l Hartle,yFowler' Digitally Signed Document Document ID: B3BF5A059D5821 Al(OUHlittll Document Details Filename: Sustainable Mcrton FS25 public.PDF Client of: Hartley Fowlcr LLP Signature Details Andrca Wildman Eillail: chair@sustainablemerton,org Date & TiniL': 2010112026 08..37:17 AM (GMT) IP Addre5S: 149.86.19.68 Andrea Wildman confinns Ihat thc inforn]ation is correct and complete to thc best of thcir knowledge and b¢li¢f. SigninLy Stati'mL'nt: Digital Certificate ThL' uppi'oved PDF file has bLen digiilally certified. Please ¢hLck the Digital CLrlilicale infon)ialion in yoLii' PDF viewer to vcrily Ihc r)igital Q ertificale auilienlicily and the PDI.. not be¢n (iinpered willi. On beliall. of: Hartley Fowlcr LLP PDb di&Fital certitlLate: IRIS Software Group Limited Digital certili¢ate iSSULd b!.: Globalsign Please keep a copy of this document for your records. Hartley Fowler LLP is powered by IRIS Openspace. REGisfERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1156639 REPORT OF THE TRusfEES AND FINANCIAL sfATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 FOR susrAINABLE MERTON Hartley Fowler LLP Chartered Accountsnts 4th FlI￿r Tuluon Hou 27-37 st George's Road Wlmbledon London SW19 4EU susrAINABLE MERTON coKrENTS OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENrs FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Page Report ofthe Trustees I to 9 Indyndent Examinerfs Report io Statofflent of Flnan¢i)l Actlvltles li Balance Shoet 12 Notss to the Finan¢lal Stataments 13 to 17 susrAINABLE MERTON REPORT OF THE TRusfEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 trustees p￿sent their report with the financial ststemerts of the charlty for the year ended 31 March 2025. Tr truths have èdopted the provisiors of Accwnting and Reporting by Charities: Ststement of Recommended practi￿ applicable to tharities preparirKJ their accounts In accoNJan￿ with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Iretand {FRS 102) (effective l January 2019), OBJECTIVES AND AcrivrriES Objectives and aims Su5ts1nable Merton is Merton's local environment charity glving local resldents, community organisath)ns and buslnesses the opportuThty to stimulate prathcal acLion to make our area a sustsinable community. The thinking behind this is simply that a rough using energy resources in a sustainable way could, if well planned and deslgred, be more resillenL more alyjndart and mcfe pkasurable than at present. charltable wrp)ses of the charlty as set out in its goveming dc(ument are to promote for the benefit of the public in ar around the Lon(k)n ￿rOUgh of Merton: (a) the conservationi prctsctlon and improvement of the enviri)nment, in partocular but not excluslvety, by enCou￿1n9 the prudent use of natural ￿￿SU￿S, and rBi5ing awarene55 of envlronmental is￿s, (b) the a(fvancement of education of the public in the subiett of sustainable developmen¢ in parbcular, but not exduslveSy by ralsing awareness of the issues assc(Oated wlth peak oll and climate change aThJ the conwuert need tt) develq) a IN carbon, sustainable future. In eady 2024 our Trustees revlslted our Vlsbn and Misslon and deaded that we needed to allgn owselves more to the United Natlons's Sustslnable Development Goals. We have therefore revised our four key pillars to (l) protectlng natural resources and storfng biodlversity. (11) tsking attion on envlronmental risks to health aThJ wellbelrrfji (lil) creating a more sustalnable, connetted fccd system and addressing focd insecurity. (Iv) reducing waste arKI transiLloning to the orcular ecommy. We have continued to proactNely work in partnerthip with Merton Councll, aloThJ with many oryjanisations and groups in the bjrough to 5UPPOrt the communlty, to Influence tehaviour change arKI to inspire, to mobilise and to enable people to take part In tackling climate change. Internally, our trustees have contlnued to run regular worklng committees covertThJ finan￿, fundraisingi HR a￿1 risk assessment. overseen updates of ow polkies. and held a strateglc planning sesslon to develop our business plan, result1￿ in a stronger emphasis on increaslng non-￿stitcled incorrE and to secure grant fundlng to support our volunteer management and the development of our volunteer strategy. The Tnjstees met six Umes over the year to ensure our charlty continues to ￿ fit for purwse, has the rfght oryanl&itional structure in pl￿e and is meeting Its obllgations as a Charity. Slgnificant activities A summary of the significant a￿vItIeS In the year Is presented below. Our Communlty Fr￿* contlnued to wovide vitsl supp)rt to local people experiencing focLI Insecurity. The proiert redU￿S food w35tage (which In turn would produce