THE GREEN BACKYARD A Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Annual report for the year ended 31 March 2024
Legal and Administrative information
Chair: Vanessa Pool resigned December 2023, rotating chair between Trustees Tim Drake co-opted as Chair June 2024 Secretary: Becky Vince resigned December 2023 Julie Danby co-opted as Secretary June 2024 Trustees: Mahemuda Arsalani resigned December 2023 Barbara Staton resigned March 2024 Robbie Staton resigned March 2024 Tim Drake resigned March 2024; re-joined April 2024 Christian Hogg resigned in-year Emma Blades Charlotte Dixon (Councillor trustee) Harriet O'Shea Oliver Sainsbury (Councillor trustee) Laura Saunders Kathy Shaw Ellie Copper Julie Danby co-opted March 2024 Madhuraj Mishra co-opted March 2024 Jodie Poole co-opted in-year Lewis Vernum co-opted in-year
Charity number: 1155534
Bankers:
CAF Bank Limited, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ.
Registered office:
Chauffeurs Cottage, St Peter’s Road, Peterborough PE1 1YX.
Independent Examiner:
Triple Bottom Line Accounting, Enterprise Centre, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ.
Website: www.thegreenbackyard.com
1
Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2024
The trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.
Objects and Activities
The Green Backyard is governed by a Constitution which became effective from incorporation as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on 30 January 2014. The charitable purposes of The Green Backyard CIO are:
-
To develop the capacity and skills of members of socially or economically disadvantaged communities within the community of interest in such ways that they are better able to identify, and help meet, their needs and to participate more fully in society, including by:
-
A. equipping people with skills and competencies which they would not otherwise have;
-
B. realising existing skills and developing potential;
-
C. promoting people’s self-confidence;
-
D. encouraging people to get involved in their community and wider society.
-
To promote sustainable development for the benefit of the public by:
-
A. the preservation, conservation and the protection of the environment and the prudent use of resources;
-
B. the promotion of sustainable means of achieving economic growth and regeneration.
-
C. the advancement of education of the public in subjects relating to sustainable development and the protection, enhancement and rehabilitation of the environment and to promote study and research in such subjects provided that the useful results of such study are disseminated to the public at large.
Sustainable development means “development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
The Green Backyard is a vibrant community growing project in the heart of Peterborough, which was established in 2009 and is run entirely by volunteers. From this urban space we have transformed a once derelict former allotment site into a beautiful and productive community garden that is open to everyone. We are passionate about sustainability and work to raise awareness of environmental issues by involving the community in informative, practical demonstrations and workshops. We work with many different individuals and groups, as well as various schools, businesses and other organisations from across Peterborough and beyond.
Our AGM was held on 11 June 2023.
2
Charity governance
Governing document:
The charity is controlled by its governing document, the Constitution as amended 18 March 2018, and constitutes a Charitable Incorporated Organisation as defined by the Charities Act 2011.
Risk management:
The trustees have a duty to identify and review the risks to which the charity is exposed and to ensure appropriate controls are in place to provide reasonable assurance against fraud and error.
Governance:
Trustees are elected by members at the Annual General Meeting. During the period covered by this report, trustees met monthly to oversee the charity and were responsible for all operating decisions. The charity’s money may only be expended on authorisation of a quorum of trustees, when that decision is recorded in the minutes.
Public Benefit:
The trustees have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission. The activities described in this report have been undertaken for the public benefit and in pursuit of the charity's objects.
Reserves:
The Green Backyard is a registered charity and as such operates as a not for profit entity. Any accounting surpluses in our year-end accounts ordinarily become a reserve to be used for future investment in the charity’s objects and activities. Reserves are not intended to be expended to support ongoing operating costs of the charity except in exceptional circumstances. As such, it is the charity’s intention to cap the unrestricted reserve at six months operating expenditure, with any further surplus designated to projects that deliver our objects. This level of six months has been set to meet a potential need, such as an unexpected drop in income. This will ensure we can pay essential bills while we secure new funds. We will review this policy annually in line with the production of our accounts.
