## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period**
**From: January 2025 to December 2025 Charity name: Grange Area Trust**
**Charity reg 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 benefit 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 benefit for the use of the
inhabitants of the area without
distinction of sex, sexual
orientation, age, disability,
nationality, race or political religion
or other opinion for informal
recreation and leisure time
occupation with the object of
improving the conditions of life of
the said inhabitants.
(2) To promote for the benefit of the
public the conservation protection
and improvement of the physical
and natural environment in and
around the area of benefit.
(3) To advance the education of the
public, in particular but not
exclusively, in the conservation,
protection and improvement of the
physical and natural environment
in and around the area of benefit.|
|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/nettle control, grassland and
woodland management, scrub
encroachment, footpaths control,
botanical surveys.
To set up nature trails, places bird and
bat boxes and wildlife habitat
protection|
|||
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 has a small group of dedicated
volunteers who give their tme to support the
Trust’s actvites and in partcular to maintain
Widmer Fields for the beneft of the local
community. The Trust is actvely seeking to
extend its pool of volunteers and over the past
year we have welcomed new volunteers to our
Land Management team.|
|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|
As in previous years the Trust has
contnued to maintain and improve
Widmer Fields as an open access
amenity space (Village Green) to be
enjoyed by residents. We conducted a
number of surveys throughout the year
to estmate the number and type of
visitors which indicated high single digit
thousands of visitors access the felds
on a weekly basis.
Nature Trails through the felds were
organised for young children during the
year. The trustees are keen to engage
young people in recognising the
privilege it is to have this wonderful
area of land available to them and
hopefully encourage them to become
volunteers in the future.
During 2025 the Charity made an ofer,
which was accepted, for a former pub
car park that adjoins Widmer Fields
which is already well used by residents
who need to drive in order to access
the felds. We expect to fnalise the
transacton in early 2026. Our
objectve in acquiring the car park is to
ensure that it remains available to the
local community and to those who
wish to access the felds.
During 2025 we launched a new
‘Widmer Fields’ brand in recogniton
that while people appreciate the
facility that Widmer Fields ofers they
do not necessarily connect the Grange
Area Trust brand with Widmer Fields.
We are updatng our website and other
communicatons to refect the Widmer
Fields brand and hope that this will
help with future fundraising eforts.
We received a donaton of trees from
HS2 (surplus to their requirements)
which we have used to strengthen the
Widmer Fields boundary and with the
farmers agreement, the public
footpath boundaries on a neighbouring
farm.|
**Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
See statements in previous section
|Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41||
|---|---|---|
|Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|The Charity set an objectve to raise £8,500
through donatons and other fundraising
actvites throughout the year. We were
successful in exceeding this objectve.
A successful fund-raising quiz night took place
in the autumn and further quizzes are planned
for 2026.
Building on the success of previous years, a
Widmer Fields calendar was produced showing
views of Widmer Fields and sold during the run
up to Christmas. Local businesses were
generous in sponsoring each of the calendar
pages and we were successful in selling 150+
copies.|
|Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|During the year we placed £20,000 of the
Trusts available funds on fxed term deposit in
order to earn interest on the amount.|
|Other|||
## **Financial Review**
|**Financial Review**|||
|---|---|---|
|Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|The Trust’s fnancial positon remains sound.
It’s Bank Balance increased by nearly £X a year
onyear from £Y at end 2024 to £Z at end 2025|
|Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|Reserves are held in case of any unforeseen
emergency and to provide for the replacement
of capital assets. The Trust has no regular
income apart from donatons and fund raising
events.|
|Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|£?|
|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 and Trustees.
Ash Die Back afectng many of the
mature trees on GAT land|
|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 will usually
serve for a period of tme 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:
`o`
has an unspent convicton shown at
htps://www.gov.uk/guidance/automatc-
disqualifcaton-rules-for-charity-trustees-
and-charity-senior-positons
`o`
has an IVA, debt relief order and/or a
bankruptcy order
`o`
has been removed as a trustee in
England, Scotland or Wales (by the
Charity Commission or Ofce of the
Scotsh Charity Regulator)
`o`
is a disqualifed company director
`o`
is a designated person for the purposes of
ant-terrorism legislaton
`o`
is on the sex ofenders’ register
`o`
has been found in contempt of court for
making (or causing to be made) a false
statement
`o`
has been foundguiltyof disobedience to|
an order or direction of the Charity Commission and is provided with: A copy of the Constitution A copy of the up-to-date Annual Report and Accounts A Charity Commission Trustees’ Handbook Copies of the trust’s policy documents During 2025 we had two Trustees resign from the Charity and we welcomed two new Trustees to bring us back up to our maximum complement of 9.
