## The Paradise Co-Operative Independent ## Examiners Report to the Trustees ## For the year ended 31 December 2023 ## Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Act and that an independent examination is needed. ## It is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, - to follow the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the - Act, and - to state whether particular matters have come to my attention ## Basis of independent examiner’s statement My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, with the seeking of explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below. ## Independent examiner’s statement In connection with my examination, no material matters have come to my attention 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 comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than 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. ## Peter Ellington FAIA Triple Bottom Line Accounting Limited The Enterprise Centre University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ 27 March 2024 ## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From 01 Jan 2023 To 31 Dec 2023** **Charity name: The Paradise Co-operative** **Charity registration number: 1159176** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|The charity has two combined objectives
1. To promote and provide for the benefit of
the community, facilities for education and
other leisure time occupation with the
object of improving the quality of life of the
public at large.
2. To advance the education of the public
at large in agriculture, horticulture, animal
husbandry protection and improvement of
the natural environment, through best
environmental practice including the use of
no chemicals and minimal use of
machinery| |Summary of the main activities in
relation to those purposes for the
public benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or services
identified in the accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|**Community Volunteering**
We ran free weekly volunteer sessions throughout
the year. Our community joined us to learn new skills
in sustainable urban growing and connect with
others.
1.
Community Growing Volunteer Sessions
Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds join us
every Sunday to grow and learn together.
Regular free workshops enhance educational
value for volunteers.
2.
Mindful Growing Volunteer Sessions
Designed to improve physical and mental health
and wellbeing and combat loneliness and
isolation by allowing local people to learn new
skills in a welcoming and inclusive space. We
provide free workshops and activities to support
nature connection.
**Community Food Initiative**
Our Community Food Initiative has continued to grow
this year - producing local, sustainable, organic food
with the community, for the community. The food we
grow is donated to local community groups and
socialenterpriseswhere the produce supports| |||community initiatives. Excess produce is shared with
volunteers.
**Education with local schools**
Over 2,500 children, from six local primary schools,
visited in 2023 to take part in sessions designed to
connect children with nature through curriculum-led
workshops. Our Head of Education has visited these
schools to deliver assemblies focused on biodiversity
and provides on-site staff training providing teachers
with practical advice on connecting children with
nature.
We also offered free workshops to just over 150
children in receipt of pupil premium funding with a
focus on activities to support nature connection.
**Wildlife Regeneration**
We continued to make improvements to our one-acre
site with biodiversity in mind, striving to create a
sanctuary for nature as well as our community.
Activities with our volunteers to enhance biodiversity
took place regularly including habitat creation and
planting for pollinators.
**Community Festivals**
300 people took part in our 2023 community
festivals, raising our profile in the community,
connecting attendees with nature and providing
opportunities for local people to learn skills in
gardening with nature and for biodiversity.| |---|---|---| |Statement confirming whether the
trustees have had regard to the
guidance issued by the Charity
Commission on public benefit|Para 1.18|Trustees have read the guidance issued by the
Charity Commission on public benefit| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|| |Contribution made by volunteers|Para 1.38|| |Other||| **Achievements and Performance** SORP reference |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to the
circumstances of its beneficiaries
and any wider benefits to society
as a whole.|Para 1.20||Community Education
More than 650 individuals, of all ages and
backgrounds, have volunteered with us this year.
This provided our community with a vital opportunity
for environmental education, fostering the
development of various skills linked to sustainable
food growing and managing land for biodiversity.
Over 2,500 children benefited from opportunities to
engage in curriculum-led and nature focused
workshops, supporting children to develop a lasting
connection with nature and enhancing educational
objectives.
Community wellbeing
Our workshops and volunteer sessions support local
people to build enduring connections with other
members of their community and with nature,
promoting good mental wellbeing. Providing
opportunities for local people to take part in light
gardening activities promotes good physical
wellbeing.
Volunteers are able to contribute meaningfully to
their wider community, both by supporting our
projects on site and contributing to our Community
Food Initiative.