Financial review:
The charity continues to operate as a going concern but has depleted its reserves significantly to fund its costs, particularly annual rent charges for the site. Income generation continues to be a focus for trustees and these have focused on developing our on-site partnerships to generate more sustainable & consistent income in the future. These are: generating produce to be sold (Project Abundance & Menshed), increasing visitor footfall (Refill Revolution) and site hire (Bike Repair Workshops and Repair Café). We are also proud to have hosted several income-generating events, including the Flagship Peterborough Pride. We were delighted to receive additional funding for the Menshed, from the Mayor’s Fund.
3
Purpose of restricted funds
Awards for All
This grant supports the development of our community activities on site. Ongoing work to repair our hub building as a community meeting space will be continued this year.
TRU Postcode
Remaining funds are still intended to be used to improve site access. Trustees will determine how to refocus the bid outcomes to achieve its aims within budget.
MIND
We were successful in winning a small grant from MIND to establish our Menshed project on site, refurbishing wooden and metal furniture and machinery. They are also using waste materials on site to create new products such as bird boxes and bird tables, which are being sold at our events. This project is now self-sustaining, with remaining grant monies targeting improving the container to be water tight & warm during colder months.
Mayor’s Fund
We were proud to be awarded a sum from the Mayor of Peterborough’s charities to continue to grow our Menshed that now meets twice weekly. It continues to be self-sustaining with donations from local DIY retailers to support continued improvements to the space.
4
Chair’s Report
Our mainstay of events being Spring, Autumn & Christmas Fayre’s feature heavily in our calendar each year and this year has been no exception though the footfall has been mixed and stallholders report worsening sales for them so we’re hoping to re-vamp these events in the coming year with our dedicated events lead volunteer, Julie Danby, taking the lead.
There has been much change with our trustees at the end of this year, and so we are focused on rebuilding skills and knowledge among new board members and we are as always grateful for their time, energy and innovation to take the GBY forward.
We are thrilled to report that the Stickman Trail is back up and running with a real team effort making this happen. Stick Man Activity Trails are based on the much-loved Stick Man picture books written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. They are delivered with Social Farms and Gardens.
There have also been other events taking place. We were pleased to see that Pride came back for their weekend of festivities in June 2023. We also facilitated a family music event, ‘Famjam’, in August 2023 with leadership from our partner Project Abundance, which was well attended. Other events included:
-
International Picnic – September 2023
-
Diwali festival - November 2023
-
Peterborough Litter Wombles
-
Peterborough Lithuanian Community (PELB) event (private hire) Easter celebration – March 2023
We continue to progress with clearing up the site, repairing buildings and increasing diversity in the gardens. It is now better laid out with the lead for many beds signposted and the fewest weeds for many years although this is an ongoing task.
Regular volunteers have been hard to come by though there have been one or two new volunteers joining towards the end of the year. As a result, our reliance on Community Payback continues to be key to us maintaining the site and we are so grateful for this partnership. Monthly volunteer days on a Saturday have worked well through summer and autumn in 2023 and we are hoping to resume these come the spring in June 2024.
We have enjoyed a number of corporate days over the past year, and we will work to create a team of lead volunteers to continue to support this CSR activity and promote it to local businesses. Examples of these events included:
- May 2023 - Installation of black footpath by Milestone.
5
-
May 2023 - Extended Hands first visit and setting up their bed.
-
September 2023 - Activate / Sopp + Sopp corporate team day.
-
October 2023 - 2nd Nene Peterborough Scouts Group team day.
-
October 2023 - van full donation of garden tools by Adam Pascal.
The arrangement of site partners continues to work well and indeed flourish. Details of our existing site partners included:
-
Community Payback – continues to significantly support site maintenance activities for which we are grateful and currently continue to work with them every week. They have effectively transformed the site over the last three years having had regular guidance during this time.
