OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2026-03-31-accounts

Charity number: 1165252

HONEYSCRIBE CIO

ANNUAL REPORT AND RECEIPT AND PAYMENT ACCOUNTS

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026

HONEYSCRIBE CIO

CONTENTS

Page
Reference and administrative details 1
Trustees' report 2 - 9
Independent examiner's report 10
Receipt and payments 11
Statement of assets and liabilities 12

HONEYSCRIBE CIO

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026

Trustees

S Hall, Chair of Trustees P Vanderford D Bucella J Peto

E Macaulay (appointed 23 June 2025) A Lawrence (appointed 25 September 2025)

Charity registered number

1165252

Principal office

3 Shelton Place North Street Heavitree Exeter EX1 2RE

Accountants

Griffin Chartered Accountants Courtenay House Pynes Hill Exeter EX2 5AZ

Page 1

HONEYSCRIBE CIO

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026

The Trustees are pleased to present their annual report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ending March 2026.

INTRODUCTION FROM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

2026 marks the 10-year anniversary of Honeyscribe, a significant milestone for an independent artist-led charity. The charity delivered an ambitious programme of work spanning themes of creative health, heritage, climate change and migration with a carousel of bespoke creative projects.

Our work also continued to be showcased through leading arts venues and featured in publications, helping us to reach very broad public audiences. Key achievements are our strategic impact on the role of art in supporting wellbeing for vulnerable communities and those experiencing stress in our work with NHS trusts, and people displaced through wars and climate change.

In 2025-6, our position as leading creators of bespoke, interdisciplinary creative projects illuminating the inextricable links between biodiversity and human health through the arts has been recognised both nationally and internationally through winning awards for the work we delivered in 2024, and with invitations to exhibit multiple artworks at the blockbuster ‘Flowers – Flora in Contemporary Art & Culture’ exhibition at Saatchi Gallery (February 12th -31st August 2025), and at the UCLH pop-up gallery at HLTH Europe in Amsterdam. Our work has also been profiled in the world-leading medical publication The Lancet (published February 2026) recognising our impactful work in creative health.

Our work was supported by funding from; The Mercers Company, Creative Arc (University of Exeter, Exeter City Council and Shared Prosperity Fund UK - a central strand of the Government’s Levelling Up agenda) and NHS Trusts, and developed with partners including Pickwell Foundation, Libraries Unlimited, UCLH Arts & Royal College of Physicians London. 

02/06/2026

Susie Hall

Chair of the Board of Trustees

Page 2

HONEYSCRIBE CIO

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Guided by our vision to connect people, planet and people through plants, creative encounters and bespoke public artworks, this has been a year of far-reaching artistic achievement.

This year we developed our innovative Plant Prescription project by working with the Royal Devon NHS Trust and a broad spectrum of healthcare professionals by delivering multiple workshops for delegates at the HLTH Europe Health Innovation Conference in Amsterdam. These opportunities enabled us to test this impactful project on the international stage, confirming the potential of the project to support wellbeing through delivering bespoke creative engagements connecting people to each other and nature.

All our projects this year demonstrate ways Honeyscribe continues to be committed to use creative practice to draw attention to the intricate relationship between biodiversity, environmental wellbeing and human health. By creating artworks and imaginative participatory programmes that invite a re-evaluation of our relationship with the environment, our work helps connect people to the places they live, to our shared ecology and our profoundly valuable natural heritage.

Our belief in the powerful role that arts play in helping people to connect to and feel engaged with some of the most urgent climate issues we face through is at the heart of all our programmes of work, which are interwoven with our values of kindness, agility, collaboration and respect for people and the planet that supports us.

By working across multiple forms and disciplines and in collaboration with a wide range of artists, gardeners, writers, refugees, scientists, botanists, conservationists, architects, and designers our work seeks to be intellectually rigorous and inclusive in equal measure and focused on how art can be a potent tool to reconnect people to the natural world and one another. 

