden / Food Forest Symposium took place in February 2023. This was an online week-long event with 65 speakers from all over the world. Over 400 participants registered and the event was a great success. All the symposium materials from the both this and the first event have been made available free to view on the ART website.

Agroforestry News, the quarterly journal, finished publication in April. It had become clear for some time that the demand for a printed quarterly publication was diminishing to such an extent that it was not a good use of our resources any more. In its place is an online blog where research results, interesting news etc, is shared and this already has hundreds of subscribers.

The ART Facebook and Instagram pages are also used to disseminate news and information and have several thousand followers.

Some 450 different species of seed and 750 different species/varieties of plant were made available online and through a mail order catalogue.

Financial review

Bankers: Lloyds Bank, 31 Fore St, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 5HH.

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Agroforestry Research Trust

Independent examiner/accountant: Triple Bottom Line Accounting Limited, The Enterprise Centre, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ.

Net monetary assets at the end of the year stood at £449,880 (compared with £373,703 at the end of 2 022).

Further details

Total income for 2023 was considerably greater than the previous year, due to a large donation (bequest). Meanwhile the poor general economic conditions and cost-of-living crises meant than generated income from selling seeds, plants and books was about 8% down, although course income was about the same.

Expenditure increased significantly only in wages, as the organisation took on more workers. Research site costs decreased significantly, as did symposium costs for the 2[nd] International symposium in February 2023 (most of the costs for that event were up-front.) Expenditure has supported the key objectives of the Trust by maintaining land-based research sites, publishing useful information, maintaining the charity’s website etc.

The balances in hand at the end of the year indicate a healthy financial position.

The charity does not have an endowment fund.

Policy on reserves

The Trust requires reserves for:

1. Day-to-day operating capital.

2. To enable the charity to continue to develop the research sites.

3. Funding for possible purchase of the two research sites currently leased.

The level of net monetary assets required is in the order of £350,000, consisting of £50,000 for No.1 above, £50,000 for No.2, and £250,000 for No.3.

The level of net current assets at 31.12.2023 stood at £449,880

The policy on reserves is reviewed annually by the Trustees.

Funds materially in deficit

There are no funds materially in deficit.

Declaration

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

Signed as a trustee on behalf of the charity’s trustees:

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Minni Jain
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MINNI JAIN 07/05/2024
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Signature

Print name

Date

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Agroforestry Research Trust

Independent Examiners report to the Trustees

For the year ended 31 December 2023

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2023.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act').

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiners statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the 2011 Act; or

2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair view' which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Triple Bottom Line Accounting Limited

The Enterprise Centre

University of East Anglia

Norwich

Norfolk

NR4 7TJ

18/04/2024

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Agroforestry Research Trust

Statement of Financial Activities For the year ended 31 December 2023

Notes Income and endowments from: Donations and legacies Charitable activities 2 Total Expenditure on: Charitable activities Total Net income Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward	Unrestricted funds 2023 2022 £ £ 152,102 5,539 208,306 226,349
	360,408 231,888
	(284,231) (265,894)
	(284,231) (265,894)
	76,177 (34,006) 373,703 407,709
	449,880 373,703

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Agroforestry Research Trust

Statement of Financial Position For the year ended 31 December 2023

Notes Fixed assets Tangible assets Current assets Cash at bank and in hand VAT Creditors: amounts falling due witin one year Net current assets Total assets less current liabilities Net assets The funds of the charity unrestricted income funds Total funds	2023 - 446,805 3,075 - 449,880 449,880 449,880 449,880	2022 -
		-
		367,651 6,052 - 373,703
		373,703
		373,703
		373,703

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Agroforestry Research Trust

1. Accounting Policies

Basis of accounting

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, except for investments which are included at market value and the revaluation of certain fixed assets and in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) ‘Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015)’, Financial Reporting Standard 102 the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), and the Charities Act 2011.

Agroforestry Research Trust meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).

2. Income from donations and legacies

	Unrestricted	Total 2023	Total 2022
Donations and legacies	152,102	152,102	5,539
. Income from charitable activities
	2023		2022
	£		£
Unrestricted funds
Tours and Courses	57,466		59,591
Books and Publications	7,259		8,275
Seeds and
plants	143,581		158,483
	208,306		226,349

3. Income from charitable activities

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Agroforestry Research Trust

4 Expenditure on charitable activities

Research and Maintenance Tours and Courses Books and Publications Seeds and plants	Unrestricted Total 2023 Total 2022 174,681 174,681 152,563 13,691 13,691 34,589 6,288 6,288 5,984 62,574 62,574 62,574
	257,234 257,234 255,710

5. Staff costs and emoluments

Total staff costs for the year ended 31 December 2022 were: Salaries and wages	2023 £ 138,503 138,503	2022 £ 72,380
		72,380

6. Debtors

VAT	2023 2022 £ £ 3,076 6,053
	3,076 6,053

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Agroforestry Research Trust

7. Tangible fixed assets

Cost or valuation At 01 January 2023 At 31 December 2023 Depreciation At 01 January 2023 Charge for year At 31 December 2023 Net book values At 31 December 2023 At 31 December 2022	Plant and Machinery £ 86,640 86,640 86,640 - 86,640 - 8,918	Motor Vehicles £ 8,480 8,480 8,480 - 8,480 - 866	Computer Equipment £ 3,000 3,000 3,000 - 3,000 - 400	Total £ 98,120
				98,120
				98,120 -
				98,120
				-
				10,184

8. Analysis of assets between funds

Unrestricted funds General Previous year General	Tangible fixed assets £ - - Tangible fixed assets £ 10,184 10,184	Net current assets/(liabilities) £ 449,880 449,880 Net current assets/(liabilities) £ 363,519 363,519	Net Assets £ 449,880
			449,880
			Net Assets £ 373,703
			373,703

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Document Information

Document

Title Agroforestry FS31.12.2023 ID 434d3a7e-4b7a-4dd8-8c6a-dcac06aaab79 Status Signed Sender Tatiana Blana ([e-mail]) Dept/business Triple Bottom Line Accounting Dept/business ID triple-bottom-line-accounting PDF Certified True

Signers

Name		Authentication
Minni Jain [e-mail]		Email
History
Event	Email	IP address	Date/Time
Agroforestry FS31.12.2023 created by Tatiana Blana	[e-mail]	46.17.160.196	Tue, 30 Apr 2024 08:58:00 +0000
Agroforestry FS31.12.2023 emailed to Minni Jain	[e-mail]		Tue, 30 Apr 2024 08:58:01 +0000
[e-mail] opened email
for document Agroforestry	[e-mail]		Tue, 30 Apr 2024 08:58:34 +0000
FS31.12.2023
Agroforestry FS31.12.2023 visited by Minni Jain [e-mail]	[e-mail]	109.147.82.191	Tue, 30 Apr 2024 09:14:43 +0000
Agroforestry FS31.12.2023 emailed to Minni Jain [e-mail]	[e-mail]		Sat, 04 May 2024 13:31:12 +0000
Agroforestry FS31.12.2023 visited by Minni Jain [e-mail]	[e-mail]	86.191.40.5	Sat, 04 May 2024 13:31:24 +0000
Agroforestry FS31.12.2023 reminder
email sent to Minni Jain	[e-mail]		Tue, 07 May 2024 08:25:13 +0000
[e-mail]
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of this document.
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Agroforestry FS31.12.2023 completed
by Minni Jain	[e-mail]	86.191.40.5	Tue, 07 May 2024 08:38:38 +0000
[e-mail]