2024-11-30-accounts - The Bishop's Waltham North Pond Conservation Group

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The Bishops Waltham North Pond Conservation Group

The Bishops Waltham North Pond Conservation Group

Charity No. 1156703

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30th November 2024

Contents	Page
Report of the Management Committee	1
Statement of Financial Activities	8
Balance Sheet	9
Notes to the Financial Statements	10

The Bishops Waltham North Pond Conservation Group Report of the Management Committee for the Year ended 30 November 2024

The Management Committee presents its report and financial statements for the year ended 30th November 2024.

Reference and Administrative Information

Charity Name: The Bishops Waltham North Pond Conservation Group (The BWNPCG) Charity registration number: 1156703

Registered Office: Jubilee Hall, Little Shore Lane, Bishops Waltham, Hants. SO32 1ED Office Address: “Rareridge”, Rareridge Lane, Bishops Waltham, Hampshire SO32 1DX

Principal activity

The group’s principal activity is to manage and maintain the area known as the Bishops Waltham North Pond. This area is owned in various parts by BWNPCG, Winchester City Council and Hampshire County Council. The area, by agreement, is managed and maintained by BWNPCG for its protection and the enjoyment of the local community.

Management Committee

The management committee are mainly trustees of the charity for the purposes of the Charities Act 1993. Those not trustees are co-opted members. The 2024 AGM was

The Bishops Waltham North Pond Conservation Group

conducted on 20[th] August 2025 and the current committee members were confirmed in their roles.

The following persons were in office at 30th November 2024.

Barry Jerome (Trustee and Chairman) Gill Overton (Trustee) Eric Birbeck (Trustee) Piers Spencer (Vice-Chairman) John Dixie (Trustee and Treasurer) Colin Bown (Trustee) David McLean (Trustee) Jenny Williams (Trustee and Membership Secretary) Gary Pothecary (Trustee) Judy Lee (Secretary)

Changes to Trustees and committee in 2024 confirmed at AGM on 20[th] August 2025.

Piers Spencer elected Vice-Chairman, John Dixie confirmed as Trustee, Martin Wiltshire stepped down as Trustee, Judy Lee elected as Secretary

Bankers and Bank Accounts

Barclays Plc, PO Box 10215, Wigston, LE18 9EY Account 20-97-01, 03611604, Community Banking, Account 20-11-43, 43301656, Business Banking (Charity)

Results of the Financial Year 2024

Net incoming resources for the year amounted to ￡156, (2023: ￡647). Net expenses for the year ￡1375, (2023: ￡7571)

The Charity is a “not for profit organisation”, Funds are raised through donations and grants. The Statement of Financial Activities shows:

Accumulated funds of ￡29,421 as at 30[th] November 2024, (30th November 2023: ￡30,724).

All assets of the charity are used in the direct furtherance of the charity’s objectives.

Our Aims and objectives

Purposes, Aims, and Outcomes

Our charity’s purposes are to act as stewards and managers of the area known as the Bishops Waltham North Pond. We aim to achieve these objectives by recruiting members of the local community and involving them in fund raising and work parties. Work on and around the North Pond is required throughout the year to maintain the trees and clear the water channels to avoid flooding. In 2018 the large project to remove silt from areas of the pond to retain water all year round, was successfully completed. By way of further explanation, the pond is seasonal and fed from springs further up the valley; consequently, it is usually full in the winter months and dries up in summer. Fish get trapped in the receding waters and die, much to the distress of the community. All year water has enabled the fish to be saved and moved to the nearby permanent fishing pond. Over 120 community members have signed up to our organisation and support our work. The volunteers are administered and directed by the Work Party Organiser, Barry Jerome, or an appointed qualified deputy.

The Bishops Waltham North Pond Conservation Group

For the year 2024 the Trust concentrated on generally improving the viewing area and surrounds, removing fallen trees and other maintenance tasks as required.

Ensuring our work delivers our aims

We review our aims, objectives and activities each year. This review (The Chairman’s Report) looked at what we have achieved in 2024. Our plan for the coming year is to continue similar maintenance work.

In 2022 it had been decided not to hold an AGM at the usual time in January as Covid cases were still high in the winter months and Committee members agreed to continue in their roles. An AGM was held in June 2023 and was well attended by members of the public so it

was decided to hold the next AGM in the Summer months, and it was held on 20[th] August 2025.

Work parties continued normally (after the previous restrictions due to Covid). Autumn work parties were able to clear the channel. Wildlife has continued to take advantage of the pond holding water all year. Many water birds have been present throughout the year and Moorhens seem to have had a population explosion.

