# **Dale Farm Trust Financial Statement and Annual Report for the Year ended 31st March 2024** ## **Dale Farm Trust Trustees’ Annual Report for the Year ended 31st March 2024 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 10 Trustees** James Lester (Chair) Wendy McKeown (Vice- Chair) Ian Johnson (Secretary) Madeleine O’Rourke (Treasurer) Bernd Heerwagen Jean Scott Robert Winterson Allie Abraham Arne Muller ## **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 support 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 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 2023/24, following the remodelling of the main field a new crop management plan was produced and a range of crops were grown guided by the Development group. The student committee met regularly suggesting improvements that could be made around the Farm. The sensory garden was officially reopened by the mayor on the 19[th] August 2023 following the completion of the restoration work. Michelle Swann rebuilt the website and has kept it up to date with news of work on the Farm. Colin and Coral Richards have guided several students through a training programme which could be extended to others. A mini tractor was purchased to help with the handling of heavy items and the Trust funded the installation of a dust extraction system for the workshop. An extensive training programme was held on site for 20 volunteers on how to care for the bees and bee hives. We held plant and produce sales in May and at Christmas both of which were well supported. During the year the Farm retained its organic status. There were 49 people we support attending the Farm each week with an average of 25 each day. ## **Financial report** The year-end accounts for 2023/24 are attached to this report. 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 2024 DALE FARM TRUST Registered Charity Trust No: 1156516 51 Oldfield Road, Heswall. Wirral. CH60 6SN Tet: 0151342 7819 Recelpts and Payments for the year ended 31 March 2024 Recelpts 202312024 202212023 Unrestricted Funds Gross Income Donations Bank Interest Totsl Recelpts 37917 8258 43565 6595 196 50356 46175 Payments Unrestricted Funds Vehicle Costs Site costs Total 947 54770 55717 3471 44504 47975 Recelptsipayments .9542 2381 Cash Funds lastyearend Cash Funds thls yearend 60332 57951 60332 Cash Funds Lloyds COIF Charlty DeposltAccounts HSBC Amenity Account Cash Account Petty Cash Float Total Cash Fund 49522 26802 33081 199 250 60332 1183 50790 Dale Farni Trust Profft and Loss Report 01 W. 207J-31 Alwth. 2024 401XI- Bark In(xx 1.972.C(I 41N11 . W00(kn￿ Income 1.919.41 4002. Logs IrKorne 2.831.57 4003- Manure Income 20.028.91 8258.19 4007- Honey In(a)m8 4(th. Vegetables Inw 871.99 4010- Plants Income 9,329.16 4014. PPEIClolhing In(xme Total Sa £48,174TJ GROSS PROFrr i LOSS £46.17&n 5100- Fuel Expense 919.43 5102- Hardware Expense 33.568.48 5103. Ststwfftstage Expense 62.07 5104. Seeds Ex￿se 4,TT7.35 1254.70 5108. VeNde maIntertan￿ Exp 27.80 5110- Soil Assoc4a 5112- Plants Expense 05 May 2024 2120 P•w1 of2 5114. Events Eypenso 7,085.57 5116. ManurelBark Exp 432. 5117- PPEIClothing Exp 5118. subscripti￿ Expense 771.31 6.101.45 5123. Bankch 39.06 Totsl Ov•rhg•d• £55,716.62 NEf PROFtr i LOSS .541.89 05 Ilay 202421J) Py2(A2 CHARITY (OMMISSION Independent examiner's report on the I FOR ENGLAND AND WALES accounts Section A Independent Examinerfs Report Report to the trustees fvo14 TQos On accounts for the year ended Charity no (if any) IISLSI Set out on pages thts paor niJii)bers oi attditioiial sheets I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ('the Trust") for the year ended 3 1 / OS / ZJZ 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 (other than that disclosed below ") 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. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: Name: (W tY2LNKJ 6 EL Relevant professional I qualification(s) or body CbeF IER Oct 2018