OpenCharities

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

2025-03-31-accounts

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Contents

Trustees Report.....................................................................................................................2-23 Independent Examiner’s Report ..............................................................................................24 Statement of Financial Activity.................................................................................................25 Balance Sheet............................................................................................................................26 Notes to Financial Statements..................................................................................................27

1

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

The Bethnal Green Nature Reserve Trust (BGNRT) was officially registered as a charity (1166648) in April 2016. Our charitable purpose is to protect and enhance the flora, fauna and fungi of the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve for public benefit. We support this by promoting biodiversity, fostering learning, strengthening community health, supporting the arts, encouraging participation and enabling research.

Governance

Trustees: Sajida Malik (Chair), Gwen Wright (Treasurer), Bryony Harris (Secretary), Adelaide Bannerman, Oliver Grazebrook, Angharad Davies.

2025 Site Team: Abel Daniel (Deputy Site Manager) Ash Miah (Food Garden Site Manager) Edward Simpson (Site Manager) Fatima Ali (Community Gardener) Hakim Oreagba (Finance) Ingrid Chen (Forest School Lead, Community Gardener) Izzy Johns (Community Gardener in Residence) Mark O’Leary (Forest School Tutor) Maryam Hoang (Forest School Tutor) Michael Smythe (Senior Manager) Odhran Lawlor (Community Gardener) Phyllis Martin (Development) Shilpi Choudhury (Forest School Tutor, Community Gardener)

We extend heartfelt thanks to the dedicated volunteers who care for the Reserve each week. Your commitment ensures the site continues to thrive both ecologically and socially. We would also like to extend our gratitude to our funders who support the vision and range of the work we do.

The Bethnal Green Nature Reserve is generously supported by Anton Juergens Charitable Trust, Arnold Clark Community Fund, Awards for All, BBC Children In Need, Canary Wharf Community Fund, Chapman Charitable Trust, City Bridge Foundation, Forte Charitable Foundation (formally Trustshouse), Garfield Weston, London Marathon Foundation, Marsh Charitable Trust, Nineveh Trust, Postcode Neighbourhood Trust, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Skinners Company, Stafford Trust, Tower Hill Trust, Womble Bond Dickinson.

2

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Site Manager’s Report by Edward Simpson

Ecological Work & Volunteer Achievements

The Bethnal Green Nature Reserve continues to flourish thanks to the dedication of our volunteer community. This year, the clay pond project at the Bethnal Green Ecology Garden (BGEG) was completed with the addition of aquatic plants and the final hedgerow installation. Volunteers also worked across the Nature Reserve site to maintain woodland, wildflower meadows and wetland habitats.

A major focus was the large ecology pond, where rapidly dropping water levels over summer and reduced bat activity signalled a need for intervention. Dense vegetation was cleared and relocated to reopen the water surface. Bats have since returned this autumn, skimming the pond at dusk. We also advanced long-term efforts to improve the forest understory, prioritising soil-building and expanding in-house compost production.

At the Ecology Garden, the Community Ecologies programme supported the creation of a new solitary bee habitat led by community member Eamonn Postlethwaite. Annual bird-box monitoring recorded another successful nesting season, with at least six boxes used by great tits and blue tits. Thanks to these collective efforts, biodiversity continues to increase. Newly recorded species in 2026 include a female stag beetle, silver-washed fritillary and firecrest.

3

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

A new rain canopy installed at the start of the year has transformed our capacity to host education sessions, volunteer days and events during unpredictable weather. The Canopy was generously funded by Tower Hill Trust.

Climate Resilience

Climate change continues to shape our site management. This year saw extreme weather and more site closures than usual due to high winds, drought and sudden rainfall. Several trees required emergency work, meaning we brought in arborists twice instead of the usual annual visit. We anticipate this becoming standard practice and will adjust future budgets accordingly.

The main pond dried more quickly than in previous summers. Volunteers installed a new filling system to stabilise water levels. Improvements to woodland soils are beginning to show results, with healthier plant growth and better moisture retention. Expanding this work is a core part of our climate-resilience strategy.

Volunteers, Data & Newsletter

From January onwards, we ran 35 volunteer sessions (with only two cancelled due to weather), averaging 12 participants per session—a total of approximately 840 volunteer hours.

We welcomed 122 new volunteers, many of whom have since become regular contributors and keyholders. Most new volunteers joined to support the Medicinal Garden, connect with nature and build community links. The majority live locally in E2, with many discovering the Reserve while passing by; others joined through word of mouth and our digital platforms.

4

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

A major achievement this year was the relaunch of our monthly newsletter. Rebuilt from scratch using the past two years of volunteer opt-ins, it now reaches 214 subscribers and serves as both a communication tool and an ongoing archive of activity across the Reserve.

