## Trustees’ Annual Report 2025 London Bat Group Covering the period 01/10/2024 - 30/09/2025 London Bat Group Registered Charity No. 1160872 ## Contents Trustees and Committee ........................................................................................................................ 3 Governing Document ............................................................................................................................. 3 Objectives and Aims .............................................................................................................................. 4 Committee Meetings .............................................................................................................................. 5 Reserves policy and investments ............................................................................................................ 5 Investment Policy ................................................................................................................................... 5 Donations and Support .......................................................................................................................... 5 Training .................................................................................................................................................. 6 Projects ................................................................................................................................................. 8 Surveys and monitoring ........................................................................................................................ 13 Events and Talks .................................................................................................................................. 15 Outreach, lobbying and advocacy ......................................................................................................... 17 Accounts ............................................................................................................................................. 19 All photos: London Bat Group unless otherwise stated 2 ## **London Bat Group** c/o Bat Conservation Trust Studio 15 Cloisters House Cloisters Business Centre 8 Battersea Park Road London SW8 4BG ## Trustees and Committee Chair – Philip Briggs Secretary – Emma Little Treasurer – Stephen Mulvey Trustees – Anastasia Ellis, Becky Wilson, Greg Hitchcock, Sophia Davies Enquiries Officer – Magdalena Howitt Membership Officer – Beverly Evans Newsletter Editor – David Jackson Records Officer – Becky Wilson Safeguarding Officer – Magdalena Howitt Social Media Officers – Magdalena Howitt, Michelle Parsons, Siobhan Dempsey Social Secretary – Siobhan Dempsey Volunteer Bat Roost Visitor Trainers – Alison Fure, Tim Bradford ## Governing Document The London Bat Group Constitution was finalised on 28th February 2015 and is based on the Charitable Commission's model 'Association' Constitution for a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with voting members other than its charity trustees. A copy of the constitution is made available, to members, on London Bat Group's email group service (Groups.io). 3 ## Objectives and Aims The London Bat Group's objectives are to protect and enhance London's bat populations as well as encourage the conservation of bats through educating and inspiring the public. The bat group carries out its work within the geographical area of Greater London. The London Bat Group aims to: - Advance the protection and conservation of bats, their roosts, feeding areas and - hibernacula in Greater London (and other parts of the UK if deemed appropriate). - Educate the public and the Group’s members in all matters related to bats. - Maintain a pool of licensed volunteer bat workers who can visit roost sites and provide expert assistance on matters relating to bats in Greater London. The area the Bat Group covers is shown in the map below: 4 ## Committee Meetings A total of four committee meetings were held, on 17[th] December 2024, 12[th] March 2025, 17[th] June 2025 and 15[th] September 2025. All were held via Zoom. The AGM was held on 24[th] November 2025, also on Zoom. ## Reserves policy and investments A new reserves policy for LBG funds had been presented and proposed at the 2024 AGM where it was unanimously approved. The background to this proposal was as follows: LBG has built up substantial funds, particularly through the pandemic years when spend on projects and activities fell away. The trustees understand their duty to spend income on charitable causes within reasonable time, and the need to justify any reserves held for what are reasonable operational needs. While the group has very limited operational costs, with no salaried