It was a good start to the year free of any covid restrictions and to be able to plan more social events. In June one of our members invited us to have an event in her garden, which had recently undergone a makeover. An entrance charge covered tea, coffee and wonderful homemade cakes. There were also sales of brick-a-brack, plants, books and a raffle to raise further funds. In total we raised over £300 and everyone enjoyed sitting in the lovely garden.
In July we were delighted to have a stall at the village carnival again. It is good to support the event which passes on all the profits to the community. We gain the benefit of advertising all the allotments and raising funds from the sale of plants, books and a raffle. Also in July we held a social event on the site to celebrate the strawberry season. Members gathered on a very hot Sunday afternoon to socialise and enjoy a variety of cakes, made with strawberries, and scones served with homemade strawberry jam made from fruit grown on the allotment.
We were lucky to have another warm day for our Autumn celebration in October. Members entered their produce into various categories for judging including the longest runner bean, the best “harvest person”, the weirdest shaped vegetable, the smallest pumpkin and the largest pumpkin, which weighed in at an amazing 24 Kilos. After judging everyone enjoyed a variety of apple cakes made from apples from the orchard.
In January the Wassail was very well attended by many members and friends and the weather was good. Everyone entered into the spirit of the event wearing Ivy headdresses. Musicians led the parade around the orchard and everyone generated a lot of noise to awaken the trees in order to produce a good harvest. After singing traditional songs the orchard was toasted with mulled cider. The excellent cooks on the committee provided hot soup and then cakes. Everyone really enjoyed the event including our trustees.
Following the limitations of covid the committee looked at ways of improving communication with members. A new website has been setup, also a facebook and WhatsApp group. A committee member produces a regular newsletter which is sent out to members. We also have a notice board on site to keep everyone up to date. The Local Council have included us on their list of local allotments and a new banner has gone up in the entrance with contact details for further information. Posters advertising any unused plots have been put up locally and we are listed in the local free magazine delivered to houses in the village.
There have been some changes in membership but most of the plots have been cultivated for most of the year. We have reduced the size of plots for new members to control the number of plots not fully utilised and give more people the opportunity to have a plot. Monitoring the plots is undertaken regularly by the site manager who gives a report to the committee and any follow up action can be taken. We have decided to take a deposit of one year’s rent from new members to pay for clearing their plot if it is left in a condition unsuitable for reletting. This fee refunded if the plot is left in a good condition.
The committee took the decision to bring the annual renewal of rent payment forward to the end of February. This was approved at the last AGM and gives new members the opportunity to start preparation of plots earlier in the season. We have purchased our own rotovator to help clear plots. The hedging plants damaged by horses have now been replaced.
Due to the cost of living crisis the committee agreed not to increase rents this year but stated they will go up next year.
We were very pleased that all our Trustees were prepared to continue in their role and were happy with the running of the society. We really do appreciate their support.
Our finances remain healthy. With information from the National Allotment Society we have moved our bank account to Metro Bank. This will avoid paying the monthly fee, bank charges for cheques and enable us to pay in at a local Post Office.
Having regular face to face committee meetings has enabled us to make improvements in the management of the Society this year. We now feel in a good position to start the new season on the allotments.
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner'5 Report Report to the trusleeslmombgvs of Wolvedey Allotment Society On accounts for the yeor ended 31t March 2023 Charity no {rf any) 115471 Set out on page8 3and4 I report lo the trustee¥ on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (he Trust.) for the year ended 3110312023. R•sponsibllltle8 and A8 the charity trustees of th8 Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basls of rnport of the acGounts in acttsrdance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (Yhe Acr}. I report in resFeCt of my examination of the Tnjst's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followJ the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515){b) of the Act. I have Compted my examination. I confinn that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which give8 me cause to believe that in, any m8teri81 respeca.. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the ac£ounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examlner's ststement I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the @xaminalion to which attention should L* drawn in order lo enable a proFer understanding of the accounts to b8 reached. Slgngd: Dats: Name: Chades A. Sherre Relovant professional quallflcatlonls) or body (rf any): Chartered Accountant Addre88: Falcons Rest, Fairftekl Lane, Wolvedey. Kidderminster, Worcestershire DY115QJ IER OCtoT 2018
Section B Disclosure Only complete itthe examiner needs to highlight matters of concem (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). NONE Give hor& bii&f detslls of any items that the oxamlnerwlshos to dls¢lose. IER October 2018
I CHARITY COMM15510N j FOR ENGLAND AND WALE5 WofvorltyAllotmentSrKkty 1f54971 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a Forthe periort fiom To 0110412022 3110312023 Section A Receipts and payments UnrÈstricted funds to the nearest Restricted funds to the nvar88t Endowment funds to the nearest Total funds Last year to the nearest to the ne&t A1 Recei 514 514 21 DtIonS StsbscriptionS- 202312022 Subscriptron5- 2024 120231 ReseTve accountintere51 RefundaLle bond5 1.298 Z3 380 23 380 ub lotalf rAR) A2 Assèt and Invèsknèntsalés, see table). TotalreceAptS 55 A3P ènts C05ts 40 70 40 70 Bank ch Wortt On 5itÈ ment MASALG memaershi Insufance Admintsiiabon 20 832 492 174 185 416 123 187 126 416 123 187 t26 26 1,726 1,720 A4 ASS and investmer urchas9S se* iablÈ Sub fots Tot8lpayments 1,726 NfjtofrÈelpAymentsi A5 TTrnsf9rs bèfv¥een fund5 A6 ¢8sh fundj lasiyearend Cash Ivn(ts thisyearerjd 1,8S3 CCXX R3 aUts {SSI 12A)512023
Section B Ststement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Vnrestricted lunds tD nea1£ Restricted funds tD nearest £ Endowment funds B1 Cash fvnds ¢urfentAccount 1,971 Reserve ArEouDt 6,223 Petty Cash 124 Total cash funds 8,318 unreStcted fund5 near85t £ Reslrf¢ted funds nearBSt£ Endovfflient funds B2 Qthèr monetary assets Fun loY¢hi¢h sei bg10fj CDSti¢ptionall Qvrtpnl walue B3 Investmeftt assets Fund 1¢ whlch a55frt ty91on CUent vèlue Cost lupt1onéll B4 ABspts ratalEd for thg ¢h8rity's own use Fuftd to which Wh*n due B5 Liabilities SW0d byone OTb•O mtsteeson behall ol 811 the t(vsiees Oate of 81gnalJre Prini Name CCXX R4 attounts {SSI 1210512023