Trustees' Annual Report for the period
| Period start date | Period start date | Period end date | Period end date | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | November | 2019 | 31 | October | 2020 | ||
| **From ** | To |
Section A Reference and administration details
Forest of Hearts
Charity name Forest of Hearts Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1160589 Charity's principal address 15 Ensign, Westwood Way Coventry Postcode CV4 8JA
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 (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wil Hepworth | Chair | |||
| John Bill | Treasurer | |||
| Lynne Holt | Secretary | |||
Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
Name Dates acted if not for whole year
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Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
| Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) | Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information) |
|---|---|---|
| Type of adviser Name Address |
||
| Accountant | Hayward Wright | 4 The Oaks, Clews Road, Redditch B98 7ST |
| Solicitor | Lodders | Number Ten, Elm Court, Arden Street, Stratford upon Avon, CV37 |
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Constitution
Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) Charitable Incorporated Organisation How the charity is constituted
- (eg. trust, association, company)
Appointed by management team Trustee selection methods
- (eg. appointed by, elected by)
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
All policies and procedures are to be found on the resources page on the You may choose to include Forest of Hearts website additional information, where relevant, about:
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policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
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the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
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relationship with any related parties;
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trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
Section C Objectives and activities
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
To promote for the benefit of the public the conservation protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment through sustainable and accessible forest gardens. To advance the education of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment.
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| Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit) |
WE CREATE AND MAINTAIN EDIBLE AND NATURAL LANDSCAPES WHICH BUILD BIODIVERSITY AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOLUNTEERING, EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT IN ORDER TO REDUCE LONELINESS, ISOLATION AND IMPROVE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. The Forest of Hearts aims to improve the wellbeing, skills and confidence and reduce isolation or anxiety of its beneficiaries, whilst building biodiversity and enhancing the environment. The main activities are Green Therapy, Harvest Share, Gardening, Tree Planting and Propagation. The trustees are aware that public benefit requirement has two aspects: The ‘benefit aspect’ To satisfy this aspect: • a purpose must be beneficial - this must be in a way that is identifiable and capable of being proved by evidence where necessary and which is not based on personal views • any detriment or harm that results from the purpose (to people, property or the environment) must not outweigh the benefit - this is also based on evidence and not on personal views The ‘public aspect’To satisfy this aspect the purpose must: • benefit the public in general, or a sufficient section of the public - what is a ‘sufficient section of the public’ varies from purpose to purpose • not give rise to more than incidental personal benefit - personal benefit is ‘incidental’ where (having regard both to its nature and to its amount) it is a necessary result or by-product of carrying out the purpose The Trustees have read the guidance about Public Benefit here. |
|---|---|
Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
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You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:
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policy on grantmaking;
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policy programme related investment;
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contribution made by volunteers.
