GOATWAIJILANDTRUST Matthews Hall Fore StreetTopsham EXETER EX3 OHF Registered Charlty No 1162973 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEFS FOR THE YEAR I SEFfEMBER 2023 TO 31 AUGUST 2024 The Charity Commission requir a]1 charities to submit an annual rwrt ¢(mtaining ertain inforn]ation including detsils of a charity's aint4 its management and compliance with the objects ofthe charity. Accordingly. the fOrnt of this annual repo which covers the Trust's Financial year to 3 1st August 2024, is similar to the reports of previow years and for the benefit of new members, it includes a brief synopsis of how the Trust is managed as well as the ryort on our stewardship of the land during the The Trust's origins In February 2015. a su¢eessfuL joint appeal by the Toptham ComDJunity Association and the Topsham sIety rnised over £300,000 to purchase the Goat Walk Lan(Lbeing 6 acres of land between the Goat Wall( and Bowling Green Road in Topshw for the benefit of the people of Topsham. A Charitable Eneorporated Organisation known as the G(iat Walk Land TTUSL w&8 established to own and manage the land with the object, set out in its constitutio of "the malnlenance ofihe nYal environment and heritage of the hisloric lown of Topsham ihrough ¢hepreseryalion and enhancement, wiihoz4t any permanent bulldings, ofihe Goat Iyalk landfor ihe quiel eryOnent andple¢7sure ofihe residents of Topsham and visiling members ofihepublic at large" The Trustees The Trust's constitution provides for seven trustees to hold office for three years although they may hold office for two fiwther thr¢¢"year p¢riods. Three trustees, Chris Buckingham, my predecessor as chair. Frances Nieduszynska and John Bradley stepped down as trustees in the summer of 2024. They have served the Trust with dedication and enthusiasm and w¢ are very grnlefi for their strategic and -han(Ls-on" efforts to ensure the Goat Walk Land continues to provide the open and natural environment envisag by the mcmbers of the TrusL Three new Trustees have rq)laced them: Lynn Onyett, ni)minated by Topsham Swiety Planning CommAttffj and Simon Briscoe and Jenny Jones. both nominat by TCA. Thc constitution provides for thr¢¢ tnte¢S to be electcd by mcmbers. Currently there ar¢ only two such member Trustees, JOI Bryant and Jolm Harwood. Each year, one of thesc - the long¢st standing - must retire but is welcome to stsnd again for election: John Bryant was elected at the AGM in 2023 so must stand down but h&$ decided to stand again. Kathryn Jamu was C(Pled as a Ttustre in SepMber to fill the one vacancy for an elected trustee. As a ciwted truste4 she mi]st also stand down at the
GOATWALKLANIyfRUST AGW but is willing to stand for election. Kathryn biings valuable expertise in fimd raisin& community partnerthps and social medi& The trustees are pleased to support these applications. At this AGM P¢t¢r Gray is tiTing &8 a Tnjstee having served his full tern]. He has IM a great support to the Board; we are very sad to see him retire and thank him on behalf of the Tnt and its members for all his work over the past yS - th¢ new Trustees are especially appreciative of his supp(fft &s they found their feet in recent months. The Tnt was established as a Charitabl¢ In[porated Organisation with a Membership Scheme which not onty provides the income to fid the work of the Trust and voting rights but s0 enables the community to bee more involved in the management of the land by volunteering for. for example. the working parties. A Managem¢nt Committtt was sd up by the Trust to deal with the daY-tsday management of the land and to help the trustees to develop a strategy which delivers the Trust's aims and objectives that the land should be accessible. sustainable, rnral in nature, Simple to manage and for the quiet enjoyment of all. Members are appointed to the Management Committre by the trustees to whom they are responsible. In 2016 the Annual General Meeting approved an annual MeMbShiP fre of £10 pound8 on the basis that this would COV the nonnal annual running costs of the Trust. This year, as anticipated, the cost of th¢ maintenance of the land incteas¢d significantly but taking .41 into account the reserves (as detsiled on the attach¢d accounts), some stand-alone donatioos mad¢ to the Trust and some members increasing their donations to a suggested £15. the membership fee remained at £10. In the light of work undertaken this year and potential work which will be required in the coming year. as detailed in the rort from the Management Committee, the trnstees would encourage existing members who have not already done so, to increase their standing orders or other forni of paJin¢nt to th¢ recommended £15. In time. the trustee5 may have to consider an incre&se to the minimum annual membership fee to £15. The Goat Walk Land continues to provide value to the community by ensuring an ope natural environment for the enjoym¢Dt of the people of Topsham and for many visitors throughout the year, providing green space for quiet exercis< away from public roads. The native trees and local varieties of apples which were planted at the stsrt of the Trust are now established and have forn]¢d a natural extension of the W(d18nd. The variety of wildflowers continues to increase. a second species of orchid being a notable newcomer. Our pmblems with contractors not being available to cut the meadowJ have continu this year. In order that the wildflow¢rs are able to fonn viable seeds we need to wait until late sumrner to cut the grass. Unfortunthly, this is often when the contractors are most busy cutting hay crops. The small size of our land and its evolving fertility mean that the hay crop is no longer sufficiently valuable for most agricultural contractors to
