Forest Town Nature Conservation Group (FTNCG)
Registered Charity Number: 1157957 Principal Address: c/o 25 The Birchlands, Forest Town, Mansfield NG19 0ER
Forest Town Nature Conservation Group Annual Report and Accounts 2023 (for the period 1 April 2022 - 31 March 2023)
Object of the Charity:
'to promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment in and around Forest Town'
Produced by Shlomo Dowen (Chair) and Josh Dowen (Treasurer and Secretary)
Table of Contents
| Declaration | 1 |
|---|---|
| 1. Introduction | 2 |
| 2. Structure, Governance and Management | 3 |
| 3. Review of FTNCG Activities | 4 |
| 4. Financial Review (including Reserves Policy) | 5 |
| 5. Annual Statement of Accounts | 7 |
| 6. Monthly Summary of Volunteer Hours | 9 |
Contact
Website: http://www.foresttown.net/
Email: spa.ponds@gmail.com
Declaration
The Trustees of the Forest Town Nature Conservation Group (FTNCG) declare that they have approved this Trustees’ Report and Accounts for the period 1 April 2022 - 31 March 2023.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s Trustees by Shlomo Dowen, Chair of the Forest Town Nature Conservation Group, on 13[th] June 2023.
Note
As FTNCG comprises 60 members, under the terms of Section 8 of FTNCG's Constitution, in accordance with Section 12 of FTNCG's Constitution, the quorum for the Annual General Meeting (AGM) is 6 members entitled to vote on the business to be conducted at the meeting.
In accordance with Sections 10, 11, 12 and 31 of the Constitution, formal notice for the AGM was issued by Friday 16[th] June 2023, i.e. at least 14 clear days before the AGM, to all FTNCG Members and Trustees for the AGM to be held at Kingsway Hall, Clipstone Road West, Forest Town, on Saturday 1[st] July 2023.
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1. Introduction
The period covered by this Report & Accounts is record-breaking in many respects. For example, as you will see from the Accounts below, FTNCG attracted a record level of grant funding, accompanied by a record level of spending to improve Spa Ponds.
Thanks to the Severn Trent Community Fund we finally realised our dream of EMEC raising the pipe between Ponds 1 and 2 alongside raising the path (resolving the mud problem) and tending to the ponds. In fact, the Pipes, Paths, and Ponds (PPP) project is paying for improvements to all of the pipes, paths, and ponds at Spa Ponds!
M2M funding during this period enabled Andy Hollis to deliver valuable conservation skills training, including the safe use of tools such as billhooks. This helped us maintain and improve 400 meters of dead hedge which protects the emerging pollinator corridor.
The year also saw a record number of corporate volunteers help at Spa Ponds, including volunteers from the Co-op, Galliford Try, O2, Severn Trent Water, and Virgin Media. And to carry out this work we needed to use, what for us was, a record number of leaf rakes!
FTNCG also held our first indoor public meeting for several years. This event – which took place at Kingsway Hall – helped increase FTNCG membership to an all-time high of 60 members.
The PPP project provided Samantha with an opportunity to extend her project management skills as a contractor liaison and work session organiser. Some FTNCG volunteers are also developing new skills as part of the M2M funded invertebrate surveying work currently being carried out at Spa Ponds by EMEC’s entomologist.
FTNCG is proud of our ever-improving website. The website provides a wide range of resources, from practical guidance to help people find their way to Spa Ponds, to water quality data and wildlife sightings records, collections of FTNCG documents and videos, and fascinating accounts of the history of Spa Ponds (once possibly known as ‘Peel Water’). Credit for web design and maintenance (and much of the content) goes to Josh.
This Report & Accounts was written to ensure compliance with FTNCG's obligations under the Charities Act 2011 in accordance with Section 27 of our Constitution. If you would like to read more about FTNCG's historic achievements for the future please visit FTNCG's website at: http://www.foresttown.net/ to access our eight previous Report & Accounts documents, where we provide additional background to the Group's emergence as a land-owning registered charity. We set out our positive vision for the future of the Spa Ponds site within our site management plan documents.