“The Reserve” - A Film by Karolina Raczynski

Filmmaker and community member Karolina Raczynski produced The Reserve, a poetic documentary capturing volunteer life at the site during winter 2025. Through personal stories, natural imagery and plant-chemistry film techniques, the work reflects the generosity of volunteers and the importance of the Reserve in their daily lives. Link: https://vimeo.com/1071870940?fl=pl&fe=sh

PhD Pollinator Project

We were pleased to support part of Ana Vadeanu’s PhD research (UCL Bartlett School of Planning / National Institute of Agricultural Botany), examining pollinator activity across London’s green spaces. Early findings from data gathered at both the Medicinal Garden and BGEG food-growing areas have already offered valuable insights, with further analysis and a public talk planned for 2026.

Grow Wild Follow-On Grant

A follow-on grant from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Grow Wild initiative funded a booklet documenting our clay pond project—a practical “how-to” resource for other community gardens. We also commissioned Sadie St. Hilaire to illustrate key pond-supporting species, which will inform future educational materials. Looking ahead to 2026, we aim to:

5

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Mycelium Alley Report by Abel Daniel

In 2025, work within Mycelium Alley continued to strengthen connections between the community and the world of fungi. What began as an experimental growing zone has now developed into a hub for learning, cultivation, and ecological observation. A significant milestone this year was the completion of both the Mycelium Ecology Report and the Introduction to Mycelium Alley booklet, documents that distil several years of collective research into an accessible guide for visitors and growers. Design and typesetting are underway, with the official launch planned for 2026.

Mycelium Alley: Developments and Observations

The mushroom habitats were consistently productive this year, with regular fruiting of Turkey Tail, Oyster mushrooms, Birch Polypore, and Shiitake. These successful cultivation areas appear to have positively influenced the wider Nature Reserve, where a greater diversity of wild fungi was observed—likely supported by increased spore dispersal and growing volunteer awareness.

Experimentation remained central to the programme. New species were introduced, including Velvet Shank on logs and Dryad’s Saddle on fresh substrates, alongside several new Oyster mushroom strains. To accommodate these trials, the older Wine Cap bed was cleared and repurposed.

6

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

A key development was the creation of a new mushroom-growing area within the BGEG polytunnel, providing a controlled environment for species that are less suited to external weather conditions. Early trials included Velvet Shank and a Lion’s Mane growing kit, both of which generated interest among visitors and volunteers.

Mycelium Alley also continued as a focal point for volunteer activities, including watering, harvesting, and inoculating logs. These hands-on sessions supported learning about fungal lifecycles and ecological functions. Beyond cultivation, volunteers developed a dualextraction Turkey Tail tincture and produced paper from fungi, highlighting the artistic and medicinal potential of the site’s mushroom species.

In 2026, work will continue across the polytunnel and Ecology Garden, with a focus on trialling additional native UK mushroom varieties. Finalising the Mycelium Ecology Booklet remains a priority; the draft is complete and now requires funding for professional design and printing. Once produced, this guide will support wider public engagement and practical fungal education.

The day-to-day running of the Nature Reserve is generously supported by Awards for All, BBC Children In Need, Chapman Charitable Trust, Forte Charitable Foundation (formally Trustshouse), Garfield Weston, London Marathon Foundation, Marsh Charitable Trust, Postcode Neighbourhood Trust, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Tower Hill Trust, Womble Bond Dickinson.

7

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Community Ecologies Programme by Abel Daniel

The Community Ecologies Programme completed its second year in 2025 as a stakeholder-led initiative shaped through an open call for proposals. A panel of local volunteers selected projects aligned with the Nature Reserve’s charitable objectives: health, ecology, culture, and learning. The resulting programme offered a platform for diverse practitioners to share skills, perspectives, and creative approaches to engaging with the Reserve.

Sessions ran on Saturday afternoons (3–4 pm) throughout the year, encouraging more visitors to explore the site. Programme highlights included:

8

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Looking ahead, the 2026 Open Call will centre on climate change and climate adaptation, inviting proposals that approach these themes in creative, accessible, and communitybuilding ways. Climate change can often feel overwhelming; this programme aims to offer entry points that foster curiosity, encourage meaningful engagement, and support both community wellbeing and ecological health.

Community Ecologies is generously supported by Chapman Charitable Trust, City Bridge Foundation, Nineveh Trust.

Phytology Medicine Garden Updates by Izzy Johns

This year, we successfully completed the Apothecary Shed, our new feature for the medicine garden. We installed new shelving, introduced a wide range of jars for storing dried herbs and finished preparations and added a removable hanging drying rack. The drying rack has proved to be highly effective. The shed is now fully stocked with ingredients, tools, and kitchenware for making balms, tinctures, oil infusions, and other herbal preparations. It has been great to see the shed being actively used by many members of the community. People have begun collecting herbs and preparations independently, as well as with guidance from the Saturday afternoon medicine garden team.

Plant Species in the Medicine Garden

This year, we reintroduced several plant species that have historically been part of the medicine garden but had become scarce or absent in recent years. These include clary sage,

9

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

oxeye daisy, self-heal, borage, calendula, and pansy. Our purpose in expanding or reintroducing species remains the same: to meet a diversity of community needs. This means growing plants that support a broad range of ailments, supporting biodiversity in the wider ecosystem, and including species from a variety of cultural herbal traditions.

