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 a￿int4 its management and
compliance with the objects ofthe charity. Accordingly. the fOrn￿t 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 s￿Iety 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 eryO￿nent 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¢¢ tn￿te¢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 Sep￿Mber 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 Tn￿t and its members for all his work over the past y￿S - th¢ new
Trustees are especially appreciative of his supp(fft &s they found their feet in recent
months.
The Tn￿t was established as a Charitabl¢ In￿[porated Organisation with a
Membership Scheme which not onty provides the income to fi￿d the work of the Trust
and voting rights but ￿s0 enables the community to be￿e 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-ts￿day
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 MeMb￿ShiP 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 r￿ort 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 Tn￿te¢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 Tn￿eS 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 R￿Qu￿a$
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
$381
R•souras Expended
Web slte
PubllcSty
235
15
235
15
195
Charltable Actlvltles
Meadows
2210
Tools Jnd materlals
Trees
Mernorlal stone
Path repalr
Insurance
411
411
366
Bank charges
Governance
AGM
42
42
Mee￿n8$ roorn hire
191
191
87
Total ￿￿dIt￿le
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 resF*ct of my examination of the Trust's s￿oUnts 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 con￿rn (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