ANDOVER TREES UNITED Registered Charlty Number 1167574 Trustees. Report and Financlal Statements For the year ended 31 March 2024 Prlncipal addre55 Westcott Old Salisbury Road Abbott5 Ann Andover 5PII 7NH Trustees Wendy L Davis Daniel J Lobb Alex Marshall Susan Risdale Tim Rolt Elizabeth B Scrace appointed 7 August 2023 (Treasurer) Structure, governance and management Andover Trees United became a registered charty on 9 June 2016. The charity is governed by Its constitution dated 31 May 2016. Trustee selection methods Potential trustees are intervlewed by the board of trustee5. All trustees are appointed at the Annual General Meeting and seNe for a period of up to one year. The board may co-opt people to serve as trustees until the next AGM. Rlsk Management The trustees are responsible for identifying and managing risks to the charity. The trustees consider that they have complied with the Charity Cornmission's guidance on managing risk. When approprlate. systems or procedures are established to mitigate risks faced by the charity. Where rlsk cannot be ellminated the charitv purchases insurance cover. Public benefit The trustee5 confirm that they have due regard to the guidance on publlc benefit publlshed by the Charity Commission. Organisationol rtructure The trustees meet monthly. with responsibility for day-to-day delivery of the charity'5 actlvities delegated to a management team of volunteers, at least 3 of whom are trustees, who meet fortnightly. Objectlves and actlvltles The charity's constitution sets out the objectives as- The conservation. protectEon and improvement of the physical and natural environment for the public benefit by the estsbli5hment and Maintenan￿ of woodland in Andover. The advancement of educath.on of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural envlronment in Andover and the Test Valley area including by promoting the woodland as a means for the community to learn about wider environmental issues such a5: SU5tainability. climate change, ecology and the rnitigating need for trees. The matn activities during the year were: The completion ofthe construction ofthe woodland dassroom and community space. Final certification of completion is due to be achieved during 2024. Planting of approximately 1500 tree whips by IOOO+ children frorn 25 schools and several hundred adults at the Test Valley Borough Council Bury Hill nature reserve. Hedgerows at the Diamond Wood were extended. All tree plantings added to the Queen's Green Canopy initiative. Approximately 1000 wildflower plants. raised by ATU volunteers from seed, were planted in the newlv constructed 'Dragon Garden. in Harrnony Wood5. The continuation ofthe programme to broaden the availability of volunteering opportunities to work in the natural environment, by delivering weekly workdays at Harmony Woods and the allotment as well as monthly weekend workdays. Volunteer opportunltles contSnue to include regular sesslons for the extensive citizen science programme. Coppicing at nearby Trinley Estste resumed and several training days saw returning and new volunteers take part. A new 'Nature/ Nurture. project, devised and led by the Nature & Community Offi'cers, offered nature-based activibes to children and young people In new collaboratfons with a number of l¢xal organisation5,' school hollday 'Nature Explorer, sesslon led by the Natu￿ & Community Officers were introduced,. volunteer-led activities in the wood conts'nued to SUPPOrt many local scouting and guiding groups. A regular programme of monthly craft sesslons was introduced from January 2024. Details of these can be found on the website. An intern position continued to be offered durin8 2023-24 which allowed us to continue to run the annual programme of citr.zen science 'Nature in Harmony, event5. Early in 2024 a group of volunteers undertook tree plantin8 as a fundraisin8 activity. Achlevements and performance Ouring 2023-24 the charity continued to pursue tsts objective of establishlng a woodland In Andover wlth the planting of young trees. The school planting programme contlnued at the 51te withln the Test Valley Borough Council Bury Hill nature reserve. Wildflower plantlng withln Harmony Woods continued within the newly constructed Dragon Garden designed In memory of Sandy 8urnfleld. Further opportunitfes for education in the natural environment continued with the four core partnershlp schools as part of the 4-year 6 Trees and 6 Flowers development programme and as part of the new Nature/ Nurture and Nature Explorer projects. As Nature and Community Officer with respon5iblllty for children'5 and young people's learnlng In nature. Joanna Oliver-Hawkins began her Fo￿5t Schoo15 Leadership training in the autumn of 2023. For adults. tralnlng was given in the form of coppicing, wildflower propagation, tree plantin8. citizen science activities and species identification. Representing Andover Trees United Trustee5, Wendy Davis was invited by Henry Oliver. Dlrector of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape to speak at theirAnnual Forurn in October. Design work for improved interpretation of the wood to help visitors to appreciate how to sensitively access the site was an ongoing priority. (The resultin8 signs a￿ due to be installed 2024-25.1 The town centre allotment lease continued where, on a regular basis, volunteers are able to propagate wildflower5 and nurture saplings for later transfer to the woodland. Following the signing of a lease with Hampshire County Council, plan5 for calcareou5 grassland restoration have been drawn up as part of our developing woodland mènagementforthe whole of the Diamond Wood. Work continued on the woodland classroom and communlty space. In November 2023 the charity wa5 awarded the King's Award for Voluntary Servlce. Collaborations with national and international environment groups- the Woodland Trust, Dr Jane GoodaS1's Roots & Shoots, youth_led UNEP Plant-for-the-Planet- continued. The development of strong relationships with loc31 businesses and orgaT)isations continued. in particularvolunteerin8. ftjnding and supportfrom North Wessex Downs National Landscape, Abel & Cole, the Coop, Jewsons. SimplyHealth. Stannah, Nationwide Building Society. The Ecology Intern Programme continued with the appointment of a 3 successive intern. The two full time Nature and Community Officers and one part time Admin Officer continued with delivery of the '8ranching Out, Strate2y and in widening the scope of community 3chvities which are available. This was made possible bythe National