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2020-12-31-accounts

VINTERS VALLEY PARK TRUST CIO

(No: 1169118)

INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE

CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2020

VINTERS VALLEY PARK TRUST CIO

CONTENTS

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/
members of
On accounts for the year
ended
Set out on pages
Respective
responsibilities of
trustees and examiner
Basis of independent
examiner’s statement
Independent
examiner's statement
Signed:
Name:
Relevant professional
qualification(s) or body:
Address:		 Vinters Valley Park Trust CIO Vinters Valley Park Trust CIO Vinters Valley Park Trust CIO
31/12/2020 Charity no
(if any)		 1169118
1 - 2
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts.
The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year
under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an
independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
•
examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
•
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the
Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and
•
to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions 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. 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 no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true
and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the
statement below.
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention
1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in, any material respect,
the requirements:
•
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the
Charities Act; and
•
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and
comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act
have not been met; or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a
proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Date:11/02/2021
11/02/2021
Peter Acott
FCCA
SHPD Accountants, 10 Littlebourne Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 5QP
No (if any)
Vinters Valley Park Trust CIO 1169118
Receipts andpayments accounts CC16a
For the period
from		 01/01/2020
Period start date		 31/12/2020
Period end date
To
Section A Receipts and payments Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts Unrestricted
funds
to the nearest
£
16,536
2,281
3,301
-
1,942
233
553
-
-
24,846
-
-
-
24,846
239
64
372
5,958
145
2,567
391
19,643
1,777
360
31,516
-
14
14
31,530
(6,684)
-
82,472
75,788		 Restricted
funds
to the nearest £
102
10,950
750
-
-
-
-
-
-
11,802
-
-
-
11,802
-
-
-
52
-
-
-
-
-
-
52
-
2,400
2,400
2,452
9,350
-
3,575
12,925		 Endowment
funds
to the nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 Total funds
to the nearest £
16,638
13,231
4,051
-
1,942
233
553
-
-
36,648
-
-
-
36,648
239
64
372
6,010
145
2,567
391
19,643
1,777
360
31,568
-
2,414
2,414
33,982

2,666		 Last year
to the nearest £
Donations 16,536 19,813
Grants 2,281 6,725
Gift Aid received 3,301 3,105
Legacy - 13,949
Insurance claim 1,942 -
Other income 233 42,344
Bank interest 553 145
- -
- -
Sub total(Gross income for
AR)		 24,846 86,081
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
Sale of tractor - 1,500
- -
Sub total - 1,500
Total receipts
A3 Payments
87,581
Utilities 239 194
Travelling/mileage 64 140
Print,stationery,office,telecomms 372 782
Maintenance,fuel,uniform,tools 5,958 9,906
Disposables, bird food & bat expenditure 145 258
Insurance 2,567 2,006
General & volunteer expenditure 391 435
Gross wages &pension contributions 19,643 18,513
Replacement tools from insurance claim 1,777 -
Bank charges 360 190
**Sub total ** 31,516 32,424
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
Tractor - 3,610
Bat/bird monitoring equipment & cameras 14 -
**Sub total ** 14 3,610
Total payments
Net of receipts/(payments)
A5 Transfers between funds
A6 Cash funds last year end
Cash funds this year end
36,034
(6,684) 9,350 -
2,666		 51,547
- - - - -
82,472 3,575 - 86,047 34,500
75,788 12,925 - 88,713 86,047

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

12/02/2021

1

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Categories
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
B5 Liabilities
B3 Investment assets
B2 Other monetary assets
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
B1 Cash funds		 Details
Details
Tractor
Bat/bird monitoring equipment & cameras
Details
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
Details
Current account
Deposit account
Cash
Details
Signature		 Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
8,563
-
66,819
12,925
406
-
75,788
12,925
OK
OK
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost (optional)
All funds
Restricted funds
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
liability relates
Amount due
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Print Name
Richard Jones		 Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
OK
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
When due
(optional)
Date of
approval
Richard Jones 11/02/2021

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

12/02/2021

2

1[st] January 2020

31[st] December 2020 To

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date

Period end date

From

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Vinters Valley Park Trust CIO

Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1169118

Charity's principal address 3 The Medlars

Woodlands, Maidstone

Kent Postcode ME14 5RZ

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20		 Trustee name Office (if any) Dates acted if not for whole
**year **		 Name of person (or body) entitled
to appoint trustee (ifany)
R Jones Chairman 18.03.20 to 31.12.20 Fellow trustees
V G Davies Chairman To 18.3.20 (Chair) Boxley Parish Council
P J Lott To 19.07.20 Vinters Residents Association
P K Overland Whole period Grove Green Community Hall Trust
G Cooke Whole period Kent County Council
G Miles Whole period Fellow trustees
R Hinder To 13.08.20 Maidstone Borough Council
A Brindle 13.08.20 to 31.12.20 Maidstone Borough Council
P Joslyn 13.08.20 to 31.12.20 Fellow trustees
P Walsh 13.08.20 to 31.12.20 Fellow trustees
M Cox 13.08.20 to 31.12.20 Fellow trustees
V G Davies Whole period Boxley Parish Council

Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

Name Dates acted if not for whole year

TAR

March 2012

1

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser Name Address

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document Constitution (eg. trust deed, constitution)

How the charity is constituted Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) (eg. trust, association, company)

Trustees may be appointed from Boxley Parish Council; Kent County Council; Trustee selection methods Maidstone Borough Council; Vinters Park Residents Association; Grove Green (eg. appointed by, elected by) Community Hall CIO. Additional Trustees may be appointed by resolution of a properly convened meeting of the Trustees.

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

Section C Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

i) To manage and improve the whole of Vinters Valley Park (“Park”) as an open space for quiet, informal recreation or other leisure time occupation of the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the conditions of life of the public ii) To conserve the wildlife within the Park iii) To preserve, conserve, maintain, restore and enhance and promote understanding and appreciation for the benefit of the public such features of the Park that are of special landscape, historical or architectural interest

TAR

March 2012

2

We employ a warden to undertake such maintenance as required to keep the Reserve in a safe and desirable condition for the public to enjoy and who carries out his duties as outlined in the management plan drawn up by a management committee and approved by the Trustees.

Fencing along Huntsmans Lane was repaired with the help of a local construction firm, and much of the wood used to repair steps was also donated.

Paths eroded by the increased footfall have been strengthened by Ragstone grit (donated) where required.

Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)

The access path from Bargrove Road entrance has been amended so that there are passing places for pedestrians to meet the social distancing rules. The entrance to the reserve in New Cut Road was upgraded.

Relocation of reptiles into the reserve to preserve them from loss of the previous habitat due to development.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

Contribution made by volunteers:

We have many volunteers who help the warden to carry out this maintenance and works to improve the Reserve and make it more accessible. Due to Covid19 we have split the usual Tuesday gang into a Tuesday and Thursday gang. Their contribution under the supervision of our warden has been very helpful.

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

TAR

March 2012

3

Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

As a result of the pandemic, the Reserve saw visitor numbers increase considerably, especially during the first lockdown in May. Many of these visitors were visiting for the first time which generated much interest in the reserve, this increased footfall has impacted on the condition of paths and steps which have had to be repaired.

When restrictions allowed, many volunteers worked tirelessly to repair steps and paths as well as general damage caused by vandals. With help from the local PCSO, the vandalism has now ceased.

Birds continue to frequent the reserve and a juvenile Gadwall was seen in September. Canada geese, ducks and tawny owls successfully raised young this year. A number of buzzards are regularly seen over the reserve.

The reserve remains no 4 in Kent for the number (631) of fly species recorded on one site.

Two bat recording devices have been purchased with a grant from a local trust which has shown there are many bat hotspots in the reserve and in the summer they are very active in the afternoons.

Two wildlife cameras have also been purchased using a grant received. These will provide valuable answers to the movement of small mammals across the reserve.

The Trust received over £13,000 in grants from a variety of organisations during the year, but because of the pandemic some of this will be spent in 2021 on renewing the Fullingpitts Wood boundary fence with the public footpath and the Anniversary Trail.

TAR

March 2012

4

Section E Financial review

Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves

The CIO’s policy is to maintain a reserves level to ensure funds are readily available should there be major storm damage to the Park and also to enable payment of any legally required redundancy to the warden should the Charity have to be wound up.

Details of any funds materially in deficit

n/a

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

Section F Other optional information

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s)

Full name(s) Richard Jones Position (eg Secretary, Chair, Chairman etc) Date 11/02/21

TAR

March 2012

5

Website: www.vintersvalley.co.uk

CHAIRMANS REPORT 2020-2021

When I assumed the position of Chair in March 2020, I had no idea what was around the corner for us all.

The Reserve has been buffeted by the pressures caused by Covid-19, with hundreds of new visitors, the incredibly hot weather and extreme flooding in the Valley.

But as has happened so many times before, everyone rallied round and the Reserve has endured all that was thrown at it.