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2. Structure, Governance and Management
The Forest Town Nature Conservation Group's (FTNCG's) Constitution, adopted on 22[nd] May 2013 and amended on 14[th] July 2014, is the governing document that establishes FTNCG as an association with the following charitable object: 'to promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment in and around Forest Town' .
FTNCG Membership currently stands at 60 people. FTNCG Membership, which is free of charge (although we suggest donating £5 a year), confers no financial benefit.
FTNCG Trustees throughout 2022/23 were as follows:
| Name | Office / Role | Appointment Date |
|---|---|---|
| Shlomo Dowen | Chair and Vice-Secretary | 1stFebruary 2011 |
| Lorraine Dowen | Vice Chair | 1stFebruary 2011 |
| Josh Dowen | Treasurer, Secretary & Website Admin. | 1stFebruary 2011 |
| Mark Fretwell | Trustee and Tree Officer | 5thJuly 2017 |
| Phil Goodall | Trustee and Water Catchment Liaison | 5thJuly 2017 |
| Dennis Platts | Trustee, Photographic Records Officer | 16thSeptember 2020 |
| Samantha Nicholson | Trustee and Landowner Liaison | 30thMarch 2021 |
| Alan Alberry | Trustee | 2ndJuly 2014 |
Helen Johnson continued as FTNCG's Rushpool Liaison, and Matt Beresford of MBArchaeology continued as Archaeological Adviser.
FTNCG is a member (or affiliate) of the following organisations:
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The Conservation Volunteers (TCV)
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Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust
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The Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Group (NottsBAG)
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WatersideCare / Keep Britain Tidy
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FreshWater Watch
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Sherwood Water Catchment Partnership
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The Rainworth-Clipstone Landowners Group
Current and completed projects:
| Current and completed projects: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Primary Funder | Status | Project |
| Severn Trent CommunityFund | Active | Pipes,Paths,and Ponds |
| Miner2Major (M2M) (Sherwood Landscape Partnership Scheme supported by The National LotteryHeritage Fund) |
Completed | Supporting biodiversity at Spa Ponds Nature Reserve |
| Active | Freshwater (Aquatic) & Terrestrial Invertebrate Surveys |
|
| LocalGiving - Magic Little Grants (Postcode Places Trust) |
Completed | Supporting biodiversity at Spa Ponds Nature Reserve |
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3. Review of FTNCG Activities
Throughout the period 1[st] April 2022 - 31[st] March 2023 FTNCG Trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. Over the year FTNCG undertook the following activities to further our charitable object:
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Holding work sessions and meetings, including our Annual General Meeting (AGM), open to the public without charge, to consider, plan and carry out the conservation, protection, and improvement of the physical and natural environment in and around Forest Town, with a particular focus on Spa Ponds.
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Communicating with members and supporters, providing ongoing updates and promoting activities of potential interest via e-mail, our website and Facebook pages, and by posting printed copies of our Christmas and Easter newsletters.
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Working as a Group to deliver thousands of volunteer hours litter picking and conservation working in and around Forest Town, primarily at Spa Ponds.
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Contributing to a range of consultations, including taking part in a biodiversity opportunity mapping workshop, and making submissions as part of planning application consultation.
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Supporting volunteer training, including species identification and recording, hedgerow management, woodland management (dead hedging and crown raising), safe use of tools (e.g. billhook), invertebrate surveying, and first aid / Health & Safety.
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Recording wildlife sightings and sharing results. We record and encourage others to record sightings at Spa Ponds via the iRecord service.
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Testing water quality at all four ponds and the River Maun (quarterly), and making results public (via FTNCG’s website and FreshWater Watch). FTNCG helped broker water quality training delivered by an Environment Agency Monitoring Officer.
