2023-12-31-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Da Month Year From 01 01 2023 To 31 12 2023

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1166614 Charity's principal address 9 The Clock Tower

Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust

Redlers Waterside, Dudbridge Rd. Stroud, Gloucestershire Postcode GL5 3LH

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

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Dates acted if not for whole Name of person (or body) entitled
Trustee name Office (if any)
year to appoint trustee (if any)
1 Gary Gilmour Chairman Jan 1 [st] - July 30 [th] , 2023
Andrew Weir Chairman from July Full year
2
31 [st] , 2023
3 Valerie Swanson Secretary Full year
Rodney Graeme Treasurer Full year
4
Dacomb
5 James O Murray Full year
6 Helen Buckworth Full year
7 Barry Hemans Full Year
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9
10
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12
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18
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Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

Name Dates acted if not for whole year

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Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

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Type of adviser Name Address
Veterinary Michael Thorne
Zoology Andrew Loveridge
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Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

CIO Constitution Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) Trust How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company) Elected by a majority of Trustees Trustee selection methods

• (eg. trust, association, company)

(eg. appointed by, elected by)

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

• policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;

• the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;

VFWT held quarterly board meetings and reviewed relevant procedures and policies and networking for Trustees not able to attend meetings in person.

VFWT maintained the company risk register and reviewed any new risks and updated outstanding risks at each board meeting. VFWT also continued to hold virtual meetings with downstream implementing project partners to review their risks and procedures.

VFWT engaged with VFWT Zimbabwe for discussion on a 3 year strategy and better integration with the UK Board.

• relationship with any related parties;

• trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.

Section C Objectives and activities

To promote, for the benefit of the public, the conservation and protection of the natural environment in Southern Africa by providing grants and undertaking research in connection with animal welfare and the environment.

Summary of the objects of the animal welfare and the environment. charity set out in its governing document To advance the education of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the natural environment of Southern Africa

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Grant funding was secured late in 2023 from EKCT for ongoing vulture conservation efforts and research. The grant cycle carries over into 2024, but year end 2023 outcomes include:

• Assessment of 115 vulture nest sites on activity

• Monitoring of the effects of 2 vulture poisoning events in neighbouring Botswana (1 hyena & 8 vulture mortalities in North East Botswana in April 2023 and 30 vultures, 2 dogs, and 1 hyena poisoned in South East Botswana in Nov 2023)

• Monitoring of tree habitat protection effectiveness. More than 90% of the trees that have had wire mesh covering put around the base to protect from elephant impact are still intact and the trees are viable with vulture nest sites.

• Rescue and rehabilitation of sick and injured vultures is ongoing

• Monitoring and analysis of vulture spatial movement using Earthranger for carcass identification, poisoning and antipoaching monitoring.

Public benefit is derived from the conservation of endangered species of vultures, primarily white backed vultures. The steps being taken are not only protecting endangered species but also enabling a quicker response time when carcasses are identified by vulture movement, for antipoaching efforts.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)

Continued support from the Oak Foundation is enabling the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, Wildlife Disease and Forensics Laboratory to expand its technical and diagnostic capacity. This funding has been used to:

• Purchase equipment to expand molecular genetics work for Transboundary Animal Disease, and wildlife forensics, as well as develop capacity for bacteriology studies.

• Develop simplified methods for diagnostic sample transfer within the KAZA TFCA region

• In collaboration with Wildlife Crime Prevention in Zambia, provided training to the Zambian Department of Wildlife and National Parks on Wildlife Diseases and Poisonings for 40 first responding rangers

• Facilitate the analysis by the KAZA TFCA epidemiologist of the disease transmission risk of two major fences between Namibia and Botswana

• In collaboration with UK NGO TRACE, VFWT attended the African Wildlife Forensics Network meeting and is working on improving capacity of the laboratory forensic scientist in developing the lion genetics panel to soon incorporate biological, geographic and demographic data

Public Benefit is derived from VFWT being an active member of the Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Animal Health Sub-working Group. This organisation works with the partners in the five member states to improve wildlife and animal health. VFWT is also a member of the KAZA Elephant Conservation Sub Working Group and Carnivore Conservation Sub Working Groups

A donation was received late in 2023 for the specific purchase of lion collars. One collar was purchased but not yet deployed. The remaining collars will be purchased in 2024.

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Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

• policy on grantmaking;

• policy programme related investment;

• contribution made by volunteers.

