Dale Farm Trust Financial Statement and Annual Report for the Year ended 31st March 2023
Dale Farm Trust
Trustees’ Annual Report for the Year ended 31st March 2023 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) Wendy McKeown (Vice- Chair) Ian Johnson (Secretary) Madeleine O’Rourke (Treasurer) Bernd Heerwagen Jean Scott Robert Winterson Allie Abraham Naomi Graham
Charity Structure, Management and Trustee Recruitment
Dale Farm is situated at the edge of Heswall Dales on the Wirral Peninsula and can be accessed from Oldfield Road in Heswall. Dale Farm is a Vocational Service and run as a partnership between Wirral Council and Dale Farm Trust.
Dale Farm provides daytime opportunities for adults with a variety of learning disabilities in the real work environment. People we support at Dale Farm develop existing and learn new skills in all aspects 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.
The Trust holds an annual general meeting which is open to the public, staff of the Farm, volunteers, and people we suppoprt 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
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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.
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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 and from Bluebelles Tea Rooms in Wallasey and the Courtyard Café in Royden Park. We also sell bagged compost and split, seasoned logs and wood chippings.
We operate a professional woodwork workshop which gives the people we support an opportunity to gain skills in all aspects of woodworking and carpentry, producing good quality items for sale and undertake commissions for woodwork items.
In the craft workshop people that attend Dale Farm produce a variety of craft items with help from a professional tutor, which we sell at our Summer and Winter plant sales.
Achievements and Performance
In 2022/23 the Farm was fully operational following the restrictions imposed by Covid. We continue to attract a wide range of volunteers who are essential in ensuring that the people we support and staff are able to
undertake a wide range of activities. Training courses were given for staff and volunteers at the Farm on safeguarding, manual handling, first aid and log splitting.
The Development group met regularly during the year and oversaw a number of significant changes including the remodelling of the north field and the restoration of the Sensory Garden.
The student committee also met regularly suggesting improvements that could be made around the Farm.
We held plant and produce sales in May and at Christmas both of which were well supported.
In October Dale Farm hosted a Yoga Retreat. The day was a great success, and the place was totally transformed thanks to the hard work of all the staff and volunteers.
Financial report
The year-end accounts for 2022/23 are attached to this report. The Trust’s income increased as did donations and although expenditure was up the year finished with an increase in funds held. The COIF deposit account was closed.
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 and to Suanne Price who keeps a daily check on income and expenditure.
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 August 2023
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 2023
| Receipts | 2022/2023 | 2021/2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted Funds | ||
| Gross Income | 43565 | 33066 |
| Donations | 6595 | 3696 |
| Bank Interest | 196 | 9 |
| Total Receipts | 50356 | 36771 |
| Payments | ||
| Unrestricted Funds | ||
| Vehicle Costs | 3471 | 5235 |
| Site costs | 44504 | 30344 |
| Total | 47975 | 35580 |
| Receipts/Payments | 2381 | 1191 |
| Cash Funds last year end | 57951 | 56760 |
| Cash Funds this year end | 60332 | 57951 |
| Cash Funds | ||
| Lloyds | 26802 | 24782 |
| COIF Charity Deposit Accounts | 0 | 21609 |
| HSBC Amenity Account | 33081 | 10507 |
| Cash Account | 250 | 769 |
| Petty Cash Float | 199 | 283 |
| Total Cash Fund | 60332 | 57951 |
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
| Report to the trustees/ members of On accounts for the year ended Set out on pages |
The Dale Farm Trust | The Dale Farm Trust | The Dale Farm Trust |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2023 | Charity no (if any) |
1156516 | |
| (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:
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the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
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the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
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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: Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: |
23/10/2023 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Roberts | |||
| Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accounting | |||
| 11, Teal Close, Aughton, Ormskirk, |
1
Oct 2018
IER
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 None any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
2
Oct 2018
IER