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Contributing to the ongoing work of the Sherwood Water Catchment Partnership, and the Rainworth-Clipstone Landowners Group.
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Maintaining membership of and/or affiliation with charitable and other organisations and groups with similar objects to FTNCG (see list on Page 3, above).
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Working with other like-minded public benefit organisations and agencies, including: Forest Town Community Safety Network; Forest Town Heritage Group; Nottinghamshire County Council (Public Rights of Way), and Via East Midlands; Forestry England; Environment Agency; Keep Britain Tidy; Mansfield District Council; Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Group (NottsBAG); the Nottinghamshire Amphibian & Reptile Group (NARG); Ecologic CIC; EMEC Ecology; the Woodland Trust; and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust (NWT).
Throughout the period FTNCG Trustees met, both formally and informally. Minutes of the formal meetings are available from FTNCG’s Minutes Archive at: https://www.foresttown.net/index.php/documents/
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4. Financial Review (including Reserves Policy)
Estimated basic running costs
Anticipated basic running costs for FTNCG during the next year (2023/24) amount to around £650 , as follows:
£45 for Membership
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£12 The Conservation Volunteers (TCV)
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£33 - Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust (NWT)
£200 for Insurance
- £200 - Includes Public Liability and Personal Accident
£405 for Other General Running Costs
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£175 - Sundry items for Spa Ponds (e.g. PPE, signs, tools, plants, seeds, etc.)
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£100 - Education and training (including First Aid Training)
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£130 - Printing, postage, etc.
Reserves policy for 2023/24
Running Costs (Reserved £650; target £1,300): To cover anticipated annual expenses that must be met (e.g. insurance, health & safety (PPE) equipment, training, volunteer expenses), Trustees set a reserve target equivalent to 2 years' basic running costs.
10% Fund (Match Funding) (Reserved £0; target £3,000): Funds to be set aside for FTNCG’s contribution of 10% towards a bid amounting to a total of around £30,000 for EMEC to carry out work on trees, hedgerows, and bridleway at Spa Ponds. The intention is to submit a bid in 2024, with the amount of funding requested dependent upon the amount of money we have raised by then.
Delivery of the Spa Ponds Site Management Plan (Reserved £500; target £30,000): Trustees would like more funds to pay professionals such as EMEC and Ecologic for support implementing our Management Plans, including work to maintain our bridleway, enhance biodiversity, and improve water quality.
Conservation Volunteer Skills Training (Reserved £0; target £1,200): For professional onsite training and supervision.
Contingencies (Reserved £500; target £1,200): To cover unexpected expenses, particularly those associated with maintaining public safety at Spa Ponds.
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The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)
£51,027.25 - INCOME FOR 2022/23
£40,500.00 Severn Trent Community Fund (PPP Project) £6,300.00 M2M Invert Surveys Grant £1,000.00 M2M Training Grant £1,000.00 Rural Payments Agency £500.00 Local Giving £500.00 MDC Councillor Donation - Cllr Mark Fretwell £376.00 Robin Hood Lottery £304.00 Donation from individuals £300.00 NWT M2M Grant for Habitat Improvement £150.97 Gift Aid £57.10 Fundraising £35.65 Amazon Smile / PayPal Just Giving £3.53 Bank interest
The £40,500 from the Severn Trent Community Fund is 90% of the total £45,000 grant. The final £4,500 is due to be received in the 2023/24 accounting year. We similarly anticipate receiving a further £700 from M2M this year, once the invertebrate survey work has been completed.
We are assured of a donation of at least £400 by the end of 2023 from the Co-op as FTNCG is currently part of the Co-op’s Local Community Fund.
How expenditure has supported the charity’s key objectives
As set out below, expenses were incurred in relation to the Forest Town Nature Conservation Group undertaking or funding activities to carry out the charity's object 'to promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment in and around Forest Town '.