-
Project Abundance – continues to flourish and they have recently set up a small shop in front of the large polytunnel which works well for passing footfall both into the site generally and being in direct reach of the Refill Revolution shop.
-
Refill Revolution – a main reason for many people visiting GBY. Julie continues to draw many visitors who also take a look at our other offerings in terms of site gardens and of course the various site partners.
-
Menshed – continues to operate well, open across 2 days (Thu & Fri) and seems busier than ever.
-
Bike Workshop/ Project – continually busy, normally open 1 day per week (Fri), awaiting news of some joint funding with H.E.L.P to facilitate opening on a 2nd day per week, hopefully Saturdays.
-
Little Explorers – commenced officially in May 2023, a young children’s group being run by Jodie and Rachel. Additional classes are being added, hopefully diversifying into foraging and forest school activities.
Approved by order of the board of trustees on the 30th June 2024 and signed on its behalf by:
Tim Drake
Tim Drake Chair of Trustees
6
The Green Backyard CIO Independent Examiners Report to the Trustees For the year ended 31 March 2024
Independent Examiners Report to the Trustees
For the period ended 31[st] March 2024
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Act and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
• examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
• to follow the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Act, and
• to state whether particular matters have come to my attention
Basis of independent examiner’s statement
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, with the seeking of explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
• the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
- the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
• the accounts did 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.
Peter Ellington FAIA Triple Bottom Line Accounting Limited The Enterprise Centre University of East Anglia Norwich Norfolk NR4 7TJ
19 June 2024
7
The Green Backyard CIO
Statement of Financial Activities for the year ending 31.03.2024
| 31 March 2024 | 31 March 2023 | 31 March 2023 | 31 March 2023 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Designated | Restricted | ||||||
| Notes | Unrestricted funds | Restricted funds | Total funds | funds | funds | funds | Total funds | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Receipts: | ||||||||
| Donations and legacies | 2 | 1,952 | 300 | 2,252 | 1,148 | 1,148 | ||
| Charitable Activities | 3 | 704 | 704 | 994 | 994 | |||
| Other trading activities | 4 | 3,481 | **3,481 ** | 1,380 | 1,380 | |||
| Total | 6,136 | 300 | 6,436 | 3,522 | - | - | 3,522 | |
| Payments: | ||||||||
| Raising Funds | 5 | 190 | 190 | 48 | 48 | |||
| Charitable Activities | 6 | 1,507 | 474 | 1,981 | 1,138 | 2,375 | 3,513 | |
| Support, administration and governance | 7 | 7,481 | **7,481 ** | 7,105 | 7,105 | |||
| Total | 9,178 | 474 | 9,652 | 8,291 | - | 2,375 | 10,666 | |
| Net receipts/(payments) | (3,042) | (174) | (3,216) | (4,769) | (2,375) | - 7,144 | ||
| Transfers between funds | 264 | (264) | ||||||
| Cash funds at 31 March b/f | 6,973 | 7,307 | 14,280 | 7,696 | 4,700 | 9,028 | 21,424 | |
| Cash funds at 31 March c/f | 4,195 | 6,869 | 11,064 | 2,927 | 4,700 | 6,653 | 14,280 |
8
Statement of Financial Position for the year ending 31.03.2024
| Section B Balance sheet | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section B Balance sheet | 31 March 2024 | 31 March 2023 | ||||
| Restricted | Unrestricted | Restricted | ||||
| Unrestricted funds | income funds | Total | funds | income funds | Total | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Cash Funds | ||||||
| Cash at bank & in hand | 4,195 | 6,869 11,064 |
11,064 | 6,972 | 7,308 | 14,280 |
| 4,195 | 6,869 11,064 |
11,064 | 6,972 | 7,308 14,280 |
14,280 | |
| Total Charitable Funds | 4,195 | 6,869 11 |
11,064 | 6,972 | 7,308 14 |
14,280 |
9
The Green Backyard CIO
1. Receipts and Payment accounts
Receipts and payments accounts are statements that summarise the movement of cash into and out of the organisation during the financial year. In this context "cash" includes cash equivalents, for example, bank accounts where cash can be readily withdrawn to pay for debts as they become due.