staff, and no ongoing obligations or commitments to long-term projects, it was felt that some reserves should be retained to enable such projects and additional spending in specific years. The level of reserves was of much debate, ranging from £2k to £10k, and the committee ultimately voted to have a reserve of £7,500. This helps focus our attention on using our funds for projects that will benefit bat conservation in London. The aim is to reach a reserve level of £7,500 over 5 years, through funding equipment, creation of new bat roosts, buying bat boxes etc. We are keen to hear from members about any ideas they have or sites where there is real scope for improving for bats in ways that might be within our funding means. As shown in the Accounts, we finished the financial year with £812.59 in the CAF current account, £12,500 in the Charity Bank fixed one year investment account, and £11,184.50 in the CAF Gold account, giving a total of £24,497.09, compared with £30,768.30, indicating that we are making progress towards our target of a reserve of £7,500 by 2030. ## Investment Policy In 2024 we also identified that LBG should invest a proportion of its surplus funds for the purposes of providing an income stream to support the Group’s charitable activities. The Group will use investments specifically set up for charities, which have associated ethical policies, where deposits are protected under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, and the Group considers this is a prudent and proportionate means of balancing our financial needs and ethical concerns. This was implemented in April 2025. Our existing current account with CAF Bank has an interest rate of 0.2% which it was agreed was too low a return on our investment and we should aim to increase the impact of our funds. The Trustees agreed that LBG should put £12,500 in a Charity Bank one year investment account with a fixed interest rate of 4.26%, which would give a return of £533. A further £12,000 was moved to the CAF Bank Gold savings account, with an interest rate of 2.3%. The existing current account will continue to be used for income and transactions and will be regularly topped up from the CAF Bank Gold savings account to ensure we have around £500 in the account to avoid going into deficit. ## Donations and Support The London Bat Group provides donations, grants and support to causes that align with our objective and aims. A project funding application form is available on our email service, Groups.io, and is promoted during Bat Group meetings. Donations can be made to members or non-members. Donation requests are assessed on how closely they align to the Bat Group’s aims and are voted on by members during Bat Group meetings, or electronically between meetings. The Bat Group also aims to provide grants to members whose activities are considered to provide added value for the Bat Group and bat conservation. LBG funded several bat conservation/monitoring projects, and also training/learning opportunities for members. These are described in more detail below. 5 Training ## **Training taster webinar** On 15[th] March 2025, we ran a webinar for members, providing a taster of the different types of training LBG can offer. Several members who are able to deliver training provided brief talks on topics including an introduction to London Bat Group, bat care, voluntary bat roost visits, licensing, sound analysis and advanced bat survey techniques. At least 14 members joined who weren’t delivering talks. An online questionnaire was sent to members afterwards to gauge levels of interest in different types of training. LBG members had opportunities to gain experience and training in survey methods including hibernation surveys, trapping surveys, bat box checks, bat handling and identification. See the survey and monitoring projects summarised under Projects below. ## **Volunteer Bat Roost Visitor training** Currently three trainees are being trained to be Volunteer Bat Roost Visitors (VBRVs), so that they can visit householders and churches to give free advice about bats roosting in their property. One new VBRV was signed off for their licence. 