Lottery'Reaching Communities, Grant. The strong community-led management team continued to work well. Flnancial revlew The incoming resources in 2023-24 amounted to £10434012022-23 £1097031 and total resources expended amounted to £11625412022-23 £1423521 leading to on excess of expendlture over income for the year of £1191412022-23 deficit £326491. The charity maintains one Unrestricted General Fund and five Unrestricted Designated Funds, and at 31 March 2024 fourteen Restricted Funds. The total funds balance was £69629 of which the balance of Restricted Funds at 31 March 2024 was £63608. No ftjnds were in deficit at 31 March 2024 and sufficient funds are held to enable each fund to be applied in accordance with any restrictions. Reserves policy It is o recommendationfrom the Cht7rltle5 Commi55ion that Reserve5 should be sufficient to covera period long enoughfor the Charity to decide on u woyforwardshould it lose it5 mujorfunding. Until 2027, the reserves required by the charity to ensure the charity can continue for a minimum period of 6 months is £5000. This amount is required to ensure that free monies are available in each financial year to meet any reasonably foreseeable contfjngency. After that time. for the charity to be able to continue at it5 current capacity for 6 months, free reserves would need to be £15000. If this level of funding were to be unavailable or to appear unlikely, a re-evaluation of staffing levels would be undertaken by the Trustees. If this were to occur, it is anticipated that a minimum of EIOOOO would be sufficient to allow the charlty to conrtnue wlth Its main charltable aims for 12 months. The Trustees will tske all necessary steps to ensure that at no time would it be possible for the cessation of one or more funding streams to present a challen8e to the future of the organisation that could not be managed so as to continue to provide a service. In reviewing the potential costs that could arise should a 518nificant reduction in incorne occur, the Trustees have determined that the current 'free' reserve5 of £5000 should increase each year to ensu￿ that by 2027 they stand at £IOOOO. Thi5 is equlvalent to the 4 months of the charlty's baslc running costs. Dedaration The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees, report above. THANK YOU The Trustees would also like to take this opportunity to formally thank all volunteers and supporters who have given Eenerously of theirts.me over the past 12 months and without whom few of the achievements described in this report would have been possible. Signed on 2 September 2024 on half of the charity's trustees Wendy Davis Trustee Andover Trees United Receipts and Payment5 Account Forthe year ended 31 March 2024 Charity No 1167574 2024 Total 2023 Total Unrestricted Restricted Income Local Authority grants Grants and donations Fundraising Other income Interest income 150 2068 8101 14250 72196 6789 750 144(K) 74264 14891 750 35 104340 9525 90427 9749 28 10347 93993 109703 Expenditure Trees planting and slte maintenance Tran5POrt Equipment Equipment hire Events Staff and Intern Property running costs Staff & volunteer training Volunteer costs Insurance Administration & publicity Study Centre Vehicle running costs Environmental Studies Youth Work 2694 3152 124 2729 5424 3152 ioio 2006 3504 16643 635 14793 44187 887 458 1082 59567 1541 59567 108 2450 656 3523 1015 30647 3489 108 345 642 3523 1015 2105 14 1417 3043 1150 52179 1588 30647 2500 989 1886 1886 65 Fundraising costs 1038 748 1786 1142 14088 102166 116254 142352 Excess of expenditure over income -3740 -8173 -11914 -32649 Transfer between funds -1837 1837 0.00 Balance at l April 2023 11599 69944 81543 114192 Balance at 31 March 2024 6022 63608 69629 81543 Cash at bank Cash in hand 5879 143 63608 69487 143 81478 65 6022 63608 69629 81543 The receipts and payments account was approved by the Board of Trustees on 5 August 2024 and wa5 signed on its behalf bv-. Wendy Davis Trustee Elizabeth Scrace Treasurer Andover Trees United Statement of assets and liabilities At 31 March 2024 2024 2023 UnRestricted Restrirted Total Cash at bank Cash in hand 5879 143 6022 63608 69487 143 69629 81478 65 81543 63608 Asset5 retained for the charity's own use Building 139483 139483 108836 Equipment Motor vehicle 124 13390 15512 28902 13514 15512 29026 13021 14995 28016 124 Accounts receivable 2895 2895 Current liabilities Suppliers NEST HMRC 450 450 265 505 1220 4194 265 505 770 303 4497 450 Independent Examinerfs Report I report to the trustees of Andover Trees United {charity No 1167574) on my examination of the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024 set out on page l. Responsibilitles and basis of report As the charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011. I report in respect of my examination of the Charity'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 145151(b} of the Act. Independent examlnerfs statement I have completed my examlnation. I conflrm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which give me cause to believe that in any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Art; or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or the accounts did not comply with the appllcable 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 fairf view whlch is not a matter consldered 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 the report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Mrs E Giles Date 3 August 2024 Mrs Emma Giles 8 Aster Court Floral Way Andover Hampshire SPIO 3QD Independent Examlnerfs Report I reportto the trustees of AndoverTrees United (charity No 1167574} on my examination of the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024 set out on page l. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011. I report in respect of my examination of the Charitvs accounts carrled 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(51(b) of the Act. Independent examinerfs statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which give me cause to believe that in any material respert: the accounting records were not kept in accordan￿ with section 130 of the Charities Act; or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or the accounts dld not comply with the appllcable 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 fairf 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 the report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Mrs E Giles Date 3 August 2024 Mrs Emma Giles 8 Aster Court Floral Way Andover Hampshire SPIO 3QD