North-east Red Squirrels
Trustees Annual Report Year Ended 31st December 2023
Charity Name : North-east Red Squirrels
Registration Number : 1162179
Address :18 Wallridge Cottages, Ingoe, Northumberland, NE20 0SY
Trustees :
Mr Alan Worthington
Mr Tony Metcalf
Mr Ivan Brown
Mr Rob Graham
Bank Account held with :
HSBC 110 Grey Street Newcastle NE1 6JG
Governing Document : CIO Constitution Adopted 14[th] July 2022.
Structure Details : Four charity trustees, appointed for a minimum of between two and four years.
We make trustees decisions at our Charity Trustee Meetings. All Trustees give their time voluntarily and received no pay or other benefits for their role as trustees.
Objectives and Activities for the public benefit
To promote conservation of native red squirrel populations in their natural habitat across the North-East of England for future generations. We do this in two ways. First, by supporting local voluntary groups working to protect and preserve the species. Second, by raising awareness of and educating the public in the red squirrel, the threats it faces and the need for conservation to ensure its survival.
In planning our work, we keep in mind the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit at our Trustees’ Meetings. Our focus is on promoting conservation of red squirrels in the North-East for future generations. We continue collaborating with local volunteer groups to support them in preserving red squirrels. We also raise awareness of and educate the public of the need for conservation to ensure red squirrels survive in the north-east. In the past year we collaborated with landowners and farmers, especially to allow volunteers to conduct conservation on their land.
Achievements and Performance
In March 2023, NeRS received a generous grant of £5,000 from the Branch Out fund, which is a charitable funding mechanism in the Northumbrian Water Group. The grant was to fund our work on ‘Red Squirrels and Trees,’ which combined conserving red squirrels with protecting forestry.
In 2023 we recruited another trustee, Mr Rob Graham.
During 2023 we preserved red squirrel numbers with populations increasing in our project areas. Local groups and volunteers, who we support, work cooperatively towards our aims, with ‘adopt-a-wood’ areas in place. During that year, we developed a close partnership with a local Primary School. This enabled us to reach a young audience, when we visited the school, three times during the that year. The three presentations given by two volunteer Squirrel Rangers were to the Reception Class and two full-year groups during Science Week and Geography Week. The field work conducted by the children in the school garden during the geography week, was successful. We loaned the school trail cameras and gifted bags of different baits, animal feeders and bird feeders. Using this equipment, the children captured photographs of birds and mammals, including hedgehogs and foxes, visiting the garden.
It remains a priority to encourage and nurture engagement and an increased love of the red squirrel and nature in general.
Plans
The UK government offers a variety of funds and programs to help control grey squirrels, including Countryside Stewardship (CS) Woodland Improvement Grant, which provides funding for grey squirrel control; and the Woodland Supplement, which provides annual funding for grey squirrel control and management. We are working with local estates and landowners to a) apply for these government grants and b) to share this funding to enable NeRS to continue.
We are conscious that Red Squirrel groups must stress in our messages to partners and the public the gene therapy, grey squirrel contraceptive and vaccination for red squirrels are national long term aims but are nowhere near being available. Nor are there specific plans to implement a programme, should there be a scientific breakthrough.
We hope to continue delivering our long-term strategy. If funds are available, we will expand the range of our red squirrels through engagement with local communities. Build on our volunteer base and deliver training and information to local schools and community groups.
Financial Review Details
We have continued to raise funds through private donations from supporters. The income we raise is to support our aims. We support the work of Northern Red Squirrels (Northumberland), the umbrella body for local red squirrel conservation groups.
Northeast Red Squirrels
Charity No. 1162179
Accounts for Year ending 31 December 2023
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT
Income
Donations £ 100 Grants £ 5,020 Red Squirrels groups income £ 431.36 Total £ 5,551.36 EXPENDITURE Equipment £ 698.45 Feed £ 1,055.81 Volunteer expenses £ 5,156.62 Red Squirrel Group outgoings £ 431.36 Community and Education events £ 288.56 and insurance Total £ 7,694.53 Deficit for year £ - 2,143.17 BALANCE AT 31 DECEMBER 2022 £ 8,874.30 Assets on 31 December 2023 HSBC account £ 6,731.13 Cash £0 Liabilities Accruals £0 Creditors £0 BALANCE AT 31 DECEMBER 2023 £ 6,731.13 Accounts prepared by Tony Metcalf, Honorary Treasurer.
HONORARY AUDITOR'S REPORT
I hereby Certify the above income and expenditure accounts, and Balance Sheets are a true representation of the financial affairs of Northeast Red Squirrels, as evidenced by the books, vouchers and other information supplied to me.
Date. 24[th] October 2023.