## **North-east Red Squirrels** 

## **Trustees Annual Report Year Ended 31st December 2024** 

**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** 

We were pleased to receive £1,485 in donations, from local supporters. The largest donation came from a landowner who used the Countryside Stewardship (CS) Woodland Improvement Grant. This grant provides funding for grey squirrel control; and the Woodland Supplement, which provides annual funding for grey squirrel control and management. Unfortunately, we were unable to access any grant funding. Like other Red Squirrel groups in Northumberland and Cumbria we were extremely disappointed the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) reneged on its promise to allocate £50,000. This was to be split equally between Northumberland and Cumbria red squirrel groups. We planned to use this grant to leverage other grants, for example from the Postcode Lottery. 

## **Plans** 

Attracting funding and new volunteers will be the focus of 2025, while continuing as best we can, on controlling grey squirrels and protecting red squirrels in our area. 

## **Financial Review Details** 

The funds we raised through private donations from supporters, though limited, supported our aims. We continued to support the work of Northern Red Squirrels (NRS Northumberland), the umbrella body for local red squirrel conservation groups. 



**Northeast Red Squirrels** 

## **Charity No. 1162179** 

## **Accounts for Year ending 31 December 2024** 

## **INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT** 

## **Income** 

|**Income**||
|---|---|
|Donations|£ 1,485.00|
|Grants|£ 0|
|**Total**|**£ 1,485.00**|
|**EXPENDITURE**||
|Equipment|£ 146.49|
|Feed|£ 842.82|
|Staff & expenses|£ 4,103.90|
|Bank charges|£ 60.40|
|Community and Education events|£ 662.98|
|and insurance||
|**Total**|**£5,816.59**|
|**Deficit for year**|**£ 4,331.59**|
|**BALANCE AT 31 DECEMBER 2023**|**£ 6,731.13**|
|**Assets at 31 December 2024**||
|HSBC account|£ 2,399.54|
|Cash|£0|
|**Liabilities**||
|Accruals|£0|
|Creditors|£0|
|**BALANCE AT 31 DECEMBER 2024**|**£ 2,399.13**|
|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. 28 October 2025.