Section D Achievements and performance
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Section D Achievements and performance
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year |
2020 was a year like no other but we adapted to the circumstances and managed to achieve a lot. Here are some of our 2020 highlights: • Our wonderful team of workers, volunteers and funders who we couldn’t have got through the year without. We now have 61 volunteers, many are registered as hospital volunteers. • Our Green Therapy group for their fantastic work, education and enthusiasm and have been meeting within the Covid restrictions to maintain the garden at Stratford Hospital and get the polytunnel ready for use. • Tree planting in the local community which saw us plant thousands of trees to build biodiversity, combat climate change and improve wellbeing – this has happened at three sites in Pathlow, Long Marston and Stratford Hospital. Trees are supplied by IDIgTrees and through the Arden Farm Network. We have been supported with tree planting by Siemens and Reckitt Benckiser. Lockdown meant that we had to stop our plans for corporate tree planting. • Vale Fresco came in just before lockdown and the poly tunnel was constructed so we could grow lots of plants and edibles throughout the year ready to transfer into our raised beds. • We started the creation of the kitchen garden with the building of two brick raised beds, pathways and planting. This garden has attracted attention from Warwick hospitals and we have been asked to design gardens for them. • We have maintained the Garden of Wellbeing with regular planting of edibles, weeding and watering. The garden proved to be a very popular place for staff and patients to sit out in the summer in a socially distanced way • Our ‘Sow & Grow at Home Challenge’ which saw participants create a show garden for us to judge on VE Day. Each of the 12 participants was sent their own Grid Garden with 9 vegetable seeds and created their own garden at home • Our ‘Harvest Share Project’ which got volunteers together in the great outdoors to pick a variety of fruits from gardens and orchards and distribute them to care homes, hospitals and animal sanctuaries in the local community. We collected and distributed over 800 kilos of fruit that would have gone to waste from sites in Long Marston, Aston Cantlow and Snitterfield. • Our online shop and the sale of our ‘Grow Your Own Veg At Home’ boxes which were a big success during lockdown and helped us raise funds to support our community work and garden work at Stratford-Upon-Avon hospital to give thanks to NHS staff. • We ran online exercise classes, walks for wellbeing and completing the 3 Peaks Challenge which saw us collectively walk, run or cycle 1,020km. • We celebrated Halloween with our Pumpkin Carving Competition which saw so many amazing efforts and lots of prizes for the winners. • We have created our own composter out of recycled pallets so we can make our own compost advised by Jon Knight and Paul Sawtell. • Ann Johnson joined us in Augustfrom Wave-length Social Marketing CIC to advise and report on social inclusion aspects of all projects and recommend funding to meet accessibility needs. • Tom Donnison joined us in the New Year of 2020 and is doing a wonderful job involving a wide range of activities including developing our shop which is very successful, running online therapy sessions, supporting those with special needs, improving our social media presence, supporting tree planting and all aspects of gardening including a major tidy up of the drive into the hospital. |
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Section E Financial review
Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves
The policy for holding reserves to have at 3-6 months running costs in reserve
Details of any funds materially in deficit
N/A
Further financial review details (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:
- the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
The charity is in a strong position with cash in the bank which is needed to deliver the various projects. We are in our early years and are taking a prudent view of our finances.
Income was £77706 Expenditure £51749 Cash Funds £61277
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how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
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investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
Section F Other optional information
The charity is growing year on year and the need for our services is clearly now in three main areas:
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Mental Health and Wellbeing
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Conservation of the natural environment
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Employment, training and education
Priorities for 2021 are:
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Plant 2021 trees. Create Barn Owl Wood, Damselfly Ponds, Wildflower MeadowButterfly Banks and the Green Space (which was put on hold following the commencement of construction for the holiday lodge park in the summer)
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Complete the Kitchen Garden at Stratford Hospital and open in the summer. Design and construction of gardens at Warwick hospital including The Quiet Garden, Thomas Ward Garden, The Secret Garden, Physiotherapy Courtyard, Design and Martin’s Garden at Leamington Rehab hospital
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Build on the online offer and presence through the shop and social media
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Develop an “Instant Garden” offer with BoxGarden to increase traded income
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Increase the corporate income through events, donations, match funding etc
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Provide more volunteering, training and employment opportunities
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Create a plan for the accessible Green Space buildings and facilities and test ideas in the summer
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
| ed on behalf of the charity’s trustees | ’s trustees | ’s trustees | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Signature(s)W.Hepworth John Bill Full name(s)Wil Hepworth John Bill Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Chair Treasurer Date27thMarch 2021 |
W.Hepworth | John Bill | |||
| Wil air, etc) |
Hepworth | John Bill | |||
| Chair | Treasurer | ||||
| 27thMarch 2021 | |||||
| 27thMarch 2021 |
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TAR March 2012
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Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ members of
Charity Name
On accounts for the year ended
Charity no (if any)
Set out on pages
(remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended DD / MM / YYYY .
- Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“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 the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
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the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed: Date: Name: Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):
Address:
October 2018
1
IER
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
October 2018
2
IER