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Dale Farm Trust Financial Statement and Annual Report for the Year ended 31st March 2022

Dale Farm Trust Trustees’ Annual Report for the Year ended 31st March 2022 Charity No: 1156516

The address of the Trust is;

51 Oldfield Rd, Heswall, Wirral CH60 6SN

Governing Document; The charity is governed by its Trust Deed

Structure

The Trust consists of 9 Trustees

James Lester (Chair) Naomi Graham (Vice- Chair) Ian Johnson (Secretary) Madeleine O’Rourke (Treasurer) Bernd Heerwagen Wendy McKeown Jean Scott Robert Winterson Allie Abraham

Charity Structure, Management and Trustee Recruitment

The Farm is situated on the edge of Heswall Dales on the Wirral Peninsula. Dale Farm provides a day service for adults with disabilities and/or mental illness giving people the opportunities to learn life skills through the therapeutic use of horticulture.

The Board of the Trust meets regularly and receives reports on financial activity over the intervening period. The accounts are updated monthly with a detailed breakdown of income and expenditure. The Farm Manager and Deputy Manager attend each meeting and report on key events and anything else pertinent to the Trust.

Clare Gaskin resigned as a Trustee in April 2022 due to personal commitments and Allie Abraham was appointed in May 2022. The minimum number of Trustees is 7.

The Trust holds an annual general meeting which is open to the public, staff of the Farm, volunteers, and service users at which the accounts of the Trust are made available, and the work of the Trust and Farm are discussed.

The Trust’s Rules and Policies, including financial regulations were last updated in October 2018 and approved by the Board. They are available as an A5 booklet.

Objects and Activities

The Trust objectives are

The relief of those in need in particular but not exclusively by assisting in the treatment and care of persons suffering from mental or physical illness of any description or in need of rehabilitation as a result of such illness, by the provision of facilities for work and recreation.
to promote for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Wirral and surrounding area, the provision of facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving conditions of life of said inhabitants.

The Trust achieves its objectives by supporting Dale Farm financially and through the work of over 30 volunteers, some of whom are also Trustees.

All aspects of horticulture are used to create a working environment in which people can participate. We grow organic fruit and vegetables in the fields and polytunnels and keep bees. We sell our fruit, vegetables and honey in our farm shop which is open to the public every weekday. We also sell bagged compost and split, seasoned logs, and wood chippings.

Achievements and Performance

In 2021/22 the Farm continued to offer a reduced programme with a limited number of service users attending and measures in place to ensure the safety of all from Covid infection. We continue to attract a wide range of volunteers who are essential in ensuring that the service users and staff are fully supported. Alison McAfee was a volunteer at the Farm for 18 years but has now retired.

The newly formed Development group met regularly during the year agreeing a new cropping and harvesting programme and other improvements to working practices on the Farm. Some of these proposals were delayed by restrictions on the use of the access lane by larger vehicles which also prevented deliveries of manure leading to a backlog of orders and a significant loss of income. Thankfully, the issue seems to have been resolved with the support of Wirral Council. A key project was the improvements to the sensory garden which has involved the replacement of the raised beds, replanting and the ongoing restoration of the water feature.

Despite the restrictions of the pandemic, we were able to hold plant sales at Christmas and in the Spring which were well supported, and we retained our Soil Association organic designation.

The service users group restarted, meeting regularly and suggesting improvements that could be made around the Farm.

Mark Diggory retired in November after 30 years of service as Farm Manager. His expertise and depth of knowledge will be much missed. A restructure in Wirral Evolutions led to the appointment of Zeb Wenski as Farm Manager alongside his other work as manager of Best Bites.

Financial report

The year-end accounts for 2021/22 are attached to this report. Despite the restrictions of the pandemic income increased but there was also an increase in expenditure which resulted in a reduced annual income of £1,191.

Many thanks again to our Treasurer, Maddy O’Rourke who has ensured that our accounts are kept in good order and submitted regular reports to the Farm Board.

Declaration

There have been no serious incidents or matters that should have been brought to the attention of the Charity Commission. The Trustees have approved this report and the financial statement which follows.

J Lester Chair of the Trustees Date August 2022

DALE FARM TRUST

Registered Charity Trust No: 1156516

51 Oldfield Road, Heswall, Wirral, CH60 6SN Tel: 0151 342 7819 Receipts and Payments for the year ended 31 March 2022

Receipts Gross Income Donations Bank Interest Total Receipts Payments Vehicle Costs Site costs Total Receipts/Payments Cash Funds last year end Cash Funds this year end Asset and Unrestricted Fund Lloyds COIF Charity Deposit Accounts HSBC Amenity Account Cash Account Petty Cash Float Total Cash Fund	2021/22 £33,066 £3,696 £9 £36,771 £5,236 £30,344 £35,580 £1,191 £56,760 £57,951 £24,782 £21,609 £10,507 £769 £283 £57,951	2020/21 £28,136 £4,674 £26 £32,836 £3,785 £18,860 £22,645 £10,191 £46,569 £56,760
	£24,782 £21,609 £10,507 £769 £283 £57,951	£22,590 £21,600 £11,622 £754 £194 £56,760

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ members of

The Dale Farm Trust

On accounts for the year ended

March 2022

Charity 1156516 no (if any)

Set out on pages

(remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 / 03 / 2022 .

Responsibilities and basis of report

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

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’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 examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination 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.

Signed:

Date: 04/012023

Oct 2018

IER

Name: Andrew Roberts

Relevant Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accounting professional qualification(s) or body (if any):

Address: 11, Teal Close, Aughton, Ormskirk, Lancs L395QQ

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

None