==> picture [202 x 51] intentionally omitted <==
Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From January 2023 To December 2023
Charity name:
Grange Area Trust
Charity registration number: 1167347
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | (1) For the beneft of the public to provide and maintain a village green in Widmer Fields and, if so decided, to acquire and provide further pieces of land within the area of beneft for the use of the inhabitants of the area without distncton of sex, sexual orientaton, age, disability, natonality, race or politcal religion or other opinion for informal recreaton and leisure tme occupaton with the object of improving the conditons of life of the said inhabitants. (2) To promote for the beneft of the public the conservaton protecton and improvement of the physical and natural environment in and around the area of beneft. (3) To advance the educaton of the public, in partcular but not exclusively, in the conservaton, protecton and improvement of the physical and natural environment in and around the area of beneft. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
To ensure the land management plan is followed. To organises the management of volunteer groups to work on the land To organises the programme for bramble/netle control, grassland and woodland management, scrub encroachment, footpaths control, botanical surveys. To set up nature trails, places bird and bat boxes and wildlife habitat protecton |
| To fundraise and make grant applicatons to raise funding from individuals and organisatons to cover annual running costs. To raise awareness of the Trust by efectve public presentatons, leafets, notces, press releases, newsleters, etc. |
||
|---|---|---|
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | The Grange Area Trust upholds its objectve to the advancement of protecton and improvement of the environment for the beneft of wildlife, plants and the public. |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
SORP reference |
||
|---|---|---|
| Policy on grant making | Para 1.38 | |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 | |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 | The charity been a small group of dedicated volunteers who have willingly given of their tme and a number of residents have expressed interest in supportng the trust’s work. During the course of 2023 the Trust has been successful in atractng a number of new volunteers to support its Land Management work. The Trust has also been supported by the dog walking community, one of Widmer Fields key user groups, who raised funds for the Trust during2023. |
| Other |
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | A number of Nature Trails through the felds were organised for young children during the year. They were well atended During 2023 the Trust has also established a relatonship with a local Forest School, ofering access to the Fields for the schools actvites and providing Bird and Bee box kits for the children to build and decorate. During the year we mentored an individual working towards his Duke of Edinburgh award. We ran a successful fund-raising quiz night in the Autumn and we again produced a Widmer Fields Calendar for 2024. This year we extended the print run from 100 to 200 in order to meet demand. The calendar was well received and generated a signifcant level of donatons in additon to the sale revenue. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 |
As above |
|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | As above. |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | At our December 2023 Trustees meeting the Trustees agreed an investment plan to place our £10,000 reserve into an interest bearing fixed term account. We will reap the benefit of that investment in 2024. |
| Other |
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | Reserves are held in case any unforeseen emergency arises. This is vital as there is a substantal number of trees on Widmer Fields Village Green which could be afected by storms. The Trust has no regular income apart from donatons and fund raisingevents. |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | £10,000 |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 |
Funds are raised by donatons from individual residents, grants from public bodies, such as the local parish councils, the annual calendar and quiz nights. |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | Accidents to volunteers working on the land. A reducton in donatons which are necessary for maintaining the land. Ageing volunteers. Ash Die Back which afects a number of the trees that we maintain |