Looking ahead, we are planning to introduce further new species next year. A new sunny area has opened beside the shed after a storm brought down an ivy-covered dead tree, and we intend to develop this into a new growing bed. Next year’s focus will be on increasing our selection of nervine herbs to support stress, burnout, and anxiety. As always, we will be working with suggestions from the community on what new plants they would like to see growing in the garden.

Volunteer Sessions

This year, volunteer sessions in the medicine garden have included a greater emphasis on herbal knowledge sharing alongside regular gardening tasks. We’ve also been familiarising volunteers with the Apothecary Shed and teaching them how to use the space effectively. A significant development has been the introduction of hands-on remedy-making. Volunteers have helped produce tinctures, infused oils, vinegars, and balms using plants grown within the garden. In a recent session, for example, the group made a plantain balm together. This work not only equips people with valuable practical skills but also allows us to preserve our harvest, so herbs remain accessible even out of season.

Medicine Garden Team & Saturday Afternoon Opening

This year, we introduced a small rota of community members to care for and host the medicine garden during Saturday afternoon openings. We’d like to thank Ingrid, Fatima, Shilpi, Odhran and occasionally Bones, for holding the space regularly and for sharing their knowledge, enthusiasm, and support with visitors.

Medicine Garden Booklet Updates

Our Medicine Garden Booklet is now close to completion. The booklet provides a clear and accessible guide to common plants in the garden, including how to identify them, what they can be used for, and basic preparation methods. Once finished, it will empower community members to confidently harvest and use herbs independently when visiting the space.

10

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Phytology Medicine Garden is generously supported by Anton Juergens Charitable Trust, Awards for All, City Bridge Foundation, London Marathon Foundation, Postcode Neighbourhood Trust.

Forest Friday by Ingrid Chen

Forest Friday is a free after-school nature club for families with school-aged children at the Bethnal Green Nature Reserve (BGNR). Sessions run on Fridays during term time and parts of the school holidays, continuing a long-standing local tradition of Friday nature clubs dating back to at least 2005. Our core aim is to welcome local families into the Reserve and support their wellbeing through nature-based play, learning, and, especially in recent years, providing much-needed shade and outdoor space.

This spring, we said goodbye to one of our long-standing Forest School leaders, Judith Stanley, who moved to Yorkshire to become a grandmother. We extend our warmest congratulations and heartfelt thanks for her years of dedication to both Forest Friday and the wider Nature Reserve. We are also grateful to Elwira, who volunteered with us during the transition, and to Maryam and Mark, both experienced Forest School practitioners who have recently joined the team. Maryam first attended sessions as a parent, and we are delighted to now have her as part of our leadership team.

11

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

In 2025 we were able to increase our frequency of sessions and began the year by supporting volunteer days with on-site childcare. Across the year, we delivered 43 sessions:

This year we also expanded our feedback systems for both children and parents/carers. We will collate and analyse this data over winter to improve our offer for 2026.

Throughout 2025, families took part in litter-picking, maintaining the fungi farm, moving woodchip, cooking popcorn over the fire, sculpting with clay, and exploring the Reserve through games and guided learning. These activities help build confidence, resilience, and a sense of agency for young people facing the uncertainties of a changing climate.

Highlights included:

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the trustees, staff, volunteers, and partner teams across BGNR, BGEG, and the Medicine Garden, as well as to our funders and fundraisers, for supporting this work and enabling families to enjoy our little woodland.

Forest Friday is generously supported by Arnold Clark Community Fund, BBC Children In Need, Marsh Charitable Trust, Skinners Company, Stafford Trust.

12

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Bethnal Green Ecology Garden by Michael Smythe

The Bethnal Green Ecology Garden (BGEG) completed its second growing season as a community food and ecology garden, addressing local needs around food security, biodiversity loss, and access to nature. A hotter and drier summer created challenges for our young hedgerow and meadows but resulted in an excellent crop of pumpkins and tomatoes. This year we:

In 2026, we hope these additions will broaden access and help more people connect with the

soil, the seasons, and each other. Our summer events included the following highlights.

The garden continues to welcome weekly visits from Mission GP Practice, Stephen Hawking School, Misery Medicine & Rangers Kindergarten.

13

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Bethnal Green Ecology Garden is generously supported by Anton Juergens Charitable Trust, Canary Wharf Community Fund, London Marathon Foundation, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Womble Bond Dickinson.

Experimental School of Urban Ecology (2025–2026)

In 2025 we began developing the Experimental School of Urban Ecology, an annual learning programme supported by the City Bridge Foundation. The initiative aims to establish BGNR as a community learning hub, offering accessible ecological education rooted in the site’s values: care for the land, community participation, practical skills, and environmental understanding. It also contributes to the financial resilience of the Nature Reserve.

Early planning focused on shaping course structures, schedules, and teaching approaches, with detailed budget and governance work to follow. The project will evolve over time, and 2025 marks the first formal articulation of its vision.

Course 1: Tree School – Children’s Nature & Mental Health Programme Led by Ingrid, Tree School builds on Forest Friday and offers a week-long immersive programme for children aged 5–11. Activities include nature walks, conservation tasks, creative projects, mindfulness, storytelling, and introductory herbal practice. The programme runs in late August, Monday–Friday, 9:30–4:00. Sliding-scale pricing and prioritisation of local families ensure accessibility.