03/06/2026

Amy Shelton Artistic Director

Page 3

HONEYSCRIBE CIO

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026

Structure, governance and management

Honeyscribe is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation governed by its constitution dated 20 January 2016. Registered in England and Wales, Charity Number 1165252, Company number CE005231

Registered Office: Honeyscribe Studio, 3 Shelton Place, North Street, Heavitree, Exeter, EX1 2RE

The Directors during the period (who are also Trustees for the purposes of charity law) were as follows: S Hall (Chair), P Vanderford, D Bucella, J Peto,E Macaulay (appointed 23 June 2025) and A Lawrence (appointed 25 September 2025).

The Directors did not receive any remuneration or reimbursement for any expenses during the period.

Trustee vacancies are advertised publicly, together with a description of what the role entails. Applications are considered by the Board and new Trustees appointed in line with the constitution. New Trustees go through an induction process where they are introduced to the team, talk through the company systems and the role and responsibilities of the board are made clear.

Objectives

Our aim

For the public benefit, to advance the education of the public in the subject of biodiversity and its importance to human health in particular through the creation of artworks and the curation of events and talks.

Our objectives

Page 4

HONEYSCRIBE CIO

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026

Achievements and Performance

Exhibitions

Artistic Director Amy Shelton was invited by Saatchi Gallery to exhibit work in what became a blockbuster London art show in 2025. The Herald of Spring (previously exhibited at Royal Academy of Art and Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery) was selected alongside work by the celebrated Californian artist Megan Seiter as the two artworks hung in the introductory gallery space at the Saatchi Gallery. As the first artworks visitors encountered upon entering this major show it was a powerful platform the curators used to set the tone for the entire exhibition. Two other artworks by Amy (Hortus siccus and Melissographia) were exhibited in the ‘Science: Life or Death Room’ co-curated by Saatchi and Chelsea Physic Garden contextualized amidst artworks exploring scientific aspects of plants highlighting the medicinal and poisonous properties. Hortus Siccus (2025) was created as an outcome of Amy’s DYCP Award from Arts Council England (created from a rich palette of medicinal plants from the Royal College of Physicians Medicinal Garden, London). There was a large display of the artists’ book Melissographia, a collaboration by Amy Shelton with the celebrated author John Burnside (1955-2024).

Three of the ‘Hortus Vitae’ (Garden of Life) series 2025 by Amy Shelton were exhibited in Amsterdam at the international Health conference. The work was presented by UCLH Arts Curators to showcase the new biophilic public art commission for the Breast Clinic at UCLH.

Awards

In May 2025 Honeyscribe were invited to the ‘Nibbies Awards’ at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London to celebrate our key role in Braunton Library, North Devon, winning the ‘South-West England Regional Winner Award’ (shortlisted for National Library of the Year) at the British Book Awards 2025 for our celebrated ‘The Gatherers’ project.

‘The Gatherers’ 2024/5 was Honeyscribe’s pioneering creative project delivered in North Devon funded by the European Cultural Foundation and Arts Council England with Libraries Unlimited. We designed the project through developing partnerships with The Pickwell Foundation, and Braunton Countryside Centre. The Gatherers addressed themes of climate change and migration, social isolation, and directly involved the welcome and integration of the recently arrived Afghan families in North Devon through the ARAP scheme as well as supporting mental health of local people through social prescribing.

Page 5

HONEYSCRIBE CIO

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026

Achievements and Performance (continued)

We are delighted to have developed this impactful project and are delivering a new iteration of The Gatherers project throughout 2026 (funded through Together for Tomorrow the National Lottery Climate Action Fund). This bold new climate action programme brings together a diverse collaboration of community groups and organisations shaping and delivering climate action. We are working deep in the communities reaching displaced, refugee and resettled people who have come to live in Devon as well as local people experiencing social isolation. The Gatherers is being delivered in two new localities (in Barnstaple and Exmouth) as we continue to work to connect plants, planet and people.

In June 2025 the Dyson Cancer Centre at Royal United Hospitals (RUH) Bath (funded by NHS England’s New Hospital Programme) won the prestigious top prize at the 2025 European Healthcare Design Award for ‘Interior Design and the Arts’ category held at the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) in London. The design is curated with a ‘Land, Water, Sky’ theme to foster a soothing, nature-connected environment.

