**Shropshire Hills Landscape Trust** Registered Charity Number 1168432 c/o Unit 5 Drovers House, The Auction Yard, CRAVEN ARMS SY7 9BZ ## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024** _We will inspire people, organisations and businesses to be active In supporting the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and in helping to secure its beauty for the future._ ## **Objectives** In keeping with the national changes of nomenclature for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty to National Landscapes, the charity adopted the name “Shropshire Hills Landscape Trust.” Its objectives remain the same, dedicated to promoting the conservation of the natural beauty of the Shropshire Hills landscape. It supports activities which protect the wildlife and heritage of the area, and which spread knowledge and understanding of the importance of the natural environment. An important aim is to encourage local people and organisations to become actively involved in caring for the countryside around them. ## **Governance** The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation governed by a constitution based on the ‘Foundation’ model and dated 21st July 2016. Its constitution allows it to have a total of eight Trustees, four of whom are individuals appointed by the remaining trustees. The manager of the Shropshire Hills National Landscape Team is an ex officio Trustee and the Partnership may also nominate up to three other Trustees. Appointed Trustees serve threeyear terms whereas nominated Trustees serve two-year terms. No Trustee may be appointed for more than three consecutive terms without a gap of at least one year. Appointed Trustees Anthony Morgan (Chair) Neil Willcox George Chancellor (Treasurer) Janet Cobb Nominated Trustees Charles Edwards Rachel Cockett Ex officio Trustee Phil Holden (Secretary) In addition to the Annual General Meeting there were four formal Trustees meetings during the year at which the Trustees reviewed the financial situation and determined matters of overall policy. The Trustees also met in March to consider applications to the Conservation Fund and to award project grants for the forthcoming year. The National Landscape staff 1 team provided administrative support, and the day-to-day work of the Trust was carried out by Trustees meeting as groups or as individuals together with support staff and outside persons as appropriate. ## **Achievements** ## _Conservation Fund_ Thirteen projects were awarded a total of £19,993. As in past years the awards fulfilled the underlying principle of supporting community groups aiming to care for the natural environment in their local area. Three groups received money to enable them to study the behaviour and distribution of pine martens, a previously rare species which appears to be re-establishing in local woodlands. The Trust was pleased to continue to support efforts to restore the verges of country lanes so that they can once again become havens for biodiversity. It was also able to promote the preservation of the industrial heritage of the Stiperstones by awarding a grant to the Shropshire Mines Trust. Two projects aim to help young people to appreciate the values of the countryside and to use digital photography to record and share what they discover. Other areas supported included training sessions in plant and fungus identification, a walking festival and a national conference on meadow conservation. Details of all the activities supported and reports on their outcomes are available on the Trust’s web pages https://www.shropshirehills-nl.org.uk/help-to-look-after/shropshire-hillslandscape-trust/conservation-fund-projects. ## _Friends of the Shropshire Hills_ The Friends scheme was established through the Shropshire Hills staff team hosted by Shropshire Council in 2008 on the 50[th] anniversary of the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, but with the creation of the Trust in 2016 it was agreed that it was important for the Friends to support the Trust as well as the Partnership. Since then, the Friends’ subscriptions have been paid directly to the Trust, which also controls how these funds are spent. ## **Financial review** The Trust’s income comes from subscriptions to the Friends of the Shropshire Hills scheme and donations. The major part of the Trust’s money is used to award grants from its Conservation Fund; administrative services were kindly provided at no cost by members of the National Landscape team. The Trust holds all its financial assets in a current account with Barclays Bank. At the start of the year the bank balance was £27,904 and the total income during the year was £13,563. £16,480 was paid out to grant recipients whose projects had completed and £5,298 was carried forward to cover expected claims from projects still in progress. At the end of the year the Trust had a bank balance of £24,876. The Trust is most grateful to those who donated money to support the Conservation Fund. In particular, we thank the Millichope Foundation, individual donors and the many Friends of the Shropshire Hills. 2 ## **Shropshire Hills AONB Trust** ## **Accounts 2023-2024** ## **INCOME** ||**EXPENDITURE**||| |---|---|---|---| ||Shropshire Ornithological Society (CF2223/1)|£|2,000.00
| ||Restoring Shropshire (CF/2223/2)|£|279.59