14

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Course 2: Foraging & Land Stewardship

Led by Izzy, this course fills a national gap in ethical foraging education. Across six modules taught in spring, summer, and autumn, participants learn field practice, plant identification, sustainable harvesting, herbal preparation, legal responsibilities, and cultural histories. A tutorial system supports individual projects, and the course includes a dedicated mushroom module. It targets forest school leaders, ecologists, chefs, and others seeking to deepen their knowledge. Accreditation and a balanced fee structure (full-cost and subsidised places) are planned.

Course 3: Climate, Ecology & Population Health

Delivered by a multidisciplinary team, this course integrates climate science, ecology, philosophy, health, culture, and social justice. Participants explore urban resilience, biodiversity, ecological needs, and community-based responses to climate change. The course concludes with a capstone project proposing actionable, local-scale interventions. Format and accreditation remain under development.

In 2026, the Experimental School of Urban Ecology will become a central focus for the BGNR Trust, accompanied by a rolling public programme of lectures, exhibitions, and community ecology events. This will offer valuable opportunities to gather participant insights and shape our work for 2027.

The Experimental School of Urban Ecology is generously supported by the City Bridge Foundation.

15

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Mobile Apothecary

In 2025, the Mobile Apothecary continued its mission to provide high-quality, plant-based remedies to community members in Bethnal Green and the surrounding neighbourhoods. Our street service operated on the last Sunday of each month from 7pm to 8pm, stationed outside Bethnal Green Tube Station. We continued our partnership with Refugee Community Kitchen (RCK), who generously supplied hot vegetarian meals each week, helping create a warm and welcoming environment for attendees.

Each session supported an average of more than 30 people, with approximately 80% being regular visitors. This consistency allowed meaningful relationships to form between residents, our street service team, and the remedies we offer. Throughout the year, our product range included Good Skin Balm, Decongestant Rub, Muscle & Joint Rub, Immune Support Vinegar, Cough Syrup, Hand Sanitiser, and Epsom Salts Deodorant. All products continued to undergo formal testing at Oxford Bioscience, ensuring they perform as intended. This rigorous process informs our descriptions of benefits, potential contraindications, and common irritants; all information is available upon request. Beyond our street service, volunteers delivered quarterly medicine-making workshops at a nearby community centre, using herbs grown in the Phytology Medicine Garden and sourced

from local shops along Bethnal Green Road.

In 2025, we also hosted a visioning day with our core team. This gathering provided valuable feedback and helped us explore ways to evolve the service while maintaining our focus on fostering meaningful connections and mutual care within the neighbourhood. Looking ahead, the Mobile Apothecary will continue its monthly street distributions and medicine-making workshops to meet the community’s needs. Sadly, our cargo bike was stolen from the Nature Reserve in November. Replacing this essential resource will require additional fundraising efforts in the year ahead.

16

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

We are grateful for the generous support of Fote Charitable Foundation (formally Trustshouse), Lush, and the Hollybush & Teasdale Tenants & Residents Association.

Misery

In 2025, misery continued a residency at Bethnal Green Nature Reserve, offering the beloved programme: ‘misery medicine: plant magic’. misery is a mental health community and sober rave based in London and led by and for queer, trans, intersex, black people and people of colour (QTIBPOC).

Through a series of outdoor, communal and nature-centred gatherings for QTIBPOC, participants came together at the Reserve, connected with each other and the natural world.

This year, misery’s monthly sessions took place between February - December, travelling through all four seasons at the Reserve. In winter, we dove deep into warming herbs and roots with chai. In spring, we made medicines with beautiful violets and shared queer, floral folklore. Summertime had us making decolonial cyanotype prints and discussing how we might reclaim ecological art practices. Autumn began with a session on roses, which we made monographs of and heart-centred teas from. The year ended with a fire ritual, where we wrote intentions for the new year on wildflower seed paper.

17

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

As usual, each session was centred on rest, collaboration, curiosity, and care, honouring our shared cultural wisdoms, queerness, and the various multispecies ecologies that inform misery and the Reserve. The programme also continued to respond to land-based colonial genocides across the world in Palestine, Sudan and Congo.

misery also tended to plants in the Bethnal Green Ecology Garden, and summertime saw a flurry of tomatoes, chilli, nasturtium, lavender, rosemary, marigold. The tree spinach was especially formidable!

Mission GP Practice

In 2025, the Mission Practice, our local GP surgery, continued its weekly site care sessions, tending both the Medicine Garden and the food-growing areas. Facilitated by the Social Prescribing team, these sessions encouraged staff to care for the Nature Reserve—and for each other—throughout the warmer months.

From September 2025, the Mission Practice continued its residency connecting local residents with food growing at the Bethnal Green Ecology Garden. This initiative provides a dedicated space for growing food and offers patients experiencing isolation the opportunity to connect with others and support their wellbeing through participation in a vibrant community garden.