greenhouse gas emlssions contrlbutlng to the climate emergency) and tenefits local resldents With the supply of fresh and amb￿nt f¢))J as well as referrals to other partner organisauons who provlde additional V￿lIare. Our gro￿n9 space activity In¢￿ased. Both Phipps Bridge Communlty Allotment and Mitcham Ci%nmunity Orchard and Garden, are green havens in dlfferent parts of Mitcham and provided opportunities for locèl reslL1ents to work together, benenting from s¢xial interaction, exercise and galning horticultural knowledge.we also organl*d volunteer plants'ng day5 at Canons House and intr￿￿e￿ initiatives to encourage people to grow their own frK*J, and supplies to the Community Frldge, thereby redwing focMI mlles. Merton Garden Streets plantlng days offered res"hJents scKial interaction and STr￿11 scale oUtd￿r projects which provided publlc benefit by beautifying Iccal Str￿ts. TIE w￿￿e[ projett, which 5UPPOrts wa&e minimisatlon and the circular economy, was laurKhed In sunvner 2022. The aim Is to encourage ne￿rkIng and build capaclty in waste minimisatK)n and upycling projects across the borough, redLKlng waste and carLTh fcotprints of ic(al businesses, while I￿reasing oppjrtunities for busIne￿5 to collaborate. susrAINABLE MERTON REPORT OF THE TRusfEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 OBJEcfivES AND ACTivrrIES The Preloved Studio, based In Canons House in Mitcham, grew its textile reductlon activity as a destination for local residents in the under-served East of the Borough to gain practical, financlal and sooal benefits from leaming texUle skills. We also continued our work in Pollards Hill in Mitcham, delivering the WeRPollards waste mlnimisation project, in partnership with Moat Housirvj. Recent and current projects and actlvlties inclLide: The wh￿1, Merton's Community Fridge, Merton Garden Streets, Repair Cafes, Pollards Hlll Waste & Recycling Project, Mltcham Community Orchard & Gardens, Phipps Bridge Comrnunity Garden, The Preloved Stsjdio, Green Coffee, and Merton Green Parents. Publlc benefft In setting our objethves and planning our activlties we have grven Ca￿fvI considerduon to the Charty Commlssion's gukjance on public ￿neffit. The Trustees ensure that our actSvities are in line with our charltable objertives and alms, to protect and improve the natural environment. We measure the environmentsl impact that each of our projrammes achieve, whlch are set out below. In additjon, many or the prcgrammes deliver added 5Klal benefits. As a result of our work.. Les5 waste Is sent to landfllllinclneration - in particular foc¥J, packaglng and fabrics. Greenhouse g05 emisslons are cut through reduced e￿rgY use and reduced waste of fflaterlals and fcxxl, Le￿ pollutlon is created including redU￿d pla5tlc pollutlon and air pollution. Our neighbJurho¢)Js are cleaner and Feople feel a sense of clvlc pride by partiapaUrvJ In our comrnunlty prokcts. People In hardship are glven 5UPPOT¢ for example through the provlsion of healthy food, and better access to support and advlce. People struggling with the cost of Ilvlng are provided good quallty fwd, COntriL￿tIng to their overall wellbelrwJ. People gain new skllls, knowÈdge and friends, contributing to the overall wellbeing of our community. Volunteers Without Its volunteers, Sustainable Merton could not achieve all that it does. Our volunteers Include our Fridge Friend5 as well as Growing SpKes and Merton Garden Streets volunteers, those volunteering at our Repalr Cafes, the Preloved Studio and at WeRPollards. We also have a number of volunteers that support us In other way5, contrlbuting to our business planning, our fundraising and our communicaYon5. The number of volunteers Increased to 341 and the number of hour5 glven by our volunteers was 19,198, ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE Charitable activitles Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifylng the dlfference the charlty's work has made to the circumstsnces of its beneficiarleg and any wider benefts to society ag a whole. We continue to grow our ambltions to tske forward climate action projects, bring communitie5 togelher ond Influence people to change their behaviours to achieve a more sustainable lifestyle whllst Improving their health and wellbelng. We have done this In the context of the conlinuation of the cost of living crSsis and unpredictable energy costs, and we are very mindful that we should be encouragiro people to be community minded, have pride in their borough and be kind to each other and the world that we live In. We WO￿ proactively in partnershlp with many organisations and groups In the borough to SLJPWrt our work in the Merton