## **Cotswold Way Association** ## **Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts** ## **Year Ended 31[st] March 2023** ## **Structure and Governance** The Cotswold Way Association (CWA) was established on 13[th] May 2016 as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation governed by a Constitution based on the “Association Model” provided by the Charity Commission. It was registered by the Charity Commission on 16[th] May 2016. Charity number - 1167094. Registered Office - The Barn, Woodlands Farm, Watery Lane, Doynton, Bristol. BS30 5TB The Initial Trustees were selected on the basis of their volunteer work for the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens and the Ramblers, and their dedication to the Cotswold Way National Trail. As outlined in the CWA Constitution, it was the intention of the Initial Trustees that the management of the CWA should be continually refreshed by the appointment of new Trustees, in order to ensure a continual regeneration and openness to new ideas and inputs. In pursuit of this objective, one-third of the charity Trustees shall, by rotation, retire from office at each AGM. A retiring Trustee is eligible for reappointment but may not be reappointed for a third consecutive term if they have served for two consecutive terms. It is hoped that new Trustees will be recruited from CWA members at the AGM and other events. In accordance with the above process at the AGM held on the 30[th] August 2022 the following changes took place :- - Keith Sisson retired as a Trustee. - John Bartram and Malcolm Higgins resigned by rotation but were re-elected as Trustees - Simon Jones and Richard Holmes were elected as new Trustees The Trustees at 31[st] March 2023 are therefore :- John Alfred BARTRAM (Chair) Malcolm HIGGINS Martin Brian LOVEGROVE Clare Elizabeth MUIR John Edward TENNANT Richard Ian HOLMES Simon Richard JONES During the period under review the Trustees have held six meetings. ## **Objectives and Public Benefit** The objectives of the CWA, as stated in the Constitution are… _“To promote the conservation and protection of the Cotswold Way National Trail and the surrounding environment of the_ _Cotswold Way Association – Registered Charity No 1167094_ 2 _Cotswold Way National Trail and its habitats (including the Cotswold Way Circular Walks, linking and access routes and other named trails in the area) for the public benefit.”_ The CWA’s objectives for the continual improvement of the Cotswold Way and other trails will bring the following benefits to the community :- - _Conservation of a particular geographical area_ : The Cotswold Way follows the scarp of the Cotswolds for over 100 miles. It passes through a significant amount of the remaining unimproved limestone grassland of the UK, and much ancient woodland. The CWA hopes that supporting habitat recovery, maintenance and monitoring projects close to easily accessible routes will not only be directly beneficial but increase the public awareness and understanding of such work. - _Economic or community development/ Employment:_ Walking the Cotswold Way and the other routes in the area is a significant tourist attraction to visitors from both the UK and abroad. These longer routes require overnight stops, increasing the economic gain for the area. - _Advancing health_ : The health benefits of walking are very well known and promoting walking has been an active NHS policy for many years. Well-maintained and well-signed routes means that the increased health benefit of longer walks is available to more people. - _Promotion of volunteering_ : The Cotswold Way is entirely cared for by volunteer wardens. 25 area wardens routinely patrol and do minor works 4-5 miles each, and volunteer coordinators arrange for work parties for larger tasks. It is expected that the area wardens will be the most common initiators of requests for funding. Access to CWA funding will give encouragement to volunteers in their efforts. - _Community recreation/ Leisure facilities_ : The long routes of the Cotswolds are in frequent use for charity walks, school outings, running events, cycling challenges (on the bridleway sections) and Duke of Edinburgh award challenges. As required by the Constitution, at the 2022 AGM, the following trails (or parts of the trails which pass through the Cotswolds) were endorsed as being supported by the CWA - _Wychavon Way, Winchcombe Way, Wardens Way, Monarchs Way, Macmillan Way, Heart of England Way, Gloucestershire Way, Diamond Way and Wysis Way._ ## **Achievements and Performance - April 2022 to March 2023** The achievements made by the CWA in the year under review are as follows :- 1. Completion of a Strategic Review for the CWA to plot it’s direction over the next five years. 