2023-12-31-accounts

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Annual Report 2023

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Financial Statements and Trustee's Report 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023 www.communigrow.org.uk Charity no. 1159534

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Our Trustees

03 Chair’s Introduction 04 About Communigrow 07 Highlights 09 The Field School 16 Wellbeing

19 Volunteering 22 Sustainability 23 The Pizza Bed 24 Fundraising 26 Future Plans 27 Governance

29 Financial Statements

Caroline Pearce, Chair Anthony Blackman David Field Martin Long, Finance Trustee Alan Piper Dr Rebecca Prince Dr Robert Saville*

Site Address

Communigrow Park Farm Ditton, Aylesford Kent, ME20 6PE

what3words ///glance.callers.squish

Bank

The Cooperative Bank Plc P.O. Box 101 1 Balloon Street Manchester M60 4EP

Website & Email

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www.communigrow.org.uk info@communigrow.org.uk

Charity Number

1159534

Appointed in April 2024 *Appointed July 2023, resigned February 2024

Chair’s Introduction

Welcome to Communigrow’s 2023 Annual Report, in which we tell Communigrow’s story, the progress in the last year, the impact it has had, the support we receive and the great work of all those involved in the charity.

Communigrow is a sustainable food education charity providing learning opportunities and activities by teaching people about growing local, healthy and affordable food in a chemical free and otherwise environmentally friendly way and at the same time helping them to benefit from the social and therapeutic power of gardening in a community setting.

What we do attracts local schools, including, the special education needs schools, families whose children are home educated and partner charities who support young people with, for example, additional needs and caring responsibilities. Families and school and preschool children come to our after school clubs and our workshops. Our wellbeing groups include the over 55s and younger people with long-term health conditions.

In recognition of the work that Communigrow does, we were delighted to receive an overall Champion Award at the Kent Mental Wellbeing Award ceremony winning Kent’s Wellbeing Space of the Year.

As a board of trustees, we are greatly encouraged by the stories we hear on the impact that Communigrow is having on our beneficiaries and some of the stories are told in this Annual Report.

In the previous Annual Report we set out our future plans and I am pleased to say that we have either realised or are well on the way to realising those plans. For 2024 we intend to build on our established base and continue to increase our reach to more schools in the neighbourhood and offer more in the way of therapeutic and social gardening opportunities to benefit the wider community. Against the background of increased numbers of referrals and diagnoses of people with autism, ADHD and other neurodiverse conditions, we are better able to support those children and young people with our improved learning area.

In 2023, we saw how fundraising was harder with less money available and more competition and it continues to be. We are very grateful to the trusts and foundations, the local businesses, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council and all our other donors who support us and allow us to do what we do.

I would like to finish with a thank you to our staff and volunteers who work very hard and with so much enthusiasm and who are vital to our success.

Caroline Pearce

Chair of the board of Trustees

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Photo of Caroline at the Grand Opening our new Yurt in July 2023

About Communigrow

Communigrow is a sustainable food education charity. We teach people how to grow chemical free food, using the therapeutic benefits of gardening to bring about positive change to physical and mental wellbeing.

Communigrow is based on a 2.4-acre field in East Malling and we also deliver services in communities in Kent.

Our beneficiaries include children and young people with special education needs, local schools, people from under-resourced communities, young carers, vulnerable adults, older adults experiencing social isolation and those with health conditions.

We are very proud to say that since our origin as a community gardening project in 2011 and our registration as a charity in 2014, our beneficiary numbers have grown every year. In 2023 we supported over 921 people to lead fuller, healthier and more independent lives in our sustainable and inclusive community charity.

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Our beneficiary numbers are growing

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2021 2022 2023
Number of Beneficiaries by Year
921
614
443
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“Communigrow provides a fantastic experience to young and old alike. The staff are fantastic and it is a fully inclusive enterprise.

In fact we enjoyed ourselves so much we returned with our granddaughters! Thank you for inviting us and long may you continue your fantastic work" Cll James Clark, Mayor of Tonbridge and Malling

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Our Mission

To use horticulture to educate, support, inspire and enrich the lives of people in our community, and particularly to help disadvantaged groups achieve greater independence.

Our objectives

Support, inspire and empower children, young people and adults of all abilities by providing accessible horticultural experiences in a natural environment.

Cultivate a space where our community can work collaboratively and gain knowledge, understanding and respect for how fresh food is grown, and the many benefits that growth can bring to their health, to their wellbeing and to the environment.