GOATWALKLANIyfRUST undertake the work in exchange for the crop. Lx)ntra¢tor has managed a cut of the grass this year but the issues around a)st and thc availability of timely help will need further consideratio The Trust has to date taken a cautio$ approach to alteralions to the land and a "hands off, approach to management of the trees. The objective of the Goat Walk L8nd Trust is to keep the land as nwal fields with an area ofwoodland. Consequently. no signifi¢ant changes were undertaken during the year. Trustees ar¢, however, acutcty aware that two of the larger trees on the land fell during the last year- with the largesL the Turkey Oak between the two field4 falling in October - and another small tree f¢ll onto neighbouring land. Wc will be seeking advice on how best to manage the tr¢¢s appropriately balancing our desire to see the land used more frequently by more people while also taking steps to r¢du¢¢ th¢ risks to people and property. Further detsils of the work carried out by the Management Committee in this flljancial year together with comment on their plans for 2025 can be found in the Management Committee Report attached. The Tntst is required as part of its annual return to the Charity Commission to include detsils ofany serious incidents durftng the year. The Tnte¢S ar¢ able to confirni that there have been no issues relating to frnud or financial erime: no unverified or suspicious donations: no significant financial losses. no safeguarding issues. or any other llous incidents. The Trust has no paid employees or advisors and does not make grants to individuals or other organisations. This is a report of the Trust's activities for the year to 3 August 2024. The woodland and meadows continue to thrive, and any ¢hanges will be gradual and consistent with the Trust's objects and principles. The TneS remain committsd to keep the Goat Wall( Land a place of quiet enjoyment for the p¢ople of Topsham and its visitors. Lynn Onyett Chair of Trustees Pa8e 3
Accounts 202>24 srATEMEKf OF FINANaALACTMTIES FOR YEAR ENDED 3110812024 Restrfcw Unrestrlcted Total Total 2022-23 Incamlry RQua$ Donatlonslsub5crlptlons Gfft Aid 2886 592 724 724 AGM bar surplus 13 13 18 Wayleave payment Donatlon from Repalr Cafe Contrlbuoon to mernorlal sto Contrlbutlon to Path repalr IMHT) Bank interest 144 144 97 Totsl Incom• 0034 $381 R•souras Expended Web slte PubllcSty 235 15 235 15 195 Charltable Actlvltles Meadows 2210 Tools Jnd materlals Trees Mernorlal stone Path repalr Insurance 411 411 366 Bank charges Governance AGM 42 42 Meen8$ roorn hire 191 191 87 Total dItle 2119 2119 6022 Surplus 2>24 29 2916
Page 1 Accounts 202&24 Goat Walk Land Trust - Balance Sheet as at 31st Au8USt 2024 2022-23 Fun&1nat• 21 Fund Communlty Land 3L¥)S Debtors HMRC Gfft Ald 724 724 592 Cash at CAF Bank Cash at Lloyds B•nk Cash at Shawbrook Bank 2315 8184 12337 12337 Uabllltl None 3(K1505 334511 331596 Th• •Jf the Ch•rlty Funds BIF 2>24 surplus 31091 2915 331596 2915 332237 -641
Totsl Funds 3Q)505 334511 331596
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustee members of The Goat Walk Land Trust On accounts for the year ond 31108124 Charity no lrfany) 1162973 Set out on pages I report to th8 trustees on my examination of the account8 of the abov8 chanty (Ihe Trusf) for the year end8d 31108r2024 Respon8ibllltleg and As the charty 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 (Ihe Acr). I raport in resFct of my examination of the Trust's soUnts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Direth'ons given by the Charity Commission under section 14515)(b) of the Act. I have completed my examinats'on. I confim that no material matters have ome to my attention in connection with the examination which givès ma cause to believe that in. any material respec'. accounting records were not kept In accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord the accounting records the accounts did not comply with the applicable requiremenls conceming the fonn and content of accounts set out in Ihe Charities {AcGount3 and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirnment that the accounts give a 'true and fairf view which Is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. Independent •xaminerfs statement 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 a¢¢ounts to be reached. Sign?d: D•t•: 0311212024 Name: Geoffrey Vlfjlkinson Relevant professional qualification(sl or body (if any): Add$. 2 Tresillian Gardens. Topsham. IER October 2018
Exeter EX3 OBA Section B Disclosu Only complete rf the examiner needs to highlight matters of conrn (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directs'ons and guidan for examiner51. Glve here br1 detalls of any items that the examin8r wlshes to disclose. IER October 2018