This international award recognises professional and research excellence in the design of healthcare environments. Designed by Arcadis in collaboration with the RUH’s Art at the Heart team, the artworks that achieved this award for the category were commissioned to balance the high-tech clinical facilities of the new world-class cancer centre. Honeyscribe’s Artistic Director Amy Shelton was commissioned to create a largescale bespoke lightbox artwork ‘Botanica #2’ for the radiotherapy waiting room. Created from plant specimens collected from the nearby world-famous Piet Oudolf Field Garden at Hauser and Wirth Bruton, ‘Botanica #2’ creates a calming, therapeutic environment for patients and staff transforming the healing environment by preserving a beautiful garden at the peak of its bloom across the seasons, Botanica #2 was praised by judges for its “uplifting effect and remarkable way it creates a serene space”. The judges recognised it as an innovative project championing the way the interior design synergistically enhanced the art commissions and vice versa.

Public Art Commissions

Commissioned artworks for University College London Hospital Breast Care Centre, Bedford Passage, Fitzrovia.

‘Hortus Vitae’ (Garden of Life) series 2025 by Amy Shelton

Continuing our work with NHS Trusts across the UK creating bespoke biophilic artworks and delivering creative staff support projects for hospitals, Artistic Director Amy Shelton’s major new series of work ‘Hortus Vitae’ (Garden of Life) consisting of a major large-scale illuminated botanical lightbox for the waiting room of the new Breast Care Centre department in Bedford Passage, Fitzrovia, and three smaller artworks to be installed in consultation rooms (Vita I, II & III) was completed.

Page 6

HONEYSCRIBE CIO

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026

Achievements and Performance (continued)

The brief was to create a calm and welcoming environment for patients and staff, focusing on themes around nature and light to help create a relaxing and uplifting atmosphere based on biophilic design for the new clinical facility. The creation of this work was underpinned by staff consultations and creative engagements which informed the design and enabled staff to have their own favourite plants interwoven into the artworks.

Having collected thousands of plant specimens associated with medicine and healing throughout 2025 (many of which were from the Royal College of Physicians Medicinal Garden, at Regents Park) Amy created this large commission in the studio between March and June in time for three of the works to be taken to Amsterdam and exhibited at the UCLH pop up Gallery at the HLTH International Health Conference Amsterdam from 14th-19th June 2025 showcasing artists working at the forefront of biophilic design. The conference was attended by over 5,000 industry leaders and innovators from over 65 countries. We ran Plant Prescription workshops throughout the duration of the conference for delegates. Visitors to the gallery and workshops learnt about Honeyscribe’s programmes of work in hospitals and in communities, and how they play a crucial role in connecting people to place.

The partnership with the Royal College of Physicians in the making of this series of artworks has ignited a new opportunity for Honeyscribe with the college interested in developing a residency for Amy and the potential of a public commission to illuminate the RCP Medicinal Garden for the Museum.

Publications

Plant Prescriptions/ Plant Pharmacy Project

We delivered an iteration of Plant Prescriptions at the RD&E Hospital, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. We were commissioned by Creative Arc to deliver Plant Prescriptions as part of their programme of cultural activity across the city, bringing together creative practitioners, community groups and researchers to explore the ways in which cultural activity can build ‘pride in place’. Plant Prescriptions aligned with their themes of Health & Wellbeing, Environmental Sustainability, and People & Place-shaping.

Page 7

HONEYSCRIBE CIO

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026

Achievements and Performance (continued)

At a time where staff morale is low across the NHS, and recruitment of healthcare professionals is causing nationwide concern, this project offered a creative way to bolster staff wellbeing of the hospital community as the clocks went back and many staff arrive and leave in the dark; Honeyscribe delivered engaging and contemplative sessions to boost staff wellbeing during their shifts which were led by skilled professional artists from Exeter who are experienced in working in complex NHS hospitals across the UK. Delivered by Exeter based professional artists, the project engaged 1000 healthcare professionals from all departments. The ‘Plant Pharmacy Studio’ was set up in the hospital’s largest staff rest area the TLC Café adjacent to the staff Flu Jab clinic. We also bought in a group of 4th Year Medical Students from University of Exeter.