Public Benefit

Our work benefits not only our beneficiaries but also their families, carers and wider communities, including local authorities and other partners. Our six key outcomes aim to deliver physical, educational, psychological, social and economic benefits.

Social and therapeutic gardening is recognised by the NHS, healthcare governing bodies and the UK Government as part of the solution for mental healthcare.

Communigrow Theory of Change

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2023 Communigrow Highlights

50% Increase in beneficiary numbers from 614 to 921, each represented here by a dot.

Winner of Kent’s Wellbeing Space of the Year hosted by East Kent Mind

Recognition of our impact on the mental and physical wellbeing of our beneficiaries.

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38 48 88 130 Weekend & Wellbeing sessions Sessions for children Sessions for for older adults & young people in children & young holiday family home education people with SEN workshops Delivery in Numbers

Opening our free after school club

Nature Kids, in the heart of the community in partnership with The East Malling Centre.

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2023 Communigrow Highlights

New 24' yurt with log burner

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which will enable us to run an additional 55 sessions for Field School and Wellbeing beneficiaries during the winter months.

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Huge reduction of carbon footprint Strimmers Fridge
Phones
from installation of 14 powerful solar laptops&
Induction
panels and batteries. Printers hobs Heaters
Internet
Kettle
hubs
Power
Lights
Tools
All these appliances now run on solar power
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BBC film at Communigrow for a feature on the therapeutic benefits of gardening, article also appears on BBC Website.

Pizza Bed social enterprise project

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gets national funding from The Social Enterprise Development Programme allowing us to take this innovative product to local schools and community groups and encourage the growing of fresh food.

Our new yurt serves as an all-weather classroom. Our field shelter - made of reclaimed wood - allows year-round outdoor learning. The wildlife pond provides fascinating pond dipping sessions and our stunning wildflower garden gives ample opportunity for bug hunting.

The Field School

In 2023 we rebranded all our work with children and young people under The Field School banner, but we definitely don’t mean school in the ‘brick built institution’ sense. Instead, we provide a unique alternative learning space where children and young people can be themselves, and learn in a way suited to their individual needs.

Our experienced tutors provide absorbing activities making sure that everyone - including those with neurodiverse or complex sensory needs - feels comfortable and included. While acquiring valuable practical skills, learners grow in confidence and experience the mental health benefits that come with spending time in nature.

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Communigrow Awards presented

Communigrow Awards

The awards recognise skills gained in our Field School programmes, ranging from basic tool handling to woodwork, propagation, and seed sowing.

Field to Fork

Using the vegetables they have grown and harvested, our young gardeners have great fun enjoying outdoor cooking experiences, developing more adventurous palates and an enjoyment of fresh, healthy food. They learn skills to grow food at home.

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Local Schools

Our after school gardening club at St James the Great Academy is thriving. Teachers select the club participants based on greatest need - some need to build confidence when communicating, others have had a difficult time at home and some are Young Carers who need some respite.

This led to further outreach work in 2023, including work with the school's nursery to improve the provision of outdoor education and the delivery of lunchtime drop in gardening sessions.

Bethany School returned to us for weekly enrichment sessions learning about sustainable food growing and its environmental benefits.

As well as the regular weekly sessions for schools, in 2023 we offered tailored school trips covering curriculum-related activities in science, food technology, geography and sustainability for pupils in Key Stages 1, 2 and 3.

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local schools
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“The children loved the

experience of eating things they had picked - finding the potatoes was like digging for treasure! The seed dispersal was fantastic - it made the knowledge stick like velcro. The way it came to life made us gasp - it was so much clearer to see the seeds pop.” Year 3 teacher Palace Wood Primary School

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Special Educational Needs

Our work continues with local SEN schools, providing purposeful outdoor learning opportunities and improving confidence.

Sessions are based around individual needs and range from filling raised beds with compost to build physical stamina, to taking tea break orders from volunteers in order to develop communication skills.

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Grow 19 students digging potato bed

“John often needs coaxing to take part in school activities. When he knows he is coming to Communigrow he is more focused and organised and will follow instruction to get onto the minibus. Once at Communigrow he becomes engaged and receptive to instructions provided by the staff at Communigrow.”

Five Acre Wood School Teacher

John is a student with Down Syndrome who has moderate learning difficulties, is non verbal and has global delay.