| ||Janet Cobb (CF/2223/4)|£|996.30
| ||NCG Parks & Gardens (CF/2223/3)|£|660.00
| ||Mr M White (CF/2223/3)|£|202.99
| ||Clunbury Parish Council (CF/2223/6)|£|340.00
| ||Clunbury Parish Council (CF/2223/6)|£|365.00
| ||Clee St Margaret VH (CF/2223/8)|£|1,100.00
| ||A Pettitt (CF/2324/2)|£|1,335.00
| ||Clun & District (CF/2324/6)|£|2,000.00
| ||Caroline Uff (CF/2324/8)|£|1,500.00
| ||Janet Cobb (CF/2324/7 & residue of CF/2223/4)|£|596.65
| ||Caring for God's Acre (CF/2324/9)|£|1,180.00
| ||Lucy Grove (CF/2324/10)|£|1,363.90
| ||Upper Onny Wildlife Group (CF/2324/11)|£|1,000.00
| ||Shrophire Wildlife Trust (CF/2324/12)|£|1,000.00
| ||Glynns Garden CIC(CF/2324/13)|£|560.99
| ||**Grants Paid**|**£**|**16,480.42**
| ||SDH AccountingServices|£|110.00
| ||**Operating Costs**|**£**|**110.00**
| ||||| ||**Total Expenditure**|**£**|**16,590.42**
| |**INCOME**||| |---|---|---| |**Friends Membership**|**£**|**4,475.76**
| |||| |Business Supporters|**£**|**947.56**
| |||| |**General Donations**|**£**|**245.80**
| |||| |**Shuttle Supporters Scheme**|**£**|**1,346.44**
| |||| |**Caering for Caradoc Appeal**|**£**|**59.59**
| |||| |**Gift Aid Reclaim**|**£**|**1,488.16**
| |Millichope Foundation||£5,000.00| |**Grants Received**||**£5,000.00**| ||**Accounts 2023-2024**| |---|---| ||**EXPENDITURE**
Shropshire Ornithological Society (CF2223/1)
2,000.00
£
Restoring Shropshire (CF/2223/2)
279.59
£
Janet Cobb (CF/2223/4)
996.30
£
NCG Parks & Gardens (CF/2223/3)
660.00
£
Mr M White (CF/2223/3)
202.99
£
Clunbury Parish Council (CF/2223/6)
340.00
£
Clunbury Parish Council (CF/2223/6)
365.00
£
Clee St Margaret VH (CF/2223/8)
1,100.00
£
A Pettitt (CF/2324/2)
1,335.00
£
Clun & District (CF/2324/6)
2,000.00
£
Caroline Uff (CF/2324/8)
1,500.00
£
Janet Cobb (CF/2324/7 & residue of CF/2223/4)
596.65
£
Caring for God's Acre (CF/2324/9)
1,180.00
£
Lucy Grove (CF/2324/10)
1,363.90
£
Upper Onny Wildlife Group (CF/2324/11)
1,000.00
£
Shrophire Wildlife Trust (CF/2324/12)
1,000.00
£
Glynns Garden CIC(CF/2324/13)
560.99
£| ||**Grants Paid**
**16,480.42**
**£**| ||SDH AccountingServices
110.00
£| ||**Operating Costs**
**110.00**
**£**| ||| ||**Total Expenditure**
**16,590.42**
**£**| ||**Additional Expenditure**
_Pertaining to the financial year (or previous) but to be paid post-April 1, 2024_
Llanfairwaterdine Community Trust (CF2223/5)
1,000.00
£
Shropshire Ornithological Society (CF2324/1)
1,000.00
£
A Pettitt (CF/2324/2)
165.00
£
DHMAT St George's Academy (CF/2324/3)
2,000.00
£
Grow Cook Learn (CF/2324/5)
500.00
£
Lucy Grove (CF/2324/10)
633.20
£| ||**5,298.20**
**£**| ||_Pertaining to previous years but paid in the financial year_
**Grants (as above)**
**5,943.88**
**£**| ||**Adjusted Total Expenditure**
**15,944.74**
**£**| ||| |**Funds at Bank(31/3/23)**
**27,904.09**
**£**
**Funds at Bank(31/3/24)**
**24,876.98**
**£**
**Restricted Funds**
**6,816.44**
**£**
**Shuttles Supporters Scheme**
Carried over from 2022/23
37.93
-£
Income 2023/2024
1,346.44
£
Expenditure 2023/24
-
£
**Total**
**1,308.51**
**£**
**Caering for Caradoc**
Carried over from 2022/23
143.37
£
Income 2023/2024
66.36
£
Expenditure 2023/24
-
£
**Total**
**209.73**
**£**
**Grants Carried Over for 2024/25 payment**
5,298.20
£
**Available Unrestricted Funds**
**18,060.54**
**£**|| |**Available Unrestricted Funds**
**18,060.54**
**£**|| 3 ## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Shropshire Hills AONB Trust Charity Number 1168432** This report is on the accounts of the Trustees for the year ended 31[st] March 2024 ## **Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner** As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the 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 as documented in their Guidance issued in September 2017. It should be noted that an independent examination is not a statutory requirement as total income received is below £25,000, however it is recognised good practice. ## **Basis of independent examiner's statement** My examination was carried out in accordance with guidance given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records and bank records presented. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts. ## **Independent examiner’s statement** I have completed my examination and confirm that no matter has come to my attention which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect: Accounting records have not been kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; Or, The accounts do not accord with those records; Or, The accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning form and content as 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. ## _Susan Hackett_ **Signed …………………………….. Date** 03 June 2024 Mrs SD Hackett Brandiston Norwich Norfolk NR10 4PJ 4