6 ## **National Bat Conference** LBG again funded three places for members to attend the National Bat Conference which took place at Durham University from 5[th] – 7[th] September. This provided a great opportunity for these members to increase their knowledge and learning through attending talks and workshops and networking with other bat workers. _London Bat Group members (circled in red) at the National Bat Conference, three of whom had their places funded by LBG (Photo: BCT)_ London Bat Group Registered Charity No. 1160872 ## Projects ## **Bat habitat creation: Barnes Common** Many woodlands across the UK are lacking in trees of sufficient age to have features suitable for roosting bats, through loss of woodland habitat and - within semi-urban areas especially – through pruning and felling of dead or dying trees for safety reasons. This year LBG funded the arborists’ work required to carve chainsaw cavities and crevices, suitable for a range of tree roosting bats, directly into applicable trees, across the woodlands of Barnes Common, South West London. Trail cameras were also funded to monitor the features for bat activity (total cost of work and equipment £3,320). This work is building upon the pioneering research by Jim Mullholland, that has shown the feature creation is not detrimental to the trees (suitable trees are chosen by the arborists), as the tree seals the extracted wood panel back in place, with the cavity hidden within. His design has been adapted to have sloping entrances in Barnes to manage the local Rose-ringed Parakeet population that found the initial holes attractive. _Chainsaw carved habitat creation by Barnes Common Ltd in Barnes Common, SW13. Photo: Will Dartnell, Barnes Common Ltd_ After a lot of bird sightings on the camera footage, the first bat recorded investigating the holes was spotted in September 2025. When the scheme is more developed, LBG members will be able to attend walks to see the future crevices being created, and help to analyse the video footage produced. _Bat investigating carved habitat in September 2025 in Barnes Common, SW13. Photo: Still from video analysed by Will Dartnell, Barnes Common Ltd_ London Bat Group Registered Charity No. 1160872 ## **Bat box schemes: Addington Woods and Nunhead Cemetery** LBG spent almost £1,500 on bat boxes to supplement boxes already in place as well as new lids to bring broken boxes back into working order. Addington Woods near Croydon is a very important site for LBG, and has been an excellent site for Brown Long-eared Bats since records began in 2007. The original scheme started with 100 boxes installed in 2000, and this year was the second round of funding for replacements and repairs. LBG again funded a number of replacement Schwegler 2F bat boxes to keep the project going strong, and LBG member Steven Lofting installed them during the April box check. A limited number of places are always made available to LBG members to attend bat box checks at the site twice a year, led by Steven Lofting. _Checking bat boxes at Addington Park, September 2025_ LBG match-funded five Schwegler 2FN bat boxes for Nunhead Cemetery to provide a total of ten new boxes for the site near Peckham in South East London. The site is easily accessible for members by public transport, and their Friends Group invited us to host a stall in 2026 at their very popular open day, so we look forward to increasing our involvement with the site. 9 ## **Motus tags** LBG funded five Motus tags (total cost £1,280) during the year. The National Nathusius’ Project that ran from 2014 to 2023 recorded ten long distance migrations by recaptured ringed bats between the UK and Eastern Europe: three of these were between sites in west Greater London and Latvia or Russia (the latter consisted of a record 2,018km journey). Patty Briggs has been licensed by Natural England to continue a localised extension of the national project. Motus tags emit a frequency encoded with the tag number and enable temporary tracking of the bats for a few weeks - until the tags fall off, are groomed off, or the battery fails. There are receivers along the coast of mainland Europe, and when tagged bats pass these receivers on their way to breeding grounds in Northern and Eastern Europe, the data provide new information about migratory behaviour (see image below). _Motus tracking records for female Nathusius’ pipistrelle bats tagged in April 2025 at Bedfont Lakes in west Greater London_ _The Motus receiver at Bedfont Lakes in west Greater London_ London Bat Group Registered Charity No. 1160872 ## **Buckingham Palace Ice House** London Bat Group has been involved in advising Buckingham Palace staff on how to adapt the Ice House for use in winter by bats. LBG members inspected the Ice House and determined that conditions appeared suitable, they advised on removing the ventilation grille to enable access, and on where to locate bat boxes/bricks internally. The staff are very keen to help bats, and a sign has gone up for the public to know that it is coming. LBG hope to be able to carry out annual surveys of the site. _The Buckingham Palace Ice House is adapted to provide hibernation habitat for bats, including access, bat boxes and public awareness._ 11 **Equipment purchases** _Left: Audiomoth, a protective case and SD card. RHS: caving equipment._ New equipment was purchased (total cost £1,603) to