£9,780.50 - EXPENDITURE FOR 2022/23
£18,306.59 PPP £1,160.26 Training (M2M) £183.10 AGM £178.82 Membership and insurance £102.89 Printing and postage £75.00 Tools, seeds, PPE, etc. £62.30 Training, education and volunteer expenses £50.39 Website
Liabilities
FTNCG has no outstanding debts to carry over into 2023/24, but there are anticipated outstanding project expenses as set out elsewhere.
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5. Annual Statement of Accounts (2022/23)
Accounts for 1 April 2022 - 31 March 2023
Opening balance (Total) Cash £78.00 Bank £4,366.91 £4,444.91 Total income £51,027.25 Total expenditure (£20,119.35) Closing balance (Total) Cash £68.20 Bank £35,284.61 £35,352.81
| Accounts for 1 April | 2021- 31 | March 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening balance (Total) | |||
| Cash | £129.00 | ||
| Bank | £2,657.61 | £2,786.61 | |
| Total income | £11,438.80 | ||
| Total expenditure | (£9,780.50) | ||
| Closing balance (Total) | |||
| Cash | £78.00 | ||
| Bank | £4,366.91 | £4,444.91 |
NOTES:
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(1) Gift Aid income is attributed to the year in which it was paid by HMRC rather than the year of donation.
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(2) Unclaimed Gift Aid donations are not listed as an asset.
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(3) Money that has been fundraised is listed in the year when those funds are received by FTNCG.
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(4) FTNCG is the owner of Spa Ponds Nature Reserve, but it is not listed as an asset because the land is owned in the public interest and the deeds are held in trust by the Official Custodian for Charities.
(5) The planning permission granted for the housing development on Land South of Clipstone Road East is attached to a Section 106 Agreement that requires the developer to provide a £25,000 (Index Linked) contribution towards enhancing Spa Ponds "prior to Completion of any more than 33% of the Residential units" (which equates to 103 completed new homes). This threshold has yet to be met.
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| BALANCE SHEET AT 31 MARCH 2023 £ £ Assets and Liabilities FIXED ASSETS Tangible assets Seeds retained for use in 2022/23 (Est. Value) Tools, Equipment, etc (Cost) FTNCG Mugs (Seeds used during 2022/23, Est. Value) (Tools/Equipment/etc Depreciation) (Mugs used for fundraising, etc.) 1,000.00 545.41 50.40 (800.00) (545.41) (50.40) Total fixed assets (remaining seeds) 200.00 CURRENT ASSETS Cash at bank and in hand Current Account - Coop Bank 35,284.61 Petty Cash 68.20 Total cash at bank and in hand 35,352.81 Debtors (grant funding owed to FTNCG) 5,200 Total current assets 40,552.81 LIABILITIES Creditors due within one year Project funding committed but not yet spent (0.00) (38,693.41) NET CURRENT ASSETS 1,859.40 Total net assets (inc. cash and seeds) 2,059.40 Represented by funds and assets Unrestricted funds General Fund 1,659.40 Restricted Funds To spend on current projects 33,493.41 Other assets Tangible assets 200.00 Debtors (grant funding owed to FTNCG) 5,200.00 Total funds 40,552.81 |
BALANCE SHEET AT 31 MARCH 2022 £ £ Assets and Liabilities FIXED ASSETS Tangible assets Tools, Equipment, etc (Cost) Seeds retained for use in 2022/23 (Est. Value) FTNCG Mugs (£3.60 X 14) (Tools/Equipment/etc Depreciation) 2,050.99 1,000.00 50.40 (2,050.99) Total fixed assets (remaining seeds and mugs) 1,050.40 CURRENT ASSETS Cash at bank and in hand Current Account - Coop Bank 4,366.91 Petty Cash 78.00 Total cash at bank and in hand 4,444.91 Debtors (i.e. outstanding grant / RPA payments) 1,300.00 Total current assets 5,744.91 LIABILITIES Creditors due within one year (0.00) NET CURRENT ASSETS 5,744.91 Total net assets (inc. cash, seeds and mugs) 6,795.31 Represented by funds and assets Unrestricted funds General Fund 4,444.91 Restricted Funds Other assets Tangible assets 1,050.40 Debtors 1,300.00 Total funds 6,795.31 |
