BCS Annual Report- Year ended 30 November 2025 Buckffingham Canal Society CIO Registered Charity number 1156662 2 Staters Pound, Pennyland, Milton Keynes, MK15 8AX Trustees Paul Rodgers Terry Cavender Richard Dwight Athina Beckett Edima Inwang Colin Levett Ruth Millard Mandy Morley steve Morley Chair Executive Officer Treasurer Volunteer Leader and Work Paty Organiser Publicity & Communications Purpose To promote the restoration of the Old Strafford and Buckingham Arms of the Grand Union Canal to a good and navigable order, maintain and improve the WateaY for the benefit of the public and encourage the fullest use of the waterway by all forms of waterborne traffic and towpath users, for use as a local amenity, tourist and recreational activity for the public benefit, whilst also improving the biodiversity of this blue-green corridor. We also want to help educate the public in the history and use of canals and waterways generally and this this waterway particularly. The trustees meet monthly to discuss strategic and operational matters. Sub-groups meet more regularly to discuss project work and other day-today issues. We are always on the lookout for additional trustees, especially younger ones and those with skills to complement ones we already have. You can find details of the specific skills we are looking for on the Community Impact Bucks website volunteerbucks.o .uk. You don't have to commit to being a trustee, you can volunteer on an ad-hoc basis. Or you can make contact through our social media posts, website buckin hamcanal.o .uk or email address info buckin 17amcanal.o .uk 2024125 Review We continued to work on various sites along the canal improving the condition of both the canal itself and the surrounding banks and land. Last year was an excellent year for corporate group visits with thirty outside company visits joining us in 2025, variously at Cosgrove and Bourton Meadow In March Athina Beckett and Alan Mynard gave a talk to Deanshanger Heritage Society. The society had just received extra funding for their archive so were very keen to hear from us. This resulted in three times the normal arnount of people turning for the talk so extra chairs had to be brought in. There were over fifty people there, the largest number they had at one of their talks. Athina also met a lovely lady whose husband had been born in the Lock cottage at Bourton Meadow where his father had been the lock keeper. Later she sent her a lovely photo of her husband's parents.
The rest of the year it was festivals and fairs which included a Green at the Church of the Cornerstone, a stall at the Chrysalis Theatre at Camphill run by Milton Keynes Community Action and a fair organised by Woughton Parish Council at Netherfield. The BCS information stand also attended Foxton and Braunston Canal Festivals. Future plans We are proceeding with the purchase of the business known as Cosgrove Marina from its current owner, Mick Palmer. This is being funded by BCS members via loan notes and will ramp up the operating surplus over the next few years to finan BCS through its operational expenditure. We have also agreed, subject to the Buckingham Neighbourhood Plan being approved by referendum to, in principle, accept the gift of a visitor ntre at Bourton Meadow alongside the land between the canal and river being managed by BCS as wetlands and a gift of the land the canal is on (all subject to planning for the proposed development etc) We are partnering with the Scouts to help engage the WateayS custodians of tomorrow. Last year (2025) they delivered around 260 young person eXperIenS on the water. This will focus on facilities at Cosgrove. This helps us drive our youth engagement work and it is anticipated that water sports and education can be delivered in partnership with the Scouts near Bridge 2 at Cosgrove We are looking to recruit a Community Engagement worker as we are looking to secure a small amount of funding for 4 years which will focus on working with local doctors, practices to get people out and feeling better by volunteering with us. The current economic climate means it is harder than ever to attract funding and the money that is available is tending to go to charities supporting people in their day-to- day needs. Along with a lot of similar charities, we have suffered a drop in income this year, resulting in a similar reduction in spending. Flnanclal Revlow We were successful in obtaining a grant for equipment from Milton Keynes Community