In May 2020, when exercise was allowed after the first lockdown, the Reserve was visited by a huge number of people new to our green space, a massive increase in visitor numbers from that normally expected. The switchback of lockdown and release might have caused us problems but with our volunteers and Warden, we have steered a careful path through most of the issues that arose.

We also had a great success with catching the vandals who had caused so much damage in the Reserve in 2019 and 2020. The Trustees wrote to the Chief Constable and as a direct result of this letter, he put in place police personnel who, working with our Warden, were able to catch these miscreants “red handed”.

In July 2020 we also had a visit from Helen Whately the local MP who wished to support us by a visit to the Reserve to see for herself what was available to the local community.

Towards the end of 2020, we had great concerns for the health of the lake, our “jewel in the crown”, as wildfowl had died in 2019. South East Water has since offered to organise testing of the water, free of charge, on a regular basis, we hope to see the benefits of this from 2021 onwards. We believe this will help us to identify any measures to improve water quality.

Acknowledgements:

My thanks go to Harry Lowder our Honorary Management Committee Chair and his Honorary committee members who have worked to keep the Reserve running smoothly.

To all of you who are involved with the Reserve thank you. To our Warden, Steve Songhurst and his teams of volunteers who became 2 T Gangs, Tuesday and Thursday, thank you.

I want to give a special thank you to Ben Kirby who is the Honorary Vice Chair of the Management Committee and heads up the PR Media and It committee. Ben created the 30[th] Anniversary letterhead I am using, Ben wears many hats for the benefit of the Reserve. Thank you Ben for all you do.

Financial pressures continue.

We are grateful to those Friends and supporters who faithfully and regularly give much needed funds.

Our Honorary Treasurer Anne Newman, has worked hard to give us regular useful reports and has dealt with the regular volume of transactions. Anne thank you for all your hard work.

However, it is an undeniable fact that Trust annual expenses on average exceed its income by around £8,000.

@vintersnature

www.flickr.com/photos/vintersvalley

Vinters Valley Park Trust is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Headquarters: Vinters Lodge, Lodge Road, Maidstone, ME14 5EH

@VintersValley

@vintersvalleynaturereserve

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC598klJGdJOjfcMOVcLEwPg

Website: www.vintersvalley.co.uk

It is a welcome fact that we have a surplus over expenses this year, but this is because we are holding grants received yet to be expended.

But we must remain upbeat. In 2020 we have received a variety of much needed grants from different sources which have enabled our Warden to achieve and plan for many things.

Our special thanks go to the following who between them granted us over £13,000 in much needed funds: Boxley Parish Council, The Cobtree Foundation, Kent Community Foundation, Kent Combined Members, Pamela Champion Foundation, Waitrose, Chapman Foundation, Blakemore Group, Go Green Go Wild (MBC)..

We must also thank Boxley Timber & Fencing Supplies Ltd, Gallagher Construction Ltd, Haynes Agricultural Ltd and BAM Construction Ltd for gifts in kind.

Projects which will use some of these grants in 2021 are the renewal of the fence on Fullingpitts Wood up to the A249, and the creation of the Anniversary Trail.

Trustees:

In 2020 we welcomed 4 new Honorary Trustees, Councillors Martin Cox and Anne Brindle, Paul Walsh and Paul Joslyn and said goodbye to Peter Lott who had served for many years, and Bob Hinder.

To those who served as Trustees thank you. To our Trustee Honorary Secretary Charlotte McClymont and to the Honorary Secretary of the Management Committee Yasmin Franziska, thank you for your efforts.

The Reserve celebrates its 30th Anniversary in 2021.

We had hoped to have a full programme of events to promote all the Reserve has to offer. Covid has put a stop to most of these. There are so many pressures now with an emphasis on Covid-19 where funders, for some reason, continue to ignore the contribution our green space has to the health and mental wellbeing of its local community.

However, we have already been successful in receiving grants totalling £5,300 towards the 30th Fund, some of which will be used to create an Anniversary Trail.

All of you, Trustees, Treasurer, Management Committee, Warden, T Gangs and Secretaries my thanks to you all, it has been a privilege to act as Chair and Trustee for the Trust.

RICHARD JONES

Chair of Trustees

@vintersnature

Vinters Valley Park Trust is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Headquarters: Vinters Lodge, Lodge Road, Maidstone, ME14 5EH

@VintersValley

@vintersvalleynaturereserve

www.flickr.com/photos/vintersvalley

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC598klJGdJOjfcMOVcLEwPg