Positive environmental impact
Supporting local people to connect with nature
encourages future pro-environmental and pro-nature
behaviors. We provide our volunteers with the skills
they need to grow food using sustainable methods
and promote biodiversity in areas beyond our
garden.| |---|---|---|---| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |||| |---|---|---| |Achievements against objectives
set|Para 1.41|| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives set|Para 1.41|| |Investment performance against
objectives|Para 1.41|| |Other||| ## **Financial Review** |Review of the charity’s financial
position at the end of the period|Para 1.21|The Charity continues to work towards a sustainable
operating model through charging for education
courses to cover the costs of operating them and
maintaining thefield siteforthewidercommunity.| |---|---|---| |Statement explaining the policy for
holding reserves stating why they
are held|Para 1.22|Cash reserves are held for expected legal fees
connected with a planned site tenancy agreement
and a contingency fund to ensure contractors can still
be paid in the event of a cash flow crunch.| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|Cash balance at the end of the year was £34,158.81.| |Reasonsfor holdingzeroreserves|Para1.22|N/A| |Details of fund materially in deficit|Para 1.24|N/A| |Explanation of any uncertainties
about the charity continuing as a
going concern|Para 1.23|The Charity remains dependant on a single field site
held under an agreement with the Ministry of Justice
and on being able to generate income from school
education courses.| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |The charity’s principal sources of
funds (including any fundraising)|Para 1.47|| |---|---|---| |Investment policy and objectives
including any social investment
policy adopted|Para 1.46|| |A description of the principal risks
facing the charity|Para 1.46|| |Other||| **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s trusts:||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed,royalcharter)|Para 1.25|Constitution| |How is the charity constituted?
(e.g. unincorporated association,
CIO)|Para 1.25|CIO| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of any
person or body entitled to appoint
one or more trustees|Para 1.25|Appointment by existing trustees| ## **Additional information (optional)** |**Additional information (optional)**|**Additional information (optional)**|**Additional information (optional)**| |---|---|---| |You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:||| |Policies and procedures adopted
for the induction and training of
trustees|Para 1.51|| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider network
with which the charity works|Para 1.51|| |Relationship with any related
parties|Para 1.51|| |Other||| ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charityname|TheParadise Co-operative| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|| |Registered charity number|1159176| |Charity’s principal address|5 Tranmere Road, London SW18 3QH, UK| ||| **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body)**
**entitled to appoint trustee (if**
**any)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Scott Thompson|Trustee||| ||Joanne Osborne|Trustee||| ||Paul Lickman|Treasurer||| ||Claire Powell|Trustee||| ||John Deakins|Trustee||| ||Rachael Stokes|Trustee||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name n/a** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity |**Trustee name**|**Dates acted if not for whole year **|| |---|---|---| |**n/a**||| |||| |||| |||| |||| |||| |**Funds held as custodian trustees o**|**n behalf of others**| |---|---| |Description of the assets held in
this capacity|None| |Name and objects of the charity on
whose behalf the assets are held
and how this falls within the
custodian charity’s objects|None| |Details of arrangements for safe
custody and segregation of such
assets from the charity’s own
assets|None| ## **Additional information (optional)** **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** |**ames and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**ames and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**ames and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**| |---|---|---| |**Type of**
**adviser **
**Name**
**Address**||| |||| |||| |||| |||| |**Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**||| |||| **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details ## **Other optional information** ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **----- Start of picture text -----**
Signature(s)
Paul Lickman
Full name(s) Scott Thompson
Position (eg Secretary, Chair Treasurer
Chair, etc)
Date 2nd March 2024
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **The Paradise Co-operative Receipts and Payments Accounts For the Year Ending 31[st ] December 2023** |**Incoming Resources**
Paradise Wild - Holiday clubs
Priority Schools
Courses
Grant
Other income
Beekeeping
Total Incoming Resources
**Direct Charitable Expenses**
Accountancy
Courses
Garden
Insurance
Plants
Running costs
Salaries
Miscellaneous
Schools 2021/2022
Schools 2022/2023
Total Charitable Expenditure
**Net lncome/(Outgoing) Resources**
**for the year**
Balances brought forward as 1st
January
**Balances brought forward 31st**
**December**|**2023**
**General**
**Funds**
**2023**
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**2023 Total**
**2022**
**Total**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
- - - 1,149
26,853
-
26,853
18,925
3,011
3,011
3,383
57,836
57,836
47,933
13,440
-
13,440
-
1,628
-
1,628
-| |---|---| ||44,931
57,836
102,767
71,390| ||578
-
578
551
850
-
850
2,400
-
43,370
43,370
37,335
728
-
728
-
-
-
-
-
2,645
895
3,540
2,048
25,009
12,248
37,258
3,151
180
534
714
-
-
-
-
21,620
11,693
-
11,693
-| ||41,685
57,047
98,732
67,105| ||| ||**3,247**
**789**
**4,036**
**4,285**| ||| ||9,919
20,204
30,123
30,123| ||| ||**13,165**
**20,993**
**34,158**
**30,123**| ## **The Paradise Co-operative Statements of Assets and Liabilities For the Year Ending 31[st ] December 2022** |**Assets retained for the charity's own**
**use**
**Current Assets**
Bank Current Account
Net Current Assets
**Cash Funds**
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds|**2023**
**2022**
34,158
30,123| |---|---| ||**34,158**
**30,123**
13,165
9,919
20,993
20,204| ||34,158
30,123|