In 2023 we started weekly sessions at The Rosewood School, whose students all have physical or mental health needs. As part of their ‘Beyond the Classroom’ Enrichment, we set up a vegetable garden and have been awarded Level 1 RHS School Gardening accreditation.

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Taking part in Field to Fork Summer workshop

We continued to provide weekly sessions at the Communigrow field for Five Acre Wood School, a Special School for children and young people with profound, severe and complex learning difficulties, including Autistic Spectrum Disorder, and Grange Park School, a specialist school providing for children and young people with an Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC).

Grow 19, a SEND college for 18-25 year olds, attend weekly for social and communication skills, horticultural activities and work experience to support their City & Guilds qualifications.

*names have been changed

A place to belong Daniel’s story

Daniel, aged 10, attended our Home Education sessions this year. He has ASD, ADHD, dyspraxia, hypermobility and verbal tics.

Daniel’s mother reports,

“We have seen multiple benefits since attending these Communigrow sessions. Daniel’s sense of wellbeing and belonging have dramatically improved.

On arriving at Communigrow he said, ‘Mum, this is my place.’

Socially he would never instigate a conversation but he will talk to other children during sessions. He told me that he had made a friend - he has never made a friend before.

Since starting Communigrow sessions Daniel’s verbal tics have completely gone - and not just when he’s at the field.

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Daniel has loved the practical learning sessions on trees, vegetable families, winter growing and practical tasks on the field. He has also taken cuttings from the field which he is growing on at home.

Daniel said of Communigrow, “It makes me feel excited and energised!”

*names have been changed

It’s an amazing place, it’s so hands on. He can recall what he’s done and tell his dad when he gets home from work. I’ve never known that before.”

Home Education

Our home education programme supports learners aged 4-16 yrs old to gain practical food growing skills and develop their knowledge and understanding of the natural world through a programme of study that incorporates science, food technology, sustainability and geography.

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In 2023, for the first time, we were able to continue the programme over the winter months in our new warm yurt.

of our home educating parents reported that mainstream education did not meet the needs of their child, particularly in relation to neurodiversity.

Family Workshops

Charity Partner Workshops

In 2023 we extended our family provision with 12 free ‘Get Set, Grow!’ Saturday workshops funded by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council. Families spent time together gaining practical skills to grow food at home - whether on a windowsill or in a garden - and learning how to care for the environment.

In addition we delivered 11 affordable Family Workshops providing fun and educational days out in school holidays.

Working with partner charities Space 2 Be Me, IMAGO and Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness we delivered 7 Field to Fork workshops, where young people with additional needs or caring responsibilities harvested and prepared a meal from produce grown at the field.

38 Weekend and holiday sessions for children and young people.

Community Outreach

In 2023 we increased our outreach in East Malling.

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ONS data shows that parts of East Malling are among the 20%

most income deprived areas in England and it is a top three priority area for Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council.

Nature Kids after school club, is a joint project with the East Malling Centre. It is a free activity for families to grow and cook healthy food together and learn how to live more sustainably.

Communigrow Tots is our weekly affordable session for toddlers and preschool children in the East Malling Centre.

During school holidays we provided 8 drop-in sessions at the East Malling Centre where children learnt about growing and eating healthy food and caring for the environment.

These sessions run alongside the Centre’s ‘Community Supermarket’ and have been successful in

introducing new families to the other services that Communigrow and the East Malling Centre can offer, as well as helping improve diet and access to affordable, fresh food.

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Changing lives

a foster family’s story

The family, two foster parents and three siblings under 11, started regularly attending our free Get Set, Grow! Saturday Family Workshops in the Summer 2023.

All the children had experienced significant neglect, emotional and physical trauma, and the youngest had a speech delay.

Their foster mother told us:

“The children grew up surrounded by electronics. The oldest could only get to sleep if on his ipad and found it hard to engage with anything else.

They love it here and keep coming back, for someone like Philip, who spends all his time on his phone, this is a great getaway. He gets a real sense of achievement cooking and learning how to look after the veg at Communigrow.

We have seen increased confidence and ability to sustain concentration on a task. Improved ability to follow instructions and understand rules.

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They have had opportunities to work as a team to make new raised beds or lay woodchip paths. Philip, in particular, will now persevere with a physically demanding task for far longer than before. Now it will be him encouraging others to complete a project!

The children feel they are listened to and involved in decision making - it’s very cleverly done.