support the group’s activities and objectives. Hard hats, knee pads and torches were bought for use by group members taking part in hibernation surveys of sites such as caves and mines where PPE is essential. Hard hats are also used during bat box checks. Twelve sets of AudioMoths, SD cards, batteries and weatherproof cases were bought for increasing collection of bat data across London through passive acoustic monitoring. A project open to all group members is planned for 2026, and so far they have been used in the southern end of Epping Forest that is part of London – no Barbastelles were recorded, but there were recordings of three pipistrelle species, _Myotis_ species including Natterer’s bat, Noctule and Brown Long-eared bats. _AudioMoth being installed on a branch in Epping Forest by LBG members_ London Bat Group Registered Charity No. 1160872 ## Surveys and monitoring ## **National Bat Monitoring Programme** There was excellent take-up of additional National Bat Monitoring Programme (NBMP) sites for the Field Survey and Waterway Survey in London this year. So far data for 2025 have been submitted for 26 Field Survey sites and 21 Waterway Survey sites, 7 roost count sites, and 22 volunteers doing sunset surveys. Of the 56 volunteers overall in London, at least 15 were LBG members. London Bat Group members monitored the four disused tunnels next to Highgate Station, and the disused tunnel in Sydenham Hill Woods, all of which have been enhanced for hibernating bats, and deneholes in Bromley. London Bat Group members also joined members of Sussex Bat Group and Kent Bat Group to survey Westerham Mines, just outside the London boundary in Kent. The data collected from across these surveys in London make an important contribution to UK species populations trends produced by the Bat Conservation Trust. _LBG members with Cindy Blaney, for a Hibernation Survey at Highgate Tunnels, December 2024_ _LBG members fully equipped for a Westerham mines hibernation survey in January 2025_ London Bat Group Registered Charity No. 1160872 ## **Bat box checks and trapping surveys** Bat box checks were carried out Bedfont Lakes, Sydenham Hill Wood and Addington Park, and also at Stockers Lake, just outside Greater London in Hertfordshire. LBG members also got the chance to join in with bat trapping surveys at Bedfont Lakes and Stockers Lake. These provided multiple opportunities for LBG members to get experience of bat handling and identification in the hand. _Female Nathusius’ pipistrelle bats being ringed (left) and tagged (right) at Bedfont Lakes._ 14 ## Events and Talks London Bat Group aims to organise a number of talks and events for Bat Group members throughout the year. An online talk in November 2024 by Magdalena Howitt looked at over 20 years of bat monitoring at the London Wetland Centre, and a talk in December 2024 by Phoebe Ford from BCT discussed bat associations with Halloween and Christmas. On July 21[st] 2025, Elliott Newton from Citizen Zoo (and an LBG member) led a walk at Paradise Fields in Ealing on “Bats and Beavers”. LBG members learnt how biodiversity has increased since beavers were reintroduced to the landscape – wet woodland and increased habitat variation has lead to more fish, and Kingfishers and Daubenton’s bats are being recorded for the first time. The event was a huge success, and there are plans to repeat it in 2026. _Beaver sited during the walk, and a mural of a Soprano Pipistrelle_ _LBG members at the Bats and Beavers walk listening to Elliot Newton_ London Bat Group Registered Charity No. 1160872 An LBG social and bat walk was held in Hyde Park on 20[th] September 2025. Fifteen members attended and high levels of activity of common pipistrelle, soprano pipistrelle and Nathusius’ pipistrelle were recorded, including Nathusius’ pipistrelles observed flying against the wind. _LBG members at the LBG social / bat walk in Hyde Park_ _Bat sightings on the LBG social / bat walk in Hyde Park in September 2025_ London Bat Group Registered Charity No. 1160872 ## Outreach, lobbying and advocacy ## **School Talks** A talk was given on the 1[st ] November 2024 to sixty ten-year-olds at a school in southwest London by LBG trustee Emma Little, covering the basic ecology and diversity of bats and tackling myths along the way. ## **Event stalls** Three LBG members hosted an LBG stand at the Wandsworth Eco Fair once again in May 2025, and LBG trustee Emma Little also hosted a stall at Imperial College’s annual Birds, Bugs and Beasts day in July 2025. Members of the public were very engaged, discussing bat species in London, threats to bats and how to help them, looking at information boards about LBG projects, playing a myths and truths game and taking away a variety of leaflets and postcards. There