18

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

In the summer of 2025, we lost Esther Bissessar, a much-loved member of the Mission Practice Social Prescribing team. To honour Esther’s deep connection to the Nature Reserve and her dedication to supporting local community members, we held a memorial gathering at the Reserve and installed a bench in her name.

Esther’s Bench Dedication

In the heart of Bethnal Green, where cultures meet and stories intertwine, there was a woman whose presence felt like a quiet sunrise—gentle, warm, and full of promise. Her name was Esther Bissessar.

Esther served at The Mission Practice as a Wellbeing Link Worker, but her work was far more than a job. She was a bridge between people and services, between fear and hope, between isolation and belonging. She dedicated herself to supporting asylum seekers and vulnerable patients, many of whom arrived with little more than the weight of their pasts and uncertainty about their futures.

Esther had a rare gift: burdens felt lighter in her presence, and even the most anxious hearts found rest. She met each person with calm grace and made people feel seen—not as cases, but as human beings worthy of care and connection.

The Bethnal Green Nature Reserve was one of her sanctuaries. Here, she found space to breathe, reflect, and restore. Sometimes she sat quietly beneath the trees; at other times, she accompanied someone who needed peace, grounding, or a moment of safety. Her love for nature was inseparable from her faith in a creator God, a faith that flowed through everything she did.

Even in the hardest moments, her message of love and connection shone brightly, drawing the Mission Practice team closer together in both grief and gratitude for a life so generously lived. Although she is no longer with us, her legacy remains in every life she touched, in every seed of kindness she planted, and in the quiet moments of connection that continue to bloom in her memory.

19

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Qi Gong with Orakle Apothecary (bones tan jones)

Throughout the spring, summer and autumn, bones tan jones facilitated accessible Qi Gong sessions beneath the woodland canopy. Held on Sunday mornings, these sessions helped participants connect with their bodies, their community, and the Nature Reserve.

The sessions introduced foundational movements, theories, and concepts, emphasising soft strength and playful movement—core elements of Qi Gong’s health benefits.

Stephen Hawking School

Stephen Hawking School continued its outdoor learning sessions at the Nature Reserve and neighbouring Bethnal Green Ecology Garden throughout 2025. The school, located across the road from our site, provides education for children aged 5–11 with profound, multiple, and

severe learning, health, and care needs.

The school maintained weekly visits focused on growing and caring for herbs and vegetables in their dedicated beds. We look forward to strengthening this partnership in 2026, with plans for visits to increase from one day a week to several shorter sessions.

Rangers Kindergarten

In 2025, the Forest School children continued to deepen their connection with nature through play and activities at the nature reserve, while also branching out into the ecology garden. Here, they cared for their own growing bed, nurturing baby trees grown from seed. This has been a particularly meaningful experience, and the children have shown their attachment to the nature reserve by regularly asking whether we can plant some of the trees “at Forest School.”

This year, we explored permaculture more deeply. Following the Wheel of the Year, the children learned about the trees within the reserve, how to use them respectfully, and how

20

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

they support wider ecosystems. Trees and plants were incorporated into activities such as ink making and foraging for teas, while continuing to play a central role in imaginative and physical play.

The children have also embraced practical conservation activities, including litter picking, wood-chip spreading, and dead hedge building. In the early months of 2025, they became deeply engaged in an animal tracking project, creating ink traps with charcoal and oil and using cardboard boxes to record footprints of resident and visiting animals. They also captured images of nocturnal wildlife using a night-vision camera.

One area that has featured heavily in play this year is the space left when the old writers hut was moved and transformed into the Medicine Garden Apothecary Shed. This open area allowed children to explore freely without disturbing new trees, plants, or animal habitats, and has proven to be a real gift. Leaving land fallow to observe what emerges is a core permaculture principle, and this year we applied it not only to land but also to time. By intentionally leaving space in the day for observation and spontaneous activity, alongside the fallow shed area, we fostered rich, child-led play. This included physical activities such as climbing, balancing, swinging, and running, as well as imaginative play like shops, dragon dens, home and den building, and tea ceremonies. We look forward to seeing what emerges in 2026.

Heartfelt thanks to our close local partners Praxis, Revoke CIC, Hackney Herbal for another great year working alongside one another.

Renku Group by Claire Chatelet

In November 2024, a workshop on Renku, an ancient form of collaborative poetry, was the recipient of the 2024 ‘Community Ecologies’ micro-grant. The workshop served as an

21

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

introduction, as there are many rules and guidelines for creating and presenting a finished poem. Some participants were keen to continue, so we met three more times and plan several more sessions before completing a Kasen—a 36-stanza poem, the favourite form of Matsuo Bashō, the most widely known master of Renku. Once finished, it will be illustrated and displayed in the Reserve.

Our writing focuses solely on the Reserve and its local area. Participants have found it a meaningful way to share reflections on what the Reserve means to them, especially as we meet across different seasons. The activity has sparked engaging conversations and broadened our appreciation of the place, offering an accessible, creative way for anyone involved with the site to participate.