Fund {MKCF) and our recently formed trading arm, Buckingham Canal Ltd, is now bearing fruit with a contribution this year of over £7000. We are also grateful to those volunteers who donated back their expenses, which made up another significant portion of our general donations. Following the sinking of one of our workboats in a storm we also made a successful insurance claim for the cost of re-floating it and have received the first payment in relation to this. You will notice that GiftAid was well down on last year, returning to a more normal value, following the very generous private donation the year before. We have spent far less on materials, plant and equipment this year, to keep within budget. Travel expenses look a lot lower this year, but that's because two years
claims were paid last year, one just missing the accounting deadline for the year before. Advertising expenditure was higher last year due to purchasing a branded gazebo for our events stand. Despite expenditure exceeding income again this year, we have retained sufficient funding to cover our core costs for the new year, with sufficient funding to carry on with our key tasks. ., ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 NOVEMBER 2025 2025 2024 Income by General Ledger type..-.--.- .....--.--..-..... Advertising Bank Interest Donations'.General (includes expenses donaled back) Donations (Restricted Income)) Fundraising Fundraising (Lottery) Grant Income HMRC Gift Aid Insurance Claim (Part Seltlemenl) Membership Subscriptions Sale of Assets Sale of Goods & Services Sales Sland {BCSI & Online Shop Sales Stand (Third PartYlcon$S1Ons) 44 468 560 17,573 16,369 3,242 232 71 332 279 700 10,049 3,313 12,971 5,599 1,630 1,958 5,000 182 247 563 1,475 1,530 34,993 49,394 Expenditure by General Ledger type Advertising Cornputer, phone & internet charges 1,180 ,, 2,792 1,161 1,434 Event costs Fuel, oil & sundries General office expenditure Hire of premises Insuran 12 36 2,117 1,573 42 36 1,175 1,216 7,137. 7,126 L 11 Licénces & permtts Materials Plant, Equipment & tool purchases Plant & vehicle maintenance Plant & vehicle insured damag8 202 61 4,588 . 8,636 2,042 , 17,534 4,943 3,395 8,618 Plant hire Professional Fees 695 838 180
Refreshments & Hospitality Road tax Stationery, printing & postage Subscriptions Training & Developrnenl Travel Expense-mileage Claims (Mostly donated back) 390 208 345 335 1,263 1,764 261 172 500 1,315 4,041 8 118 41551 55,931 Balance of income over expenditure -6,558 . -6,537 Reconciliation Bank and cash balances at 0111212024 49,698 56,235 Expenditure in excess of income for the year Bank and cash balances at 3011112025 -6,558 . -6,537 43,141 49,698 Designated/Restricled Funds Remaining Unrestricted Funds Remaining Total funds remalnlng 4,674 9,806 38,467 39,892 43 141 49,698 Statement of Assets and Liabilities Sheet A• of 30 November2026 A• o¢JQ Nov •) A•o13Qll 2024 FlxedAs•et 81,0.81 £43.1403 J,140AJ £K1403 £J2&Q41.64 i,oMs.oo £286Jf&X Ca•h •t b•nk •Dd In hand IIEf CURRtNT ASSErs MEf CURRtKr ASSEfs ILIABILtT$ TOTALASSETS LESS CURRE#T LiABJurs £4J.140JJ £43,140A3 36.61&66 £21,W.CrfJ Creditors: •mounts f•lll due •ller more th•non• TOTAL NET ASSETS {LIALfTtEsl ear 041.64 rJt5ffj1&66 Signed on behalf ofthe Trustees
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Report to the trusteesl members of Buckingham Canal Society On accounts for the year ended 30 November 2025 Charity no (if any) 1156662 Set out on pages 1,2&3 I reportto the truslees on myexamination ofthe accounts of the above charity I'the Trust") for the year ended 3011112024. Responsibilities and basls of report As the charity's trustees, you are responsible forthe preparation ofthe accounts in accordance wlth the requirements ofthe Charities Act 2011 I'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(5llbl ofthe 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 complywith the applicable requirements concerningthe form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts 8nd Reports) Regulations 2008 otherthan 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. Slgned: Date: 14April 2026 Name: Kameliya Harrison Relevant professlonal qualificatlon(s) or body (if any): Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales {ICAEWI Address: Tearle and Carver Ltd, Chandos House, School Lane, Buckingham, MK18 1HD Only complete if the examiner needs lo highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts- directions and guidance for examiners).