Deanshanger Allotments CIO
Trustees Annual Report
Reporting period 1st January 2023 to 31st December 2023
Trustees : Jane Beedell (Chairman) Sadie Scott Natasha Beedell
Objectives of the Charity
Deanshanger Allotments is a CIO registered on 11th October 2016 by John and Jane Beedell. The board has a maximum of three trustees who manage the CIO on a day to day basis. The objective of the CIO is to improve the conditions of life, specifically the provision of facilities for allotment gardening, for the inhabitants of Deanshanger and the surrounding area.
Financial performance during 2023
In summary, the Section 106 Grant received from Redrow on 14th February 2019 comprised:
Allotment Work Contribution : £25,000.00 Allotment Maintenance Contribution : £21,636.36
TOTAL £46,636.36
The total spent so far is £20,557 of the £25,000 Allotment Work Contribution.
This year £55 was paid to West Northants Council from the Allotment Maintenance Contribution (£21,636.36) for a green waste bin collection service for Northfields site. The total spent so far is £3,221.03 of the £21,636.36 Allotment Maintenance Contribution.
Deanshanger Allotment Association (DAA) paid all other maintenance bills this year. Next year a transfer of £2,000 will be made to DAA to cover two years’ maintenance costs (2023 and 2024), which are fully receipted, at the agreed amount of £1,000 per year.
2023 - Summary
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For most plot holders, 2023 was a quiet year of continued recovery from the pandemic, re-establishing work routines, dealing with employment changes and continuing to cope with the cost of living crisis.
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Many plot holders struggled to find time for their allotments with many facing challenges and changes in employment.
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Climate change was evident in the weather pattern. Extreme cold, extended periods of heavy rainfall and extreme heat and dry conditions in the Summer made allotment gardening challenging.
Operational activities and achievements 2023
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South Northants Council became West Northants Council and increased the cost of the green bin for Northfields to £55 annually. This bin is provided primarily for waste from the community areas such as prunings from the orchard or hedges. This £55 charge was paid from the Allotment Maintenance Contribution budget.
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The newly-donated shed at Church Lane site is proving a success as it is now easy to access the lawn mowers to mow paths and they can be securely stored in dry conditions. This brings Church Lane up to the same standard of provision as the other two sites.
Objectives and operational plans for the future across the sites
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The main objective is to maximise utilisation across all our sites. In addition to maximising income, this reduces the maintenance workload for Deanshanger Allotment Association in mowing and strimming the paths of spare plots as it is the responsibility of every plot holder to mow the paths around their allotment(s). In the past, the site caretaking team at each site would work on a volunteer basis to maintain their site, but there are now only a few plot holders willing to help so the use of contract labour is increasing. This is increasing our costs.
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The full utilisation enjoyed at our Church Lane and Puxley Road sites during the pandemic has inevitably not been sustained as plot holders have resumed their previous work and social routines, and had to cope with the cost of living crisis and climate change.
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A further water butt was finally sourced second-hand from a local farmer at the end of the growing season at our Puxley Road site where there are twice as many plots as at our other two sites but only the same number of water butts. This was filled with water and will be plumbed in next to the central water butt next year at the start of the growing season to reduce the need to queue for water during hot dry weather.
Public benefit - achievements
Allotment gardening provides significant mental health benefits, good aerobic exercise and helps combat loneliness. This was important during the pandemic lockdowns as social distancing was easily achieved and the many other benefits enjoyed continue to be appreciated. These include:
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being out in the fresh air
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enjoying a more healthy lifestyle
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acquiring new skills and knowledge
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Gaining a sense of achievement
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enjoying fresh produce free of chemicals
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meeting like-minded people
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making new friends
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enjoying contact with nature.
Northfields’ Allotment site attracted new plot holders not only from the adjacent estate but from all over the village of Deanshanger during the pandemic. This facilitated the development of a new community of residents who were able to witness first hand the development of the new site and to be the first gardeners to grow their own food on their plots. This also further integrated those living on the new estate into the rest of the village and forged new friendship links based on common interests. We hope that as the site becomes more fully occupied in the future and plots become more mature, all plot holders will be encouraged to help maintain the site and take an active role in the site caretaking team.
Plans for the future for public benefit
In the future we hope to be in a position to offer the opportunity to suitable local organisations / groups to advise and assist with building some raised beds for wheelchair access on a reserved area near the car park, so that village residents with mobility issues can also be afforded the opportunity to grow their own fruit and vegetables and enjoy being part of this new community of gardeners.
In the event of additional homes being built in the village in the future as a result of the Government’s focus on increasing home building, our Northfields site will be able to offer new residents a choice of plots within walking distance of their homes.
Jane Beedell on behalf of all the trustees of Deanshanger Allotments Registered Charity No 1169612
Registered address: 18A The Green, Deanshanger, Milton Keynes, MK19 6HL
13/10/24
Deanshanger Allotments 1169612 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period 1-Jan-23 31-Dec-23 To from
Section A Receipts and payments
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Restricted funds |
Endowment funds |
Total funds | Last year | |||||||||||||||||
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to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | |||||||||||||||||
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| **Total receipts ** | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | - | -- | ||||||||||
| A3 Payments |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
10/13/2024
1
| West Northants Council Green Bin Service |
- 55- |
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- 55- |
- 55- |
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| **Sub total ** | - -- |
- 55- |
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- 55- |
- 9,166- |
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| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
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| Sub total Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end **Cash funds this year end ** |
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- 55- |
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- 55- |
- 9,166- |
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- 55- |
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- 55- |
- 9,166- |
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- 22,912- |
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- 22,912- |
- 32,078- |
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- 22,857- |
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- 22,857- |
- 22,912- |
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| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | |||||||||
| Categories | Details | Unrestricted funds to nearest £ |
Restricted funds to nearest £ |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
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| B1 Cash funds | Cash | - 22,857- |
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Endowment | ||||||||||
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| Categories | Details | funds | funds | funds | ||||||||
| to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | ||||||||||
| B1 | Cash | funds | Cash | - | 22,857- | - | -- | |||||
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CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
10/13/2024
2
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| B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details Details Details Land at Puxley Road, Church Lane and Northfields Perimeter chain link fencing, gates, two water butts, a wheelbarrow and a shed at Northfields site |
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- 22,857- |
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| OK | ||||||||
| Unrestricted funds to nearest £ - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs Endowment Endowment |
Restricted funds to nearest £ - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- Cost (optional) - -- - -- - -- - -- - -- Cost (optional) - -- - -- - -- |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
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| Current value (optional) |
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| Current value (optional) |
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| Land at Puxley Road, Church Lane and Northfields |
Endowment | - -- |
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| Perimeter chain link fencing, gates, two water butts, a wheelbarrow and a shed at Northfields site |
Endowment | - -- |
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CCXX R3 accounts (SS)
10/13/2024
3
B5 Liabilities
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
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| Signature | Name | Date of approval |
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| JANE BEEDELL | 13/10/24 | |||||||||
CCXX R4 accounts (SS)
10/13/2024
4