Knitters/Yarn Group by Claire Chatelet

In 2025, the Knitting/Yarn Group at Bethnal Green Nature Reserve consolidated into a recognised and resilient creative community, evolving from its informal yarn-bombing origins.

Summer 2025 brought increased interest from newcomers, prompting the group to clarify its purpose, boundaries, and responsibilities: key members completed site inductions for safe access, sessions were formalised to run twice monthly during autumn and winter, and publicity was updated to emphasise that the group is a shared, non-instructional inclusive craft space.

Members also continued creative work beyond BGNR, with three Nature Knitters contributing to a jute-history project linking Dundee and Bangladesh, and 2025 reaffirmed the group’s social and emotional impact, welcoming diverse participants and fostering connection, craft, and moments of belonging in the Reserve.

22

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Aims & Aspirations for 2026

This report was approved by the Trustees at the 2025 Annual General Meeting on 13th December 2025 and signed by:

Sajida Malik Chair, Bethnal Green Nature Reserve Trust Charity No. 1166648

23

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees Charity Name Bethnal Green Nature Reserve Trust On accounts for the year 31[st] March 2025 Charity no 1166648 ended (if any) I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 / 03 / 2025 . Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

 the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or  the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or  the accounts did 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: Date: 15/12/2025 Name: Visar Beqiri Relevant professional ACA - ICAEW qualification(s) or body (if any):

Address: 6 The Abbey Woods, Douglas, IM2 5PL

24

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Charity Name: CharityNo 1166648
Bethnal G reen Nature CompanyNo
Annual accounts for theperiod
Period
start To
date 01/04/2024 31/03/2025
Section A Statement of financial activ ities
Charity Name:
Bethnal G reen Nature		 Charity Name:
Bethnal G reen Nature		 CharityNo 1166648
CompanyNo
Annual accounts for theperiod
Period
start
date		 01/04/2024 To 31/03/2025
Section A Statement of financial activ ities
Expenditure (Notes 4)
Expenditure on:
Reconciliation of funds:
Other
Charitable activities
Total funds carried forward
Total
Net income/(expenditure)
Total funds brought forw ard
Total
Recommended categories by activity
Donations and legacies
Income (Note 3)
Income and endowments from:
Charitable activities		 Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
income
funds
Total funds
Prior year
funds
£
£
£
£
F01
F02
F04
F05
25,900
88,557
114,457
36,178
3,952
-
3,952
8,467
29,852
88,557
118,409
44,645
20,074
76,542
96,616
42,873
4,968
-
4,968
2,367
25,042
76,542
101,584
45,240
4,810
12,015
16,825
(595)
8,175
22,191
30,366
30,961
12,985
34,206
47,191
30,366

25

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Section B Balance sheet

Restricted
Unrestricted income Total this Total last
funds funds year year
£ £ £ £
Current assets
Debtors (Note 5) - - - 100
Cash at bank and in hand (Note 7) 19,154 34,206 53,360 71,101
Total current assets 19,154 34,206 53,360 71,201
Creditors: amounts falling due
within one year (Note 6) 6,169 - 6,169 40,835
Net current assets/(liabilities) 12,985 34,206 47,191 30,366
Total assets less current liabilities 12,985 34,206 47,191 30,366
Funds of the Charity
Restricted income funds (Note 8) 34,206 34,206 22,191
Unrestricted funds 12,985 12,985 8,175
Total funds 12,985 34,206 47,191 30,366

The company was entitled to exemption from audit under s477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to small companies subject to the small companies regime and in accordance with FRS102 SO RP.

O n behalf of all the trustees

Sajida Malik

Company Registration No. (E ngland and Wales) 1166648

26

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Section C Notes to the accounts

Note 1 Basis of preparation

1.1 Basis of accounting

These accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant note(s) to these accounts.

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with:

•and with
•and with		 a the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities
preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard
applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014
the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of
Ireland (FRS 102)
a

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.*

1.2 Going concern

If there are material uncertainties related to events or conditions that cast significant doubt on the charity's ability to continue as a going concern, please provide the following details or state "Not applicable", if appropriate:

An explanation as to those factors that The trustees are of the view that unrestricted reserves to support the conclusion that the charity is a fund charitable activities are adequate to continue in going concern; operational existence for the foreseeable future and is therefore a going concern

1.3 Change of accounting policy

The accounts present a true and fair view and no changes have been made to the accounting policies adopted in note { }.

Yes a * -Tick as appropriate No ü

1.4 Changes to accounting estimates

No changes to accounting estimates have occurred in the reporting period (3.46 FRS102 SO RP).

Yes a * -Tick as appropriate No ü

1.5 Material prior year errors

No material prior year error have been identified in the reporting period (3.47 FRS102 SO RP).