2. Continuing the close working relationship with Cotswold National Landscape team to ensure the efficient use of donations, and to work together on the funding of improvement projects on the Cotswold Way. 3. Supporting improvement projects on the Cotswold Way. These included contributing funds towards the surfacing of sections near Stanton and Dovers Hill which have fallen into disrepair due to large volumes of traffic. 4. Funding an innovative project to lay a non-slip surface of “ecogrid” and gravel on a moderately steep slope of the Cotswold Way near Weston. The trail has been impassable in wet weather. 5. Purchase of 50 oak National Trail “acorn” waymarker posts to be used to replace failing posts along the length of the Cotswold Way. 6. Contributing funds to enable the production of the Cotswold Way Young Explorers Project . This an online educational resource based on the Cotswold Way and tailored to fit with the 3 school curriculum to introduce students to the ecology and historical features of the Cotswold Way. 7. Expansion of the CWA Online Shop so that it has become a major revenue stream for the charity. 8. Publication of _“The Cotswold Way Companion, An Insider Guide”_ by former CWA Trustee Keith Sisson for publication by the CWA in paperback and e-book formats. Sales are through the CWA online shop and select distributors thoughout the Cotswolds. 9. Further expansion of the CWA website pages on walking the Cotswold Way and our other supported trails. 10. Engage with organisations involved with promoting Cotswold Tourism to ensure that tourist enterprises are aware of the CWA, and promote it to visitors to the area and walkers on the Cotswold Way. 11. Expansion of CWA’s presence on social media. At the end of the year there were over 1000 Twitter followers and over 600 likes on Facebook. 12. Responding to messages from members and others, in relation to issues that they have identified on the Cotswold Way and adjoining routes. 13. Recruitment of two new CWA Trustees and volunteers to assist with the CWA’s Online Shop and social media 14. Membership increased to 138 members. At 31[st] March 2023 stood at … |•|Life Members – Single|30| |---|---|---| |•|Life Members – Joint|16| |•|Annual Members - Single|28| |•|Annual Members – Joint|26| |•|Honorary members|18| |•|Business Members|12| |•|Affiliate Organisations|8| ## **Financial Summary** At the end of the 2022-23 Financial Year the CWA held a cash balance of **£15,893.65** Income of **£13,617.50** was derived as follows :- Donations (including Gift Aid) £ 4,310.30 Memberships (including Gift Aid) £ 2,275.00 Sales from the CWA online shop £ 6,487.53 Interest £ 20.40 Gift Aid on memberships & donations £ 524.27 Expenditure of **£20,972.01** was incurred on the following :- Projects £ 12,642.07 Advertising (website & printing) £ 1,370.00 General administration £ 355.73 Stock & costs for CWA online shop £ 2,145.53 Cotswold Way Companion costs £ 4,458.68 The CWA has no outstanding debts at 31[st] March 2023 4 The Income and Expenditure Report and Balance Sheet for the period 1[st] April 2022 to 31[st] March 2023 are attached. ## **Future Plans** 1. To continue to focus attention on improving accessibility on the Cotswold Way and other named trails and to the website so that it provides such information to all users of the Cotswold Way and other named trails. 2. To identify more improvement projects on the Cotswold Way and Cotswold Way Circular routes which can be supported by the charity. 3. To work with partners to seek innovative solutions to ensure that resurfacing work on the trails is in keeping with the local environment. 4. To work closely with representatives of the CWA’s named trails to identify suitable improvement projects. 5. To continue to work closely with the team from Cotswold National Landscape in joint fundraising campaigns. 6. To increase membership of the CWA and to keep members fully informed of its activities. 7. To continue the development of the CWA online shop as a significant source of income to CWA funds. 8. To promote sales of _“The Cotswold Way Companion, An insider Guide”_ so that it raises the profile of the CWA and provides a source of revenue. 9. To encourage more businesses throughout the Cotswolds to join as Business Members of the CWA. 10. To encourage the public and members to give donations to the CWA to expand its programme of funding trail improvements. 11. To increase publicity so that more people are aware of the CWA and its objectives and work. 12. To engage new Trustees who are able to take on the work of trustees who will be retiring in the next 2-3 years 13. To encourage volunteers to assist in the CWA’s administration and operation. 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