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Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

• During 2023 we achieved some important goals including:

• VFWT immobilized 90 rhino in 2023 for de-horning and ear-notching exercises, 36 black rhino and 54 white rhino were immobilized across three geographic areas of Zimbabwe. Annual efforts to protect the rhino have helped in achieving more than a 5% annual growth rate in the population which now exceed more than 1100 animals.

• The vulture research project was able to ground truth 115 nests in 2023. Many of these were done towards the end of breeding season. There was an 84.3% rate of active nests out of those surveyed. 68 of these were new nest sites. Poisoning continues to be a major challenge throughout Africa and especially in Southern and East Africa. We conducted the annual survey of the African White Backed Vulture colony in Lesoma Valley and found a 29% decrease in nests in 2023.

• Groundbreaking research for the entire regional elephant population was released in 2023 with the results from the KAZA TFCA Elephant Population Survey showing that between the five member states there is a total population of approximately 227,900 elephants in KAZA. The bulk of that population lies in Botswana 58% and North West Zimbabwe 29%. Over half of Africa’s savanna elephant population is in the KAZA TFCA. VFWT continue to work with Connected Conservation in deploying satellite collars to look at spatial movement to be able to enhance corridors and connectivity regionally for the population.

• A big achievement for VFWT’s senior wildlife veterinarian and AHSWG epidemiologist was the publication of a paper on elephant mortalities from 2020 in the highly regarded journal - ‘Nature Communications’. A spate of elephant mortalities in northwestern Zimbabwe in 2020 attracted international attention after the hundreds of elephants which died in Botswana earlier that year. VFWT conducted the on-the-ground investigation and has been working with colleagues in South Africa and the UK for several years to conduct many laboratory tests to confirm a diagnosis. The results were reflected in international worldwide news forums in Oct 2023

• The Morphological Identification of Specially Protected Species in Zimbabwe was printed and is available for Ecologists and officials involved in Countering Wildlife Crime

• Two Training courses were held in Zambia training ~40 first responding rangers on Wildlife Diseases & Poisonings.

• Through generous funding from the Oak Foundation, the laboratory expended its repertoire of tests with new capacity and equipment in bacteriology and molecular biology. 8587 Laboratory procedures were conducted in 2023, more than double what was achieved in 2022.

• The conservation education programme blossomed in 2023 and regained its footing which had been hampered by the COVID-19 restrictions in 2021 and 2022. 1029 children and 91 educators joined in the weekly educational project.

• Human Wildlife Conflict (HWC) continues to be a persistent problem impacting negatively on both the livelihoods of the smallholder farmers and the conservation efforts in the landscape of Hwange West. 2023 saw 139 reported HWC incidents across the VFWT operational area, resulting in 199 livestock losses. Goats were the most predated upon livestock followed by cattle and then donkeys, which is reflective of the overall population ratios of these domestic species in the area. Opportunistic predation is high for livestock that is not in a kraal at night (this made up 42.4% of the total) and unaccompanied grazing livestock contributed to 25% of the total 2023 predation incidents. Human presence typically reduces predation incidents, the observed rate of 18% predation signifies that the herders are not always with the

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livestock.

• 2000 doses of rabies vaccine and 1500 doses of distemper vaccine were given to dogs in the rural communities. This is a key factor in preventing disease spillover between animals and humans and ensuring a One Health model.

• 43 animals were immobilized for removal of wire snares and foreign objects

• The High Care Rehabilitation Centre was busy with a variety of orphaned and injured animals, most of which were eventually released into the wild

• The KAZA Animal Health Sub-Working Group Epidemiologist presented preliminary outcomes of the Fencing Disease Risk Assessment at its annual meeting.

Section E Financial review

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Brief statement of the

The charity policy on reserves at this time is to hold a minimum of £50000 as reserves

charity’s policy on reserves

Details of any funds materially in deficit

None

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

• the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);

• how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;

The charity’s principal sources of funds have continued to be mainly grant driven, with the bulk of funding for grants coming from the Oak Foundation.

Funding has gone principally to projects supporting the objectives of the charity. The bulk of the funding has gone to the budget lines allocated in the respective grants for projects in Zimbabwe, and restricted donation requirements for lion collars, for laboratory support and an epidemiologist under the Oak grant.

The charity only has a bank account and makes no investments.

• investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.