Yes a * -Tick as appropriate No ü

27

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)

Recognition of income
Grants with performance
conditions
2.4 ASSET S
Debtors (including trade debtors and loans receivable) are measured on initial
recognition at settlement amount after any trade discounts or amount advanced by
the charity. Subsequently, they are measured at the cash or other consideration
expected to be received.
The charity accounts for basic financial instruments on initial recognition as per
paragraph 10.7 FRS102 SO RP. Subsequent measurement is as per paragraphs
11.17 to 11.19, FRS102 SO RP.
Where the charity gives a grant with conditions for its payment being a specific level
of service or output to be provided, such grants are only recognised in the SoFA once
the recipient of the grant has provided the specified service or output.
Grants and donations are only included in the SoFA when the general income
recognition criteria are met (5.10 to 5.12 FRS102 SO RP).
There has been no offsetting of assets and liabilities, or income and expenses, unless
required or permitted by the FRS 102 SO RP or FRS 102.
Offsetting
Grants and donations
Note 2 Accounting policies
Deferred income
No material item of deferred income has been included in the accounts.
Government grants
The charity has received government grants in the reporting period
These are included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SoFA) when:
!the charity becomes entitled to the resources;
!it is more likely than not that the trustees will receive the resources;
!the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.
2.2 INCOME
In the case of performance related grants, income must only be recognised to the
extent that the charity has provided the specified goods or services as entitlement to
the grant only occurs when the performance related conditions are met (5.16 FRS 102
SO RP).
Debtors
The charity has incurred expenditure on support costs.
Liability recognition
Liabilities are recognised where it is more likely than not that there is a legal or
constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources and the amount of
the obligation can be measured with reasonable certainty.
Grants payable without
performance conditions
Provisions for liabilities
A liability is measured on recognition at its historical cost and then subsequently
measured at the best estimate of the amount required to settle the obligation at the
reporting date
Basic financial
instruments
Governance and
support costs
Creditors
2.3 EXPENDIT URE AND LIABILIT IES
Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost
categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources, eg allocating property
costs by floor areas, or per capita, staff costs by the time spent and other costs by
their usage.
Support costs have been allocated between governance costs and other support.
Governance costs comprise all costs involving public accountability of the charity and
its compliance with regulation and good practice.
The charity has creditors which are measured at settlement amounts less any trade
discounts
Support costs
Where there are no conditions attaching to the grant that enables the donor charity to
realistically avoid the commitment, a liability for the full funding obligation must be
recognised.		 Yes
No
N/a*		 Yes
No
N/a*		 Yes
No
N/a*
a ü ü
Yes
No
N/a*
a ü ü
Yes
No
N/a*
a ü ü
Yes
No
N/a*
a ü ü
Yes
No
N/a*
ü a ü
Yes
No
N/a*
a ü ü
Yes
No
N/a*
a ü ü
Yes
No
N/a*
ü ü a
Yes
No
N/a*
ü ü a
Yes
No
N/a*
a ü ü
Yes
No
N/a*
ü ü a
Yes
No
N/a*
a ü ü
Yes
No
N/a*
ü a ü
Yes
No
N/a*
a ü ü
Yes
No
N/a*
a ü ü
Yes
No
N/a*
a ü ü

28

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Section C Notes to the accounts (cont) Section C Notes to the accounts (cont) Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)
Donations and gifts
General grants provided by
government/other charities
Total
Charitable activities
Donations
Total
TO TAL INCO ME
Charitable
activ ities:
Note 3 Income
Analysis of income
Donations
and
legacies:		 Unrestricted
Income
funds
Restricted
income
funds
Total funds
Prior year
£
£
- - - -
25,900 88,557 114,457 36,178
25,900 88,557 114,457 36,178
3,304 - 3,304 5,743
648 - 648 2,724
3,952 - 3,952 8,467
29,852 88,557 118,409 44,645
Other
Bank Charges
Maintenance and other overheads
Total other expenditure
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
Professional fees
Expenditure on charitable activ ities:
Insurance
Note 4 Expenditure
Analysis
Project Costs
Total expenditure on charitable
activ ities		 Unrestricted
income
funds
Restricted
income
funds
Total funds
Unrestricted
income
funds
Restricted
income
funds
Total funds
£
4,988
- 4,988 918
- 918
15,086 76,542 91,628 6,964 34,991 41,955
This year
Last year
20,074 76,542 96,616 7,882 34,991 42,873
1,226 - 1,226 1,170 - 1,170
60
60 60
60
3,682
3,682 1,137
1,137
-
-
4,968 - 4,968 2,367 - 2,367
25,042
76,542
101,584
10,249
34,991
45,240

29

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)

Note 5 Debtors and prepayments

5.1 Analysis of debtors

This year This year Last year
£ £
Trade debtors - -
Prepayments and accrued income - 100.0
O ther debtors - -
Total - 100.0

Note 6 Creditors and accruals

6.1 Analysis of creditors

Amounts falling due Amounts falling due
within one year after more than one year
This year
Last year		 This year Last year
£
£		 £ £
Trade creditors 4,969 - - -
Accruals and deferred income 1,200 40,435 - -
Total 6,169 40,435 - -