2. Donations, grants and legacies
| 2024 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Unrestricted | Restricted | 2023 Total | |
| funds | funds | funds | funds | funds | funds | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Mayor's Fund Menshed | 300 | 300 | ||||
| Donations | 1,952 | 1,952 | 1,052 | 1,052 | ||
| Gift Aid | 97 | 97 | ||||
| 1,952 | 300 | 2,252 | 1,149 | - | 1,149 |
3. Income from charitable activities
| Unrestricted | Restricted | 2024 | Unrestricted | Restricted | 2023 Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | Total funds | funds | funds | funds | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Event income | 704 | 994 | 994 | |||
| 704 | - | - | 994 | - | 994 |
4. Other income
| Unrestricted | Restricted | 2024 | Unrestricted | Restricted | 2023 Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | Total funds | funds | funds | funds | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Sundry | 26 | |||||
| Site hire | 1,355 | 380 | 380 | |||
| Shop donation | 2,100 | 1,000 | 1,000 | |||
| 3,481 | - | - | 1,380 | - | 1,380 |
10
5. Raising Funds
| Unrestricted | Restricted | 2024 | Unrestricted | Restricted | 2023 Total | 2023 Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | Total funds | funds | funds | funds | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Events | 30 | 30 | 30 | ||||
| Marketing & website | 190 | 18 | 18 | 18 | |||
| 190 | - | 190 | 48 | - | 48 | 48 |
6. Direct Charitable Expenditure
| Unrestricted | Restricted | 2024 | Unrestricted | Restricted | 2023 Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | Total funds | funds | funds | funds | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Charitable Activities | 1,507 | 1,507 | 1,160 | 1,160 | ||
| Awards for All | 144 | 144 | 673 | 673 | ||
| Co-operative | 1,219 | 1,219 | ||||
| SHED | 263 | 263 | ||||
| Mayor's Fund Menshed | 300 | 300 | ||||
| TRU Postcode | ||||||
| MIND | 30 | 30 | 220 | 220 | ||
| 1,507 | 474 | 1,981 | 1,160 | 2,375 | 3,535 |
7. Charity Management and Administration
| Unrestricted | Restricted | 2024 | Unrestricted | Restricted | 2023 Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| funds | funds | Total funds | funds | funds | funds | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Administration Costs | 5,060 | 5,060 | 5,072 | 5,072 | ||
| Governance Costs | 956 | 956 | 1,219 | 1,219 | ||
| Purchases and direct costs | 1,465 | 1,465 | 814 | 814 | ||
| 7,481 | - | 7,481 | 7,105 | - | 7,105 |
11
8. Funds
| Balance at 1 | Incoming | Resources | Transfers | Balance at 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2023 | Resources | Expended | between funds | March 2024 | |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Restricted Funds: | |||||
| Awards for All | 158 | (144) | 14 | ||
| Thriving communities | 550 | (550) | |||
| Co-operative | (17) | 17 | |||
| SHED | (7) | 7 | |||
| TRU Postcode | 6,869 | 6,869 | |||
| Mayor's Fund Menshed | 300 | (300) | |||
| Mind | 29 | (30) | 1 | ||
| HealthXChange | (275) | 275 | |||
| Total Restricted Funds | 7,308 | 300 | (474) | (264) | 6,869 |
| Unrestricted funds: | 6,136 | 9,178 | 264 | ||
| Total Unrestricted Funds | 6,973 | 6,136 | 9,178 | - | 4,195 |
| Total Funds | 14,280 | 6,436 | **8,704 ** | - | **11,064 ** |
9.Related party transactions and Trustees' expenses and remuneration
The Trustees all give freely their time and expertise without any form of remuneration or other benefit in cash or kind (2024: £nil).
Trustees, or person related or connected by business to them has received any payments or other benefits from the charity during the year.
12