2021-04-05-accounts

		a) To promote the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of gardens and their biological diversity.
Summary ofthe objects of charity set out in its governing document	the	b) To advance the education of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment and biodiversity of gardens and the consequent human health and well-being
		benefits.
		Gardens are diverse and important habitats for our declining wildlife and
		where the great majority of children find their first direct contact with nature. Nearly 90% of UK households have gardens and so our work can benefit a very large proportion of the public who wish to manage their gardens sustainably and with wildlife in mind. In planning and executing our work, the Trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit and in particular to its public benefit guidance on advancing education and on conservation of
		the environment.
		Object a) Promoting conservation, protection and improvement ..
Summary ofthe main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)		The Wildlife Gardening Forum furthers this object through issuing four newsletters per year summarising new research and best practice findings. In addition, we normally hold public conferences and events in partnership with other charities. We maintain a large website to provide access to evidence-based information on the science of wildlife gardening and on garden organisms, including practical guidance. We seek to inform the work of the many charities and other organisations within our membership and contacts. We influence decision makers through working with other charities and disseminating evidence. The influence of the Forum on social media has grown remarkably on its Facebook group and on Twitter. Our conferences are based on academic studies, backed up with examples of successful applications and best practice and are very popular with research students for networking and gaining experience in communicating their work. Conference costs are kept close to break- even, and concessions are made on request. Conference proceedings are written up and made available to all Forum correspondents and are freely available as pdf files on our website.
		Our website has been considerably enlarged and pages updated. It contains extensive background information in garden and wildlife science and planting for wildlife, reviewing information largely unavailable to a general reader. By March 2020 the site contained over 250 pages of information and a further 120downloadable documents. It constitutes the largest compendium of freely available information about garden biodiversity anywhere on the web.
		The Forum's Manifesto, available in English and Welsh on the website, provides a simple introduction to decision makers about the policy changes we would like to see to improve the status of gardens for wildlife and people. Our membership of the umbrella organisation Wildlife and Countryside Link is allowing the Forum to contribute its voice alongside other charities in environmental issues.
		Object b) To advance the education of the public. ...
		This object is addressed through public conferences, creation of ublications and newsletters, work with the media, rovision of March 2012
TAR

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Summary ofthe main achievements ofthe charity during the year			The seventh year ofoperation ofthe Wildlife Gardening Forum as a registered charity has been deeply influenced by the Covid 19pandemic. The first national lockdown came into force on 26'" March, and after some relaxation, a second was implemented on 31"October, and a third on 6'"
			January. The necessary precautions completely prevented holding two
			public events planned for the year, and all Trustee meetings moved to
			being held remotely on Microsoft Teams or Zoom. Similar limitations
			have applied through 2021 to date.
			The absence ofany public engagements meant that no conference income
			was generated in the year, and only minimal income from donations.
			Fortunately, with no employees and relatively small expenditure on
			communication and web hosting, this has not caused any difficulties for
			the charity.
			The periods oflockdown made many people in Britain much more aware
			ofthe importance ofgreen space and semi-natural conditions in managing
			their anxiety and mental health. The awareness ofgarden wildlife appears to have been raised by this enforced experience. Partly because ofthis, the
			Trustees commissioned an exceptional expenditure on a You Gov
			Omnibus Survey into public attitudes towards gardening for wildlife. This was conducted over 3' —4'"December 2020, involving over 2,000
			randomly selected adults. The results after analysis will be released in 2021,but headline findings include that over 90%of people consider gardens important for wildlife while nearly half do "afair amount" to
			help their wildlife.
			In mitigation ofthe lack of conference contact, our Facebook social media impact has quadrupled to over 41,000people during 2020 (and continuing into 2021). Social media and our website have helped to recruit new contacts for the Wildlife Gardening Forum, and our mailing list is now
			2,200 people, affiliated with about 300 organisations.
			Lockdowns have freed up more time for compiling new web-based
			educational material. Major new sections on our website include
			completion of the pages on the insects and pages are in preparation on other arthropods in gardens and the molluscs and "worms". Other pages in preparation include the pervasive myths about garden wildlife and wildlife gardening in many published books. We are also writing and compiling a major new section on garden wild plants, and a set of50
			simple practical "How-to" guides.

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81 Cash funds						6,227
					Total cash funds	-';:;~- - *"'
			(agree	balances	with receipts and payments
					account(s))
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82 Other monetary assets
83 Investment	assets		Details			Fund to which asset belon s	Cost (optional)			Current value o tional
84Assets retained for		the	Details			Fund to which asset belon s	Cost	(optional)		Current value o tional
charity's own use
85 Liabilities			Details			Fund to which liabili relates	Amount due o tional				When due o tional
Signed by one or two trustees behalf of all the trustees		on		Signature		Print Name					Date of
											approval
						Helen Bostock				id	fc). Z(
						Dr Stephen	Head			(e.fo.Z (