## **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|See above|
|---|---|---|
|The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|GAT consists of two sub-commitees, the
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 a Treasurer and a 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|||
||Malcolm Bristow||||
||Brian Dugan||||
||Peter Dwelly||||
||David Field|Chairman of
Land
Management
Committee|||
||Hugh McCarthy||||
||Robert Pangborn||||
||Laura Air||Elected during
2024||
||Colin Wingfield||||
||||||
## – 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)** Joanna Davinson **Full name(s)** Joanna Davinson
**Position (eg Secretary,** Honorary Secretary **Chair, etc)**
**Date**
## **Grange Area Trust**
## **Accounts for the year to 31st December 2025**
|**Year to date movement:**|**£**|**£**|
|---|---|---|
||**Year to**|**Year to**|
|**Income:**|**31.12.25**|**31.12.24**|
|Income from donations:|||
|Standing orders|4,376.00|4,310.70|
|Justgiving|286.44|313.79|
|Other|3,025.53|757.84|
|Hazlemere Fete donations|70.90|246.66|
|Current year calendar sales|940.00|405.00|
|Previous year calendar sales|1,280.00|250.00|
|Gift Aid|1,376.63|1,641.02|
|HPC/R Callingham grants|3,400.00|1,300.00|
|Quiz|1,175.00|880.00|
|Dog Walkers events||572.50|
|Equipment sales||3,800.00|
|Interest received|500.87|509.39|
|**Total income**|**16,431.37**|**14,986.90**|
|**Expenses:**|||
|Calendars|1,125.00|775.00|
|Subscriptions|45.00|45.00|
|Hazlemere Fete|95.00|95.00|
|Insurances|265.44|271.86|
|Leaflets|||
|Scalpings||1,752.00|
|Land management expenses *|2,171.86|1,986.46|
|Equipment repairs/replacement **|2,219.19|4,220.27|
|Administration||50.00|
|**Total expenses**|**5,921.49**|**9,195.59**|
|**Excess of income over expenses**|**10,509.88**|**5,791.31**|
|**Bank balance at 1st January 2025**|**34,019.18**|**28,227.87**|
|**Bank balance at 31st December 2025**|**44,529.06**|**34,019.18**|
|**In current account**|**23,061.38**|**22,378.16**|
|**In Long term deposit accounts**|**21,401.25**|**10,000.00**|
|**Cash**|**66.43**||
|**Outstanding - Gift aid**||**1,641.02**|
||**44,529.06**|**34,019.18**|
||C Wetherell Hon Treasurer|Date: 17/03/2026|
In my opinion the above statements give a true and fair view of the financial position of the trust.
C Fletcher
Date:
## **Grange Area Trust Accounts for the year to 31st December 2025 Summary**
|**Recurring income:**
Standing Orders
Annual Gif Aid income
**Standard annual costs**
Scalpings
Land management & repairs
Insurance
**Excess on standard actvites**
**Other income**
Donatons, Quiz, Calendars, backdated gif aid (net of costs)
Grants
Equipment sales
Interest
**Other expenses**
Equipment purchased incl trees
**Excess of income over expenses**|**2025**
**2024**
**£**
**£**
4,376.00
4,310.70
1,376.63
930.00|
|---|---|
||**5,752.63**
**5,240.70**
1,752.00
0.00
1,986.46
265.44
271.86|
||**265.44**
**4,010.32**
**5,487.19**
**1,230.38**
5,512.87
3,171.81
3,400.00
1,300.00
3,800.00
500.87
509.39|
||**9,413.74**
**8,781.20**
**0.00**
**0.00**
**14,900.93 10,011.58**|