|---|---|
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6. Monthly Summary of Volunteer Hours
SUMMARY OF RECORDED VOLUNTEER HOURS (2022/23)
| Month | Month | Hours | Example of activities carried out |
|---|---|---|---|
| April | 2022 | 78 | In addition to the volunteer hours devoted to keeping up with the litter |
| picking, many of April’s volunteer hours were ‘administrative’, including | |||
| planning and applying for funding to support FTNCG’s programme of | |||
| activities,and attendinga balsam management meeting. | |||
| May | 499 | Volunteers undertook familiar tasks at Spa Ponds, including weeding, | |
| raking, seeding, and watering wildflower areas, litter picking, removing | |||
| sediment from the stream between Ponds 1 and 2, pulling balsam, and | |||
| maintainingthe bridleway. Trustees met twice in May. | |||
| June | 329 | More than two dozen members and supporters gathered for FTNCG’s | |
| AGM / Reunion at Kingsway Hall. June also saw much balsam pulling, and | |||
| the submission of fundingbids. | |||
| July | 235 | Yet more litter picking and balsam pulling (in conjunction with Chris | |
| Jackson), especially around Pond Hill (on east of Spa Ponds) and the | |||
| Forestry England managed land bordering Spa Ponds. Also hedgerow | |||
| management trainingsession with AndyHollis,and a bat and moth count! | |||
| August | 63 | More balsam pulling with Chris and Sherwood Water Catchment partners. | |
| Helen and Ron carried out litter picking, and butterfly and grasshopper | |||
| spottingat Rushpool Open Space. | |||
| September | 96 | Project management discussions (including with EMEC) to prepare for the | |
| Pipes, Paths, and Ponds (PPP) project. Work and training session with | |||
| AndyHollis. Waterqualitytesting. | |||
| October | 172 | Work sessions, including health & safety (tool) training with Andy Hollis, | |
| installing bird and bat boxes, and clearing nettle and bramble from areas | |||
| seeded withgrasses and wildflowers. | |||
| November | 127 | Public announcement and formal start of the PPP project. Work sessions | |
| including hedgerow management, installing new dead hedges inc. | |||
| billhook trainingwith AndyHollis. | |||
| December | 238 | FTNCG and Catchment partners were treated to water quality training | |
| with the Environment Agency's Ian Johnson. Lots more dead hedging | |||
| sessions led by Andy and by Samantha. Shlomo contributed to NottsBAG | |||
| BiodiversityOpportunityMappingevent for Mansfield. | |||
| January | 220 | Designing and printing signage to use with renovated frames to be | |
| 2023 | installed by EMEC. Three Spa Ponds Work Sessions progressing dead | ||
| hedges, pruning holly around the Chestnut Wood (to let in more light), | |||
| rakingleaves,andplantinghawthorn into hedgerowgaps. | |||
| February | 234 | Two more Work Sessions extendingdead hedges and rakingleaves. | |
| March | 349 | Three further work sessions, attracting several dozen corporate | |
| volunteers helping FTNCG volunteers extend the dead hedges and clear | |||
| leaves and holly from the Chestnut Wood ready for sowing seed. March | |||
| also saw a major focus on redesigning FTNCG’s website, and Josh and | |||
| Dennis revisitingsome ‘then and now’photographs of Spa Ponds. | |||
| TOTAL | 2,640 |
In the seven years since May 2015 when we started recording volunteer hours, FTNCG volunteers (including our Wardens) have delivered more than 22,400 volunteer hours .
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