It’s just incredible. Communigrow gets children outside their comfort zone and gives them a new sense of normality. It’s very tranquil here and helps with their ongoing therapy, they have a new interest in the natural world.’

*names have been changed

Wellbeing

Gardening to Feel Great!

This is the third year of our Wellbeing sessions for over 55s and younger people with long term health conditions, funded by Involve Kent. Our weekly sessions have helped more than 40 local people improve their mental and physical wellbeing, boost their confidence and combat social isolation.

Participants meet new people in a friendly and relaxed outdoor environment, and together take part in general gardening activities, promoting gentle physical activity and connection with nature.

This year for the first time we were able to offer sessions all year round, moving inside our heated yurt for gardening, crafting and other nature-related activities on colder days.

Extra 190 hours

of physical activity delivered in October - December for this group.

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48
wellbeing
sessions
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With new found confidence and skills, Gardening to Feel Great members often move on to become committed Communigrow volunteers, making a long term commitment to both their health and to being part of our team.

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In October 2023 Communigrow received two awards at the Kent Mental Wellbeing Awards hosted by East Kent Mind. We were thrilled to receive an overall Champion Award and were named Kent’s Wellbeing Space of the Year.

Estelle’s Story “Coming here saved my life.”

“In December 2017, I suffered a pulmonary embolism and the damage this caused my lungs meant I had to give up my gardening business. After previously being very active, being this ill and inactive really impacted my mental health. This was made far worse with the social isolation of Covid hampering my recovery.

Coming to the wellbeing group - Gardening to Feel Great - saved my life.

I met people of a similar age and formed new friendships. Being outside, gardening again alongside other people helped me get my mojo back!

I now also volunteer for Communigrow in the growing team and Field School team and have supported the fundraising activities. It’s a great charity to be part of.”

*names have been changed

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Wellbeing in the community

In addition to our centre based activities, in 2023 we also delivered a workshop to The Sahara Foundation in Medway.

The Sahara Foundation is a community initiative dedicated to helping South Asian people make the most of later life.

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Gardening to Feel Great Linda’s story:

“It’s so uplifting being out in the fresh air mixing with others, especially when you are on your own. It gives you a reason to get out and soak up some Vitamin D.

It really helps to know that others are in the same boat.”

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A group of over 30 elderly participants took part in an inclusive and relaxed succulent propagation workshop. They enjoyed the therapeutic, stressreducing benefits of having their hands in the soil and the social benefits of learning something new in a group.

The group are planning to visit us in 2024 to take part in another growing experience in our outdoor space.

Volunteering

Our amazing volunteers support all areas of our work, bringing skills, experience and enthusiasm to assist our dedicated and hard-working staff. This helps us provide distinct and fulfilling experiences for our beneficiaries.

In return we aim to provide a welcoming and inclusive experience, with dedicated volunteering events, a range of incentives, and of course, unlimited cups of tea!

Volunteers also gain valuable work experience that can lead to employment. In fact, over 50% of our staff team are ‘home grown’ - joining us as a result of volunteering at Communigrow.

During 2023, 111 volunteers donated an incredible 5,621 hours of their time and knowledge - at an estimated economic value of £77,722.

111 volunteers spent 5,621 hours volunteering with us.

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Wellbeing to Volunteering James’ Story

“Having joined the Wellbeing group at Communigrow and felt the benefits of being part of this community project it was a natural progression to start volunteering.

It has a great impact on ones’ wellbeing working alongside different people of all ages and backgrounds to a common end. Having your hands in the soil is good for your all-round health!

To be able to turn my enthusiasm into action and make a small mark, a contribution, has been wonderful.”

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Community Engagement
Governance and Administration 197
1383
Communished Horticulture
554 2986
Education
501
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Split of volunteering hours

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Field school volunteers supporting our family workshops.

These volunteer hours have an estimated value of

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of our staff are ‘home grown’ - they started off as volunteers!

new regular volunteers were welcomed in 2023.

Field School Volunteer

Sue’s story

“I have always worked with people and have a background in special needs education. So retirement, followed by lockdown and a gruelling stint of jury service, was a bit of a shock.

Volunteering with The Field School team at Communigrow meant my skills were still relevant, which gave me more of a purpose after retirement.

I am certainly more physically active on the days I am here!

It is lovely to see the children taking part and developing. The small groups at Communigrow are so important for children with SEN. It means we can cater for specific needs and individual interests. This allows the children to gain confidence and really feel that they are achieving.”