6.2 Deferred income

6.2 Deferred income
Please explain the reasons why income is
deferred.
Movement in deferred income account
Balance at the start of the reporting period
Amounts added in current period
Amounts released to income from prev ious
Balance at the end of the reporting period		 This year Last year
£15,635 - Groundwork
£5,000 - London Catalyst
£10,000 - Garfield Weston
£2,000 - Chapman Trust
£4,800 - Tower Hamlet
Homes
£3,000 - Rank Foundation
Representing income for
projects in 2024/25
periods This year
Last year
£
£
40,435 25,636
- 24,799
(40,435)
(10,000)
- 40,435

30

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)

Note 7 Cash at bank and in hand

Note 7 Cash at bank and in hand
Cash at bank and on hand
Total		 This year
Last year
£
£
53,360 71,101
53,360 71,101

31

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)

Note 8 Charity funds

8.1 Details of material funds held and movements during the CURRENT reporting period

8.1 Details of material funds held and movements during the CURRENT reporting period 8.1 Details of material funds held and movements during the CURRENT reporting period 8.1 Details of material funds held and movements during the CURRENT reporting period 8.1 Details of material funds held and movements during the CURRENT reporting period 8.1 Details of material funds held and movements during the CURRENT reporting period
Fund
balances
brought
forward
Income
Expenditure
Fund
balances
carried
forward
£
£
£
£
Charities Trust
R
Food Garden and Bethnal G 6,300 - (6,300) -
Awards for All
R
E cology/Garden
7,146 - (7,146) -
Trusthouse Charitable Foundation
R
Mobile Apothecary
3,320 5,000 (3,320) 5,000
Tower Hill Trust
R
O utdoor Classroom
4,001 - (4,001) -
Groundworks
R
Bethnal Green E cology Ga - 31,270 (31,270) -
Chapman Trust
R
Community E cologies pub - 2,000 (693) 1,307
Rank Foundation
R
Bethnal Green E cology Ga - 3,000 (2,994) 6
Postcode Society
R
Forest Friday
1,424 - (1,424) -
Tower Hamlets Homes
R
Bethnal Green E cology Ga - 4,800 (4,800) -
London Catalyst
R
Bethnal Green E cology Ga - 5,000 (5,000) -
Royal Botanical Garden, Kew
R
E cology & outreach
- 2,500 (1,616) 884
Museum of Homelessness
R
Mobile Apothecary
- 607 -607
Lush
R
Mobile Apothecary
- 3,000 (2,660) 340
Stafford Trust
R
Forest Friday
- 4,180 -4,180
Children in Need
R
Forest Friday
- 8,300 (2,918) 5,382
Nineveh Trust
R
Community E cologies pub - 4,000 -4,000
City Bridge Trust
R
Adult learning research & d - 12,500 (2,400) 10,100
Arnold Clark Foundation
R
Forest Friday
- 400 -400
Skinners Trust
R
Forest Friday
- 2,000 -2,000
SHE D
UR
Mycelium project
1,859 - -1,859
Foyle Foundation
UR
Charitable activities
- 5,000 (5,000) -
O ther unrestricted income
UR
Charitable activities
6,316 3,952 (7,540) 2,728
Postcode Society Trust
UR
Charitable activities
- 10,900 (2,502) 8,398
Garfield Weston
UR
Charitable activities
- 10,000(10,000) -
30,366 118,409(101,584) 47,191
Yes
No
Total Funds as per balance sheet
Fund names
Type
PE, EE
R or
UR
Purpose and
Restrictions*
118,409(101,584) 47,191
Yes
No
Fund balances carried forward include assets and liabilities denominated in a foreign currency ü a

32

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the year ending 31 March 2025

Section C Notes to the accounts (cont) Section C Notes to the accounts (cont) Section C Notes to the accounts (cont) Section C Notes to the accounts (cont)
Note 8 Charity funds
8.2 Details of material funds held and movements during the PREVIOUS reporting period
Fund
balances
brought
forward
Income
Expenditure
Fund
balances
carried
forward
£
£
£
£
Charities Trust
R
Food Garden capital wo - 10,000 (3,700) 6,300
Awards for All
R
E cology/Garden
1,892 9,000 (3,746) 7,146
Trusthouse Charitable Foundation
R
Reserve Management - 8,000 (4,680) 3,320
Tower Hill Trust
R
O utdoor Classroom
- 4,900 (899) 4,001
Timberland
R
Reserve Management 2,400 4,278 (6,678) -
ArtsCouncil E ngland
R
We Speak in Tongues 2,237 - (2,237) -
Raines Foundation
R
Forest Friday
819 - (819) -
Postcode Society
R
Forest Friday
13,656 - (12,232) 1,424
SHE D
UR
Mycelium project
1,859 - - 1,859
Foyle Foundation
UR
Garden project
2,539 - (2,539) -
O ther unrestricted income
UR
Charitable activities
1,085 8,467 (3,236) 6,316
TRIO DO S BANK UK
UR
Mycelium project
4,474 -(4,474) -
30,961 44,645(45,240) 30,366
Yes
No
Fund balances carried forward include assets and liabilities denominated in a foreign
ü
a
Fund names
Type PE,
EE R or
UR
Purpose and
Restrictions
Total Funds as per balance sheet*
44,645(45,240) 30,366
ed in a foreign Yes
No

ü
a

ü		 a

33