Transfer of ownership of the Hampshire County Council (HCC) owned part of the North Pond to the BWNPCG was agreed in November 2021. Implementing this is continuing in the background as a low priority HCC activity.

We have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aims and objectives and in planning our current and future activities. In particular, the trustees considered how the 2024 planned activities have contributed to the aims and objectives of the charity.

The Focus of our Activities

The focus of our activities continues to be the enhancement of the North Pond area and enhancement of the viewing areas. Alongside this is the maintenance of the trees, woodland and water channels. In particular the outflow sluice has to be cleared of debris every week.

How our activities deliver public benefit

Who used and benefitted from our Services

Members of the community now extensively use the new picnic area and the children delight in feeding the ducks. This has been encouraging and additional display panels, describing the history of the area, have been installed. Birds, animals and insects are more abundant and have also benefitted from our activity. Equal access to our areas is an important issue for us and we have ensured that there is adequate access for wheelchairs, baby buggies and the disabled. Children’s educational activities are encouraged to understand the habitat and pond life and be aware of the effect our project has had on the environment. The Scouts and Guides include the pond and its maintenance in their activities.

How the community and wildlife have benefitted

From observations by the public and our own members, we have noticed an increase in the

The Bishops Waltham North Pond Conservation Group

numbers and types of birdlife and insects that now frequent the North Pond. It has become very obvious that the pond work activity helps motivate pride and self help in the community and improves the environment.

Financial Review

We are an entirely voluntary organisation with hands-on Trustees, most of who are involved either in the work parties or behind the scenes with administration. Finances are reviewed against budget at each management meeting, where actual spending is compared to budget. The charity is fortunate in having a fund set aside for pond maintenance. This fund is planned to last for at least twenty years with a budgeted amount of ￡800 set aside for yearly maintenance. Some years this may go over budget, usually due to emergency tree maintenance, this is then clawed back over future years or with fund raising. Large projects have targeted fund raising, with the money raised prior to the work commencing. Our policy is to have the money in hand prior to the start of any planned work.

Principal Funding Sources

From its inception the charity’s funds have come from a wide range of donors including Winchester County Council, Bishops Waltham Parish Council, TESCO Bags of Help, Budgens Supermarket, The Solar Farm, individual donors, Amey, The Winchester Mayor’s fund, and the BREEAM fund.

Investment and Reserves Policy

Investment Policy

The charity’s funds are all in immediate access accounts and due to the low rate of interest available the trustees have agreed that the money should not be moved in this financial year. This policy will be reviewed next year to see if there is a case for seeking a prudent return on our investment.

Reserves Policy

The Management Committee has examined the charity’s requirements for reserves and is satisfied that the maintenance reserve will last for the planned 20 years at an average drawdown amount of ￡800 per year.

Plans for Future Periods

The charity plans continuing conservation management and small projects for the North Pond in the forthcoming years subject to satisfactory funding arrangements. The aims of these activities are to increase biodiversity while also further enhancing the area for the enjoyment of the local community and to increase educational opportunities.

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing Document, GDPR, Safeguarding, Diversity and Governance

The organisation is a charity registered with the Charity Commission, number 1156703. The governing document is the charity’s constitution. We have completed our review of GDPR and have no incidents to report in 2024.

The Bishops Waltham North Pond Conservation Group

Recruitment and Appointment of Management Committee

The Management Committee is made up from the charity’s trustees, who have indicated a willingness to serve on the committee, and co-opted committee members. The members of the Management Committee are re-elected annually at the AGM. The Trustees are elected to serve for a period of four years after which they must be re-elected at the next Annual General Meeting.

All members of the Management Committee give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the charity.

Trustee Induction and Training

Most trustees are already familiar with the practical work of the charity.

Additionally, new trustees are vetted by the committee prior to being invited for election. They are then advised to view on-line a series of short training sessions, provided by the Charity Commission to familiarise themselves with responsibilities of a trustee of the charity and the context within which it operates. They must read annually and understand:

The obligations of Management Committee members
The main documents which set out the operational framework for the charity including the Constitution, Governance, and Safeguarding, Equality and Diversity and other Policies
Resourcing and the current financial position as set out in the latest published accounts
Future plans and objectives

Risk Management

The Management Committee has conducted a review of the major risks to which the charity is exposed. A Risk Assessment has been established and is updated at least annually. Where appropriate, systems or procedures have been established to mitigate the risks the charity faces. Internal control risks are minimised by the implementation of procedures for authorisation of all transactions and projects. Procedures are in place to ensure compliance with health and safety, and safeguarding, equality and diversity of volunteers and third parties and internal financial controls. These procedures are periodically reviewed to ensure that they continue to meet the needs of the charity.