Section F Other optional information

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s)

Rodney Graeme Dacomb Full name(s) Andrew Weir Position (eg Secretary, Chair, Chair Finance etc)

Date 23 April 2024

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VICTORIA FALLS WILDLIFE TRUST

CHARITY NUMBER: 1166614

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS FOR THE 12 months to 31 December 2023

UNRESTRICTED FUNDS

RECEIPTS Donations Donation for Lion Collars Gift Aid Interest TOTAL RECEIPTS PAYMENTS Bank Charges Newsletter/brochures Transfers to Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust in Zimbabwe for use in Rescue & Rehabilitation Lion collars Purchase/donation of vehicle Darting Supplies SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) Transfers from Restricted Funds Net Movement in Funds	£ £ 27,703 24,600 6,150 0 58,453 58,453 273 2,242 7,800 1,694 0 0 12,009 £46,444 19,580 £66,024 2023	2022 £ £ 59,882 0 0 0 59,882 59,882 192 0 46,385 0 18,303 0 64,880 -£4,998 0 -£4,998

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VICTORIA FALLS WILDLIFE TRUST

CHARITY NUMBER: 1166614

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS FOR THE 12 Months to 31 December 2023

RESTRICTED FUNDS

2023 £ RECEIPTS Oak Foundation 0 Oak Foundation KAZA 139,879 University of Oxford - Human/Wildlife conflict mitigation 0 University of Oxford - Wildlife Conservation Research 0 Ernest Kleinwort Trust - Vulture conservation 10,000 Total Receipts £149,879 PAYMENTS Oak Foundation Grant transferred to VFWT Zimbabw 23,123 Oak Foundation KAZA Grant transferred to VFWT Zim 110,748 Ernest Kleinwort Trust - Vulture Conservation 0 Wildlife Conservation Research Grant expenses 0 Total Payments 133,871 Net Receipts/Payments 16,008 Cash funds at beginning 113,015 Transfer to Unrestricted Funds - Oak expenses paid by VFW -19,580 Cash funds at period end £109,443

2022 £ 22,500 124,583 0 0 5,000 £152,083 29,091 34,691 5,000 0 68,782 83,301 29,714 £113,015

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VICTORIA FALLS WILDLIFE TRUST

CHARITY NUMBER: 1166614

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AT 31 DECEMBER 2023

CURRENT ASSETS Debtors and prepayments Bank deposit accounts CURRENT LIABILITIES Creditors and accruals falling due within one year NET CURRENT ASSETS FUNDS At 1 January Net movement in funds At 31 December Of which:RESERVED FUNDS UNRESERVED FUNDS ANALYSIS of RESTRICTED FUNDS IUCN Grant Oak Foundation Grant Oak Foundation KAZA Grant Ernest Kleinwort Trust Oxford WildCru Grant Signed	Unrestricted 0 142,956 432 £142,524 96,080 66,024 £162,104 £50,000 £112,104 in Approval	Restricted Total 0 0 129,023 271,979 0 432 £129,023 £271,547 113,015 209,095 -3,572 62,452 £109,443 £271,547 £109,443 £159,443 0 £112,104 0 0 99,443 10,000 0 £109,443 2023	Unrestricted Restricted Total 0 0 0 96,080 113,015 209,095 0 0 0 £96,080 £113,015 £209,095 101,078 29,714 130,792 -4,998 83,301 78,303 £96,080 £113,015 £209,095 £50,000 £113,015 £163,015 £46,080 0 £46,080 0 23,123 89,892 0 0 £113,015 2022

R. G. Dacomb - Finance Trustee

10 March 2024

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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trugteesl members of Victoria Falls Wldlife Trust On accounts for the year •nd•d 31 DeCemtr￿r 2023 Charity no Ilf any) 1166614 Set out on pages 14 I report to the trustees M my examinats'on of the a¢￿unt8 of the above charity (Ihe TTusf) for the year ended 31 December 2023. Responslbllltlu and As the charTty trustees of the Trus( you are responsible for the preparation basls of roport of the account8 in accA)rdance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (Ihe Acr). I report in re8ped of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under secaion 145 of the 2011 Act and in caryirKJ OLrt my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Chanty Commission urKler section 145(5)(b) of the Art. I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection wtlh the examination whbch gives me cause to believe that in, any matèrial respect.. accourrtirvJ records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accourrt8 do rKJt acc4yd with the accounting record8 Independent examlnerfs 8tatament I have no concem8 and have ￿me across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Slgnod: 13 March 2024 Name: avin Po*er Relevant professlonal qualificationls) or body {11 any): Addres•: 77 Oxford Road South London W4 3DD IER October 2018