borough. PROTEcllNG NATURAL RESOURCES AND REsfoRING BIODIVERsrrY Merton Garden Streets In 2024, 5u5tainable Merton was awarded fundlng for Merton Garden Streets through the Merton's Civlc Pride Investlng in Neighbourhoods and Communlty Climate Artlon Funds. The projett's aims were to Inc￿aSe plant biodiversity in Merton by planting wllinator friendly plants, to reduce the likelihood of flash ftc#)ds arKI to encourzge intergenerational social cohesion through volunteer-led planting initiatives at community planting days, 114 streets ggned up to Merton Garden Streets in 2024. Some of the previous year's sign-ups remained actlve vdunteers, but chose not to sign up in 2024 as they had well estsblished verges and did not need any plant supplies. susrAINA8LE MERTON REPORT OF THE TRusfEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Three cornn￿nity plantuig days took place on the fourth weekend of May, June and July 2024. The first community planting day in May was pre￿ded ty a plant swap at Morden Baptist Church. Over 500 plants were swapped and the verge in front of the thurch was planted up. With a minimum average of 10 parbcipants per road (114 total signups), we can estimate that at least 1,140 volunteers partlclpated across the borough. Volunteers planted over 5,000 plants in tree pits, verges and front gardens across ￿￿rton. Almost 2,000 plants were purch05ed, and 1,800 plants were donated from volunteers who propagated and grew their own plants. Approximately 500 plants and 500 bulbs were donated by Wimbledon Foundatlon, the Hampton Court Flower Show and Chelsea Flower Show and colEected by street coordinators w￿1 disirtbuted them via the network of volunteers who planted them across Merton. 300 plants We￿ donated by Morden Hall Park Garden Centre. l￿al parks, whlch include John Innes. Wimbledon Park, South Park Gardens and Holland Garden who were turning over their ￿ds, allowed volunteers to collect approximately 500 plants whSch were then planted on the verges instead of being turned into comp05t. In autumn, over 3,000 bulbs (six diffe￿ nt varieties) were plant￿1 by volunteers acioss Merton In Ortober, November and December. At the same time, seed saving was erKouraged and lots of resource5 and advice shared on the Whats4pp group and scKlal m&Jia. A seed swap took Pla￿ in November at Morden Park Baptlst Church. It was very well attended, and hundred5 of seeds were 50rted, packaged and shared. Another seed swap took pla￿ in March 2025 at Wimbledon Library to make Seeds easity avallable for anyone wanting to green t￿1r streets in Spring. Over 50 volunteer5 and l(Kal residents attended. Fa￿bOok page: 130 likes, 183 followers Fa￿b￿0k group: 747 rnembers Whatslpp group: 105 rnernbers Canons House Community Garden We cortinued our partnership, wlth Merton Councll, with grant fundlngi to lojk after and develop Canons House Communlty Garden, Twelve volunteer sessions were held between Juty and March. Thls included one blgger work day on 2nd July to clear up the site. Around 135 hours were gwen during the sesslons with more being volunteered from a Iccal school, charity friends groups, tending to their own plots. The Canons Community Garden WhatsApp group was re-established and currently has 20 memlRr5. Infonnation Is also shar&J on our Growlng Spaces sotial medla page and Sustainable Merton's 5c£ial medla pages, Flyers and posters were designed and distributed amongst the community in 2024 to ￿cruit new volunteers and promote oppi)rtunltses, Sc(ial medla a￿ets have al￿ been des￿￿ and are used regulady to promote each volunteer se55ion. We have been worf(ing with GOO￿gyM to recrult more volunteers SIn￿ January 2025. ENVIRONMENTAL RIS aTrJ this averages 8-10¢/o per month). Durlng the year we had 10,949 vislts (almost IO% up on last year); redi5trlbuted 63,824 kg of surplus fo(>J, equfvalent to 153,178 meals; and saved 204,238 of C02 emlsslons. Our 65 volunteers contrSbuted 4962 how5. Mitchom Comfflunity Orchard and Garden Mltcham Communlty Orchard and Garden, a teauuful urban growlng Spa￿ and peatrful haven for people and noture, rlght In the heart of MStcham, provldes a community-led green space Whe￿ fwii and vegetsbles are grown uslng sustainable and organic methods and where a range of diffe￿nt habltsts are maintsined to support biodiversity whilst also providitYJ environmental benefits to Merton. The dedicatlon and commitment of our vdunteers ha5 seen Mltcham Orchard come along in leaps and bounds. 37 GrDwirwJ Frtday volunteer sessiorts and 10 W￿kend Actlon Days were planned and delivered. Slgnificantly, we intr&duced community cookirwJ to our Saturday Actbn Days where we prepare cook nutritlous vegan fcoj, uslng prc