Responsibilities of the Management Committee

The law requires the Management Committee to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charity as at the balance sheet date and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, for the financial year. There is a policy defining Committee Roles and Responsibilities. In preparing those financial statements, the management committee has followed best practice to:

Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently, Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent, and

Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is not appropriate to

The Bishops Waltham North Pond Conservation Group

assume that the charity will continue, on that basis.

The Management Committee is responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 1985. The Management Committee is also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The Charity Commission also requires the organisation to have Safeguarding, Equality and Diversity policies and a governance policy. These are in place.

Members of the Management Committee

Members of the Management Committee, who are trustees for the purpose of charity law, who served during the year and up to the date of this report are set out on page 2.

Fair Value to the Community

The Bishops Waltham North Pond Group values the help of the community. During the 2023-24 financial year a total of 391 volunteer hours were given at work parties. At minimum wage this equates to ￡4,473 and we would like the community to know that from inception a total work party hour’s equivalent value of ￡83,988 has been donated to the pond. This does not include the time that the committee gives voluntarily for administration of the charities activities. Also, money donations to the value of some ￡51,000 have been applied to the project. This means that a total ￡134,988 has been given to preserve the pond, to the end of the accounting year 2024.

Certification of the Accounts

In accordance with the law, as the charity’s trustees, we certify that:

In so far as we are aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s examiner is unaware and

As the directors of the charity, we have taken all the steps that we ought to have taken in order to make ourselves aware of any relevant examining information and to establish that the charity’s examiner is aware of that information.

Accounts Examination

Mr R Breach, who is an independent professional person, has examined the accounts. They were signed off on 11[th] June 2025.

Reportable Incidences

No incidents occurred during the Financial Year 2024 that are of a nature reportable to the Charity Commission.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities (issued in March 2005) and in accordance with the special provisions of Part VII of the Companies Act 1985 relating to small entities.

The Bishops Waltham North Pond Conservation Group

Approved by the Management Committee on 30[th] July 2025 and signed on its behalf by:

Dr. B Jerome Trustee and Chairman

The Bishops Waltham North Pond Conservation Group

Bishops Waltham North Pond Conservation Group Accounts for the Year Ended 30[th] November 2024

Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 30[th] November 2024

	2024		2023
Incoming Resources
Bucket collections	0		0
Individual donations	114		100
Grants received	0		0
Organisation contributions, loan repaid	0		391
Fund transfers	0		0
Gift aid	0		0
Book sales	42		156
Total Incoming Resources		156		647
Resources Expended
Administration and pond maintenance	1375		636
Book publishing	0		413
Fund transfers	0		0
BREEAM project	0		6523
Total Charitable Expenditure		1375		7572
Net Incoming Resources		-1219		-6925

The Bishops Waltham North Pond Conservation Group

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30th November 2024

1 Charity Status: The organisation is a registered charity, number 1156703.
2 Accounting Policies: The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost accounting rules and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice on Accounting by Charities. The company has taken advantage of the exemption from preparing a cash flow statement conferred by the Financial Reporting Standard No. 1 on the grounds that it is entitled to the exemptions available in Sections 476 and 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for small companies.
Donations and voluntary income are accounted for gross when received.
3 Cash at Bank: 2024 2023 Barclays Plc Community Account 03611604 £27,185 £27,255 Barclays Plc Charity Account 43301656 £1,885 £3,075
4 Gains and losses: The charity recorded a net loss of £1,219 in 2024. 5 Directors' remuneration: No remuneration was paid and no expenses were reimbursed to any of the management committee, except as allowed by the charity's constitution. No trustee or other person related to the charity had any personal interest in any contract or transaction entered into by the charity during the year.
6 As a charity the Bishops Waltham North Pond Conservation Group is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or s256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objectives. No tax charges have arisen in the charity's 2024 tax year.
7 Funds: (in 2 bank accounts) The Dukes Reserve Fund was established to fund pond maintenance for at least 20 years.
8 Continuity of Activities: The charity operates on the basis that it generates sufficient funds from voluntary income and its reserves to cover costs.

Additional Notes

1 All figures are rounded to the appropriate whole number of pounds sterling, as required for the submission to HMRC.
2 Income this year was primarily from donations, plus a small amount from continuing sales of a book about the restoration of the north pond. There were no grants for special projects this year.
3 Administrative and maintenance costs comprised charges for room hire for meetings, public liability insurance, bank charges, purchase of consumables for pond maintenance, and publicity at the Rotary Club Carnival.