| Other |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | The Trust’s governing document is the Consttuton. |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | Charitable Incorporated Organisaton |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | Trustees come from a variety of backgrounds. They share a common desire to protect green spaces around Buckinghamshire. They each have strengths which are useful to the Trust, e.g. company directors, accountancy, environmental, administratve, marketng, IT, local council representaton. There is a staggered retrement programme which is detailed in the Consttuton. There is full board discussion and approval before the appointment of any Trustee. A likely candidate must generally serve for a period of at least two years on one of the sub-commitees – Development or Land Management, provide a CV and undertakes a short interview. On appointment, the new Trustee makes a writen declaraton statng that: S/he is willing to act as a trustee of the Grange Area Trust. S/he understands the organisaton’s purposes and rules set out in its Consttuton. S/he understand that knowingly to make a false statement is a criminal ofence under secton 11 of the Charites Act 1993 S/he understands that the charity’s funds are held in its name in bank or building society account in England or Wales S/he will comply with his/her responsibilites as a trustee as set out in the Charity Commission’s guidance “The Essental Trustee (CC3) S/he is not prevented from actng a trustee because s/he: ohas an unspent convicton shown at htps://www.gov.uk/guidance/automatc- disqualifcaton-rules-for-charity-trustees- and-charity-senior-positons ohas an IVA, debt relief order and/or a bankruptcy order ohas been removed as a trustee in England, Scotland or Wales (by the Charity Commission or Ofce of the Scotsh Charity Regulator) ois a disqualifed company director ois a designated person for the purposes of ant-terrorism legislaton ois on the sex ofenders’ register ohas been found in contempt of court for making (or causing to be made) a false statement |
o |
has been found guilty of disobedience to | |
|---|---|---|
| an order or directon of the Charity | ||
| Commission | ||
| and is | provided with: | |
| | A copy of | the Consttuton |
| | A copy of | the up-to-date Annual Report and Accounts |
| | A Charity | Commission Trustees’ Handbook |
| | Copies of | the trust’s policy documents |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 |
|
|---|---|---|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | GAT consists of two sub-commitees, Development Commitee and Land Management Commitee, who have trustees, volunteers and expert consultants serving on them and each has a Chairman who reports back to the main board of Trustees. Proposals from these sub-commitees are brought to the main board of Trustees for ratfcaton. They each meet three tmes during the year. There are no paid staf working for GAT. There is an Honorary Treasurer and an Honorary Secretary. |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | The Grange Area Trust |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | |
| Registered charity number | 1167347 |
| Charity’s principal address | Piranor Barn, North Road, Widmer End, Buckinghamshire, HP15 6NE |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colin Stevens | Chairman of Trustees and Chairman of Development Committee |
Elected as Trustee in February 2022. Elected a Chair in March 2023 |
||
| Malcolm Bristow | Elected 2017 – reappointed 2020 and 2023 |
|||
| Brian Dugan | Elected in 2016 – reappointed in 2019 and 2022 |
|||
| Peter Dwelly | Elected in 2020 – reappointed in 2023 |
|||
| David Field | Chairman of Land Management Committee |
Elected in 2016 – reappointed in 2020 |
||
| Hugh McCarthy | Elected in 2016 – reappointed in 2020 |
|||
| Robert Pangborn | Elected in 2016 – reappointed in 2018, 2020 and 2022 |
|||
| Judy Weaver | Elected in 2016 – reappointed in 2018, 2020 and 2022 |
|||
| Colin Wingfield | Elected in 2016 – reappointed in 2019 and 2022 |
|||
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved Director name
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets held in this capacity
Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects
Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of Name Address adviser
Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
Signature(s)
Full name(s) Joanna Davinson
Position (eg Secretary, Honorary Secretary Chair, etc)
Date
Grange Area Trust Statement of Accounts For the year ended 31 December 2023 Year to 31.12.23 Year to 31.12.22 Incomln8S Donation5 Standlng Orders Others 4,165. 1,960.55 6.125.55 230.60 756. 65.00 831.56 S.) 745. 455.C(J 9,70&71 4,293.C(J 11,505.43 15,798.43 loo.00 1,427.31 122.00 1,076.39 Hazlemere Fete donatiors Current ar calendar sales Premous year calendar sales Gift Aid HPC gfant Quiz Cedar Pa party T¢tsl InCle 812.95 19,337.08 out801$ Calendars 2023 Calendars 2024 Sub5¢riptions Hazlemere Fete Insurances Leaf lets Scalpings Land management expenses Equipment repairslreplacement Admlnlstration Totsl expernses Excess ol Inc(me er expenses Bank balance at 1st Jawary 2023 Bank balance at 31 De¢ember 2023 464.19 650.(K) 95.(KJ 125.lJ) 252.48 I32.) 1,695.06 1,9)4.77 3,830.85 422.31 0.00 45.00 0.00 925.56 0.00 3,429.30 7,089.58 9,276.48 228.34 21,416.57 9,149.35 559.36 -2,079.49 27,668.51 28,227.87 29,748.r 27,668.51 In current acctt In W temi deNislt accounl lrnatures 14121251 18227.87 io.000.00 cwhwdl Hon Treasur Date.. 28104n024 ** 1 VY*¥I atruea)d tsirview oftheftnanclal posllion ofthetrust. D.B. Westbrook F.C.C. Date. ¢ Zo2