THE MOAT GARDEN PROJECT (“the Charity”)
TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD 1 NOVEMBER 2021 TO 31 OCTOBER 2022 (“the Period”)
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Administrative details
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1.1. The name of the Charity throughout the Period has been “The Moat Garden Project.” The Charity has also used the informal name of “The Moat Garden” particularly for fund raising and publicity purposes.
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1.2.The Charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with voting members other than the charity trustees. It is registered with the Charity Commission under no 1169894.
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1.3.The address of the Charity is ℅ Knowle House, South Street, Castle Cary, Somerset, BA7 7ES.
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1.4.The names of the trustees of the Charity during the Period were: Anne Elizabeth Jelliffe, Roger Leonard Weldhen, Ida Rosina West and Graham Philip House.
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1.5.The officers of the Charity are Roger Leonard Weldhen (Secretary) and Graham Philip House (Treasurer). The duties of Chair of trustees are shared amongst the trustees.
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Governance
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2.1.The basis of the Charity’s governance is its constitution dated 25 October 2016.
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2.2.The appointment of charity trustees is regulated by clause 13 of the constitution subject to there being no fewer than three or more than 10 ten elected trustees.
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2.3.Any vacancies in trustees are filled by the decision of members at a AGM. The charity trustees though may appoint a new trustee in place of one who has retired or been removed.
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Finance
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3.1.The financial position of the Charity is set out in the accounts annexed for the Period.
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3.2.During the Period the charity received a total of £793.81 from all of its income sources and made total payments of £114.00 which resulted in £679.81 of income in excess of expenditure. The total cash funds of the charity at year end was £2,876.02
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3.3.There is currently no financial reserves policy; the trustees have plans to implement one in 2023.
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3.4.The charity trustees believe they have complied with their duty to have regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission when exercising their powers and duties.
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Objectives
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4.1.The principle objectives of the Charity are to improve the conditions of life of those residing in Castle Cary and surrounding areas by providing a community garden.
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Activities
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5.1.Throughout the Period the Moat Garden has been open to the public for recreation, gardening and growing.
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5.2.Details of the Charity’s gardening and community involvement are contained in the Garden Report below.
Prepared and approved by the trustees on 8 March 2023
Anne Elizabeth Jelliffe Ida Rosina West Roger Leonard Weldhen. Graham Philip House
Moat Garden Project - Garden Report 2021/22
This year saw the lifting of most Covid restrictions and local people, keen to return to a more normal life, regularly used the garden as a social meeting place whilst visitors to Castle Cary popped in just to take a look.
The community’s enthusiasm for going out led to the best ever fund raising effort selling mulled cider at Castle Cary Big Christmas in December. Whilst our garden gate plant sale in May has become a fixture in the calendar of many local gardeners and also raised record income.
Once again pressure on their timetable meant that Castle Cary Primary School was unable to use any of the raised beds, although we will continue to offer the use of this facility in future years. Local residents including children of various ages continued to use some of the beds as a place to enjoy an outside space whilst growing all manner of vegetables and, for the first time, wild flowers. The growing season started well but the summer heatwave and drought followed by a very wet autumn was challenging, however this fenced area continues to improve with regular use. The beds remain tidy, paths are clear of pernicious weeds and the fruit area provides some pickings.
Lifting of Covid restrictions in the new year also meant that a group of Rotary volunteers armed with saws and loppers could gather to assist with annual heavy maintenance including coppicing several Hazels, cutting and putting in stakes to create a dead hedge for wildlife where several fence panels had fallen down in the February storms, trimming the hawthorn hedge on the field edge, rebuilding the compost bins using old pallets and removing ivy and scrub from around the yew tree as suggested by the tree advisor. This much needed support from our local Rotary Club was hugely appreciated.
Maintenance of fences and raised beds was kept up to date, but although tree work was assessed and quoted for by specialists in 2020 it still has to be approved by the council and carried out.
We continued to have help with grass cutting which was very much appreciated but we are still too small a team of workers to realise the full potential of the garden. Despite this the garden bloomed throughout the year. Rampant weeds diminished with the regular onslaught and cultivated areas were kept tidy. Native species daffodils, fritillaries and summer wild flowers continued to establish in the meadow areas which not only benefited wildlife but also reduced the need for regular mowing.
THE MOAT GARDEN PROJECT Charity no 1169894 Accounts for the period 1 November 2021 to 31 October 2022
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|£|
|Income received|Cider stall sales|436.80|
|Plant sales|357.01|
|Total Income|793.81|
|Expenditure|Insurance|114.00|
|Total Expenditure|114.00|
|Balance at 1 November 2021|2,196.21|
|Excess of income over expenditure|679.81|
|Balance at 31 October 2022|2,876.02|
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Balance Sheet for the year ended 31 October 2022
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|---|---|---|
|Fixed assets|
|Freehold property|valued at cost|12,000.00|
|Current assets|
|balance at bank|2,872.00|
|cash in hand|4.02|
|2,876.02|
|Total assets|14,876.02|
|Graham P House|
|Treasurer and Trustee|
|05-Mar-23|
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