*names have been changed

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Sustainability

Communigrow provides space to learn about sustainable food growing. We use chemical free methods, no dig and companion planting. Our office runs on solar power, we harvest rainwater and we have composting toilets!

We are chemical free,

growing beautiful fresh veg without chemical fertilisers or pesticides

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Solar Powered

In 2023 our new solar panels have allowed us to greatly reduce our carbon footprint

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Our wildlife habitats encourage pollinators and other invertebrates to thrive

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The composting area

has expanded to help us reduce waste and reliance

on outside compost. It is also an effective teaching resource for soil health and home composting

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A ‘no dig’ approach protects soil health, improves soil drainage and prevents carbon release from the undisturbed soil

Drought resistance measures

include dead hedge Rain water harvesting windbreaks to reduce water loss through transpiration and mulch litres water storage to retain moisture

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Wildflower areas

are a haven for pollinators, supporting the growing process and conserving

The Pizza Bed

In March 2023, Communigrow was one of 13 environmental charities in England to gain support from The Social Enterprise Development Programme (funded by The Foundation for Social Investment).

This fund helps organisations become more sustainable by diversifying their income sources.

The funding supported us to build our capacity to develop an income generating social enterprise product, including building our new website, creating an on-line shop and having specialist support to help us upscale our social enterprise activity.

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The Communigrow Field School Pizza Bed has always been successful in engaging children and parents in the joy of growing and eating fresh food. Children could relate to the pizza shape and were thrilled to make their own pizzas using vegetables they had to helped to grow and harvest.

We were very excited to make this into a product that more schools, communities and families could use to learn about growing naturally produced fresh food.

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During 2023, we re-designed the bed to make it a commercially viable product. We created a ‘how to’ guide that details how to grow and prepare fresh vegetables in the Pizza Bed and also includes nutritional advice.

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Fundraising

The generosity of our funders and supporters has enabled us to achieve the following substantial progress in the development of our charitable aims:

Deliver skills and therapeutic gardening sessions to 921 children, young people and adults - a 50% increase on 2022
Purchase a 24' all seasons yurt, with log burner, to enable Field School and Wellbeing sessions to operate year round
Convert a donated shipping container into a sustainable onsite office to support beneficiaries, staff and volunteers
Build a wellbeing Tea Garden Fund a disabled access toilet Continue our progress towards net carbon zero with 14 powerful solar panels and battery storage
Improve our sustainability and water conservation
Help cover core staffing costs and the running of the charity.

We are very grateful to the following organisations for the support they have provided this year:

Alison and Glenn Luff Apps Family Asda, Kings Hill Baily Thomas Charitable Fund Barbara Ward Foundation Berger Tools BUPA Foundation Cole Charitable Trust Colyer-Fergusson Trust Coop Local Community Fund East Malling Picnic in the Park East Malling Women's Institute Every Day Active Fidelity UK Foundation Forrester Family Garfield Weston Foundation Giles Whitehead

Groundwork Ent Dev Prog (EDP) Hendy Foundation Hollick Family foundation John Swire 1989 Charitable Trust Kent Community Foundation Kent County Council Leigh Trust

Lush, Tunbridge Wells Minerva Family & Howard Family National Lottery Community Fund New Earth Solutions

Rowan Bentall Charitable Trust Sarah Kennerell-Walters Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council

West Peckham Village Fete Whitehead Monckton Charitable Foundation Woodroffe Benton Foundation

Fundraising Corporate Partners

In addition to income from trusts and foundations, corporate partners provide both in kind and direct support that helps to reduce our reliance on grant funding. These partnerships are often mutually beneficial, helping our corporate friends to achieve their social and environmental aims.

In particular, we are hugely appreciative of the support we have received from:

Atwood Benefits UK Ltd, our neighbours and long term supporters, who kindly provided funding for our sustainable office.

NIAB for their ongoing support, particularly as part of the Growing Green project which funded our solar panels.

Perrys Chartered Accountants who raised a staggering £4,600 for Communigrow at their Charity Golf Day and other fundraising events which has allowed us to build a Wellbeing Tea Garden and also helped fund the office.

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Representatives from St Modwen Homes and Kent Community Foundation opening our new yurt

St Modwen Homes who generously provided funding for our Yurt.

United Living for providing the kitchen units in our volunteer cabin.

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Perrys Chartered Accountants Charity Golf Day

Plans for 2024

The Field School

Enhance our affordable School Trips offer, increasing the number of visits to Communigrow.