was also an impromptu “Cookies help bats” stall in September in Barnes, South West London, run by two young enthusiasts, raising over £100 for the group as well as raising awareness of London bats and London Bat Group. _Clockwise from top left: Wandsworth Eco Fair; “Cookies help bats” stall by Barnes Farmers’ Market; Silwood Park: Birds, Bugs and Beasts day_ London Bat Group Registered Charity No. 1160872 ## **LBG newsletter –** _**Natterer’s News**_ LBG committee member David Jackson published two newsletters, _Natterer’s News,_ though the period, the 101[st] and 102[nd] editions. The newsletters cover member activities, world bat news and research, and information about projects LBG is funding. ## **Planning and Infrastructure Bill** The government published its Planning and Infrastructure Bill in March 2025, which outlined its proposals for reforming the planning process. Although the Bill states that it will not have the effect of reducing the level of environmental protection provided for by any existing environmental law, evidence suggest otherwise. The Bat Conservation Trust campaigned against the rhetoric used to justify the Bill and for meaningful changes that would address the key areas that are likely to negatively impact bats and other species. While LBG was not directly involved in campaigning, the group was sure to circulate campaigning updates and requests from BCT to LBG members. 18 ## Accounts ## **Income** Total income increased by 33% to £3,647 (2023/24: £2,741). Membership fees (£1,246) and donations (£1,352) each represented approximately one third of the income, the former remained stable but the latter was up significantly on the previous year (£784 in 23/24). Those donations however were received from only nine transactions, compared to 16 last year, reflecting the variable nature of this income stream. Income from record searches increased to £900 from 18 searches (2023/24: £600 from 12 searches), although this remains significantly depressed relative to prior to 2020, when the records income would provide around £5,000p.a. Interest income more than doubled to £148 (2023/24: £64), reflecting improved returns on cash holdings. ## **Expenditure** Total expenditure increased to £9,918 (2023/24: £6,426), principally due to the planned deployment of accumulated reserves in support of the Group's charitable objectives (see Reserves Policy). Project/Training spend included £3,324 to Barnes Common Ltd for carved habitat creation, £536.92 for bat boxes for Nunhead Cemetery, £955.11 for bat boxes and lids for Addington Woods, and £1,284 to Patty Briggs/Lotek Ltd for five Motus VHF NanoTags. The Group also funded attendance for three members at the National Bat Conference at a cost of £1,102, supporting skills development and knowledge sharing. Equipment expenditure of £1,603 included AudioMoth acoustic monitoring devices and associated field equipment. Administrative and governance costs remained low at £439, comprising fees for the Zoom account for meetings and training (£158), Wordpress website hosting (£100), CAF bank account fees (£55) and insurance (£55), broadly in line with the previous year. A donation of £500 was made to the Bat Conservation Trust, and £50 to Citizen Zoo (Bats and Beavers). ## **Financial Assets** The total balance on 30 September 2025 was £24,497 (2024: £30,768), reflecting the planned use of accumulated reserves to support charitable activities. During the year, £12,500 was placed in a one-year fixed-term deposit account with Charity Bank (4.26% interest) and an instant-access savings account with CAF was opened to improve returns on cash balances. These arrangements are expected to generate £700-800 of interest over the twelve months following their establishment, depending on the level of spend during the period. London Bat Group Registered Charity No. 1160872 **London Bat Group Accounts 2024-2025** _Period 1st October 2024 to 30th September 2025_ |_Period 1st October 2024 to 30th September 2025_|| |---|---| |**Income**|| |Membership|£1,246.50| |Donations|£1,352.26| |Records search fees|£900.50| |Bank interest|£147.66| |**Total**|**£3,646.92**| ||| |**Expenses**|| |Equipment|£1,603.66| |Meetings, events & social|£30.00| |Admin|£383.89| |Insurance|£55.00| |Project/Training|£7,202.03| |LBG Giving|£550.00| |Staff/volunteer expenses|£93.55| |**Total**|**£9,918.13**| ||| |**Balance 30th September 2024**|**£30,768.30**| |Net income / expenses|-£6,271.21| |**Balance 30th September 2025**|**£24,497.09**| ||| |**Financial assets 30th September 2025**|| |Charity Bank One Year Fixed Income @4.26%
_Fixed One Year Term - 17 April 2025 to 16 April 2026_|£12,500.00| |CAF Gold Instant Access Savings Account|£11,184.50| |Current Account|£812.59| |**Total**|**£24,497.09**| 20