In addition to the interactive sessions where staff connected with the making of botanical cards and artworks, the Plant Pharmacists (artists delivering our workshops) dispensed handmade botanical cards featuring real pressed samples of medicinal plants associated with healing. This approach was tested during the pilot project and found to have a powerful effect engaging people across the hospital, filtering through the staff community and enticing staff to seek out and engage with the activities. Plants and placemaking are also inextricably linked, and this project will help advocate for green cultivated and biodiverse spaces across the NHS trust site. We are pleased to be working on a new iteration of Plant Prescriptions in 2026 to support staff wellbeing.

Funded by: Creative Arc (University of Exeter, Exeter City Council and Shared Prosperity Fund UK -- a central strand of the Government’s Levelling Up agenda) and by The Mercers Company.

• HLTH Europe Conference, Amsterdam (June 2025)

We ran Plant Prescriptions workshops throughout the conference for delegates (which was attended by over 5,000 industry leaders and innovators from over 65 countries). The workshops were attended by Doctors, Consultants, Medical Innovators, and senior decision makers across the entire healthcare ecosystem.

Page 8

HONEYSCRIBE CIO

TRUSTEES' REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026

Financial Review

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose, with reasonable accuracy at any time, the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006.

They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the Trustees are aware:

The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from the legislation in other jurisdictions.

Reserves Policy

The Board’s view is that it is prudent to hold free reserves equivalent to 4-6 weeks operating costs (currently £4,400 to £6,600) to enable the charity to continue operating in the event of any unforeseen costs or shortfall of expected income. We have allocated £6,000 from our unrestricted funds to a designated fund for this purpose. We continue to monitor the level of reserves in our quarterly board meetings as part of the Board’s oversight of Honeyscribe’s finances, and also keep under review the amount of reserves that are required to ensure they are adequate to fulfil our continuing success.

The report was approved by the trustees on

and signed on its behalf by:

S Hall

Chair of Trustees� Date: 02/06/2026

Page 9

HONEYSCRIBE CIO

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF HONEYSCRIBE CIO.

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2026 which are set out on pages 8 and 9.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND BASIS OF REPORT

As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2022 ('the Act'). I report in respect of my examination of the charity's accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under scetion 145(5)(b) of the Act.

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S STATEMENT

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records [; or

  2. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Signed: Dated: 11/6/26

Laura Waycott FCA Griffin

Chartered Accountants

Courtenay House Pynes Hill Exeter EX2 5AZ

Page 10

HONEYSCRIBE CIO

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026

Receipts
Earned income (Events)
Earned income (Comission)
Earned income (Sales)
Grant (Other)
Grant (Trust/Foundation)
Donations
TOTAL RECEIPTS
Payments
Project costs
Accountancy fees
Access/ PPE
Artist and workshop fees
Insurance
Printing, Postage and Stationery
Research
Software and IT
Staffing
Travel and Subsistence
Wesbite and social media
Developing Opportunities
Training
TOTAL PAYMENTS
SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR THE YEAR		 Unrestricted
funds
2026
£
132
2,006
17,365
-
-
-
19,503
1,241
1,126
16
11,469
38
205
3
225
6,326
93
514
25
28
21,309
1,806
-		 Restricted
funds
2026
£
2,626
3,267
-
20,000
8,402
34,295
7,760
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
28,534
-
-
-
-
36,294
1,999
-		 Total
funds
2026
£
2,758
5,273
17,365
20,000
8,402
-
53,798
9,002
1,126
16
11,469
38
205
3
225
34,860
93
514
25
28
57,603
3,805
-		 Total
funds
2025
£
2,025
19,400
186
9,400
8,623
3,000
42,634
9,551
1,455
16
198
38
81
-
188
38,040
34
32
279
-
49,912
7,278
-

Page 11

HONEYSCRIBE CIO

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2026

Cash funds
Bank account
Debtors
TOTAL ASSETS		 Unrestricted
funds
2026
£
9,525
-
9,525		 Restricted
funds
2026
£
12,159
1,000
13,159		 Total
funds
2026
£
Total
funds
2025
£
21,684
25,489
1,000
-
22,684
25,489

The accounts were approved by the Trustees on 02/06/2026 behalf by:

and signed on their

S Hall Chair of Trustees

Page 12