Attract new SEN schools, increasing the number of neurodiverse young learners who can benefit and thrive in our unique learning environment.

Continue to grow our community outreach to local schools, nurseries and toddler groups, encouraging a healthier lifestyle for children and young people.

Wellbeing & Community Engagement

Deliver a new ‘gardening to heal’ bereavement support group and develop our natural world workshops for Adults.

Increase our community outreach work in priority areas, identifying communities and residents who would benefit from the opportunities we provide.

Develop partnerships with local GPs and other social prescribers to increase our green therapy referrals.

Environment

Plant native hedging to increase the diversity of our wildlife for the benefit of our teaching and growing areas.

Install additional rainwater capture resources.

Horticulture

Diversify our produce by experimenting with varieties more resilient to climate change, increasing our undercover growing and installing no-dig raised beds.

Create teaching ‘show gardens’ to demonstrate food growing in a ‘normal’ domestic garden space.

Resources

Completion of staff office - providing a secure and comfortable working space for the team.

Provide disabled toilets with baby changing facility, disabled access raised beds and an all-terrain wheelchair to improve accessibility.

Enterprise

Launch our ‘Pizza Bed’ product for general sale in partnership with Grow 19.

Governance & Organisational Structure

Communigrow is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation incorporated in 2014 and is governed by its constitution.

Leadership and Management

The board of trustees manage the affairs of the charity. They meet every other month and are responsible for the charity’s activities, for monitoring progress and policies, developing the charity’s strategy and for risk management. The trustees recognise that they are required to meet the objects of the charity and provide a public benefit. In making their decisions, they follow the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

We are very fortunate in having a skilled and active board of trustees who are passionately committed to Communigrow and its work. In July 2023, we added to our board of trustees with the appointment of Dr Robert Saville who works at NIAB, East Malling Research Station but he was unable to continue due to other commitments. In addition, the board of trustees is supported by a full-time operations manager and engages business development and fundraising consultants to assist with business development and income generation.

When recruiting trustees, the board of trustees identifies any skills gaps and looks for individuals who can provide expertise and leadership. The principal means of recruiting new trustees is by public advertisement of the role. Under the charity’s constitution, trustees are appointed for a fixed three year term (or such lesser period as the trustees decide) and are then eligible for re-election for up to two further three year terms. There is an induction programme for new trustees and all trustees undertake training.

Major Risks Statement

The trustees have assessed the major risks of the charity including, governance, operations, financial and external risks. They are satisfied that systems and procedures are in place to mitigate the major risks.

Review of Financial Position

The income of the charity for 2023 was £214,541 ( 2022: £257,728) and expenditure was £193,892 ( 2022: £159,394). Total funds at 31/12/2023 were £234,247 of which £154,627 were restricted funds and £79,620 were unrestricted (2022: £213,600, £150,562, £63,068 respectively) and the bank balance at the year end stood at £172,169 (2022: £197,901). The trustee consider this a satisfactory position for the charity to be in.

The charity has invested £51,784 during the year (2022: £14,189) in facilities at the field to improve the experience for all visitors to the site. This includes the construction of a yurt to provide accommodation for the field school during the winter and periods of wet weather and upgraded toilets (including disabled toilets) to expand the numbers who can visit.

Reserves Policy

The charity needs reserves to enable it to progress to completing both its long term projects, and its current activities and fluctuations in receipts and payments. The trustees consider that £50,000 of unrestricted funds should be held in reserve, this is the estimated amount needed to allow for an orderly closure of the charity should this ever be necessary. The level has also been set to take account of the following:

Contingency: unexpected expenditure in the event of an emergency;
Cash-flow: situations where a bill has to be paid before the money to cover it has been received;
Commitment: a commitment to expenditure which cannot be covered by the annual income.

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees’ report and the financial statements in accordance with the applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that year.

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are require to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.

The trustees are responsible for keeping sufficient accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable it to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of it’s constitution. It is also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Trustees Registered Address Caroline Pearce, Chair Hazel Hall Anthony Blackman Church Road David Field West Peckham Martin Long, Finance Trustee Kent Alan Piper ME18 5JL Dr Rebecca Prince (appointed April 2024) Dr Robert Saville (appointed July 2023, resigned February 2024)

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees' report above.

Signed: Date: 28th June 2024

Caroline Pearce, Chair

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