è Hawbush
ommunity Gardens
Trustees Report
The Trustees present their report together with the finanaal statements of the char¥ty for the year
ended 31A December 2022
Organisational strutture
Hawbush Community Gardens is a constituted as a CIO- Foundation. Charity Registration
1170413
Address
Bull Street
Brierley Hill
West Midlands
DFY5 3NQ
Trustees
Ken Smith
Chair
Michelle Betteridge
Secretary
Trevor Counley
Serena Craigie
David Hadley
Tim Gallier
Objectives and Activities
To promote for the benefrt of the inhabitants of Brierley Hill IDY51 and
surrounding areas the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time
occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth,
age, infirmity or disablement. financial hardship or social and economic
circumstance5 or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with
the object of improving the condition of lrfe of the said inhabitants.

To further such other purF)ose5 as are exclusively charitable purposes under the
laws of England and Wales as the Trustees from time to time decide.
Main Activities
During 2022 acttvities and operations have continued to gain momentum in numbers of
people visiting, attending group artivities and our regular Hawbu5h Family Afternoons. In the
latter part of the year, interest in the gardens increased Significantly within the Hawbush and
Brierley Hill Communities and more widely, as a result of the Queens Award for Voluntary
Service IQAVSI, the Queens Green Canopy Award and through our contact with other
community groups and local forLFms. This interest was refletted in estimated attendance
numbers,. total hours for 2022 recorded at 13,882 (cf. 7.450 for 20211, representing on
aveiage 37.4 hrs/d3y120.4 hrs/day for 20211. An estimated total of 205 HCG volunteers.
assisted with attivities during the year,. also an estimate of 215 EKHO Clcllntegrated Plus
volunteers and referrals.
During 2022. a total of seven family events were held, including a HAF Christmas eventi joint
with Harrfs Café. The events consistently well attended with very positive feedback from
attending families- a pre-registration booking procedure Is r7ecessary to ensure attendance
numbers are restricted to within manageable levels. for the volunteers we have available.
Since early March, the mother and toddler support group, Mom's Mindful Hub has been
running. Nature Stay and P13y is aimed at mothers and their families. The group has a focus on
mental wellbeing and aims to promote connection between both parent and child and parent
to parent through child led play and nature-based activities. The primary target audience is
mothers who are facing mental health challenges and social isolation. Weekly attendance
varies with the weather, but sometimes over 15 families represented. Interest and popularity
of the group has increased during the year and they re￿iVed recognition in Dudley CVS
Spotlight Awards, November 2022.
Dudley CVS Integrated Plus and EKHO CIC volunteers have continued to run the Friday support
group throughout the year, with on average 10 adults attending and 10 volunteer staff
(allotment project). Later in the year. a Wednesday session init13ted. a closed group for more
vulnerable adults, with an average of 10 clients each week.
The woodland space, through EKHO and IP volunteers has made a considerable contribution to
both community engagement and the profile of Hawbush Garden5 throughoutthe year, with
craft activities organised at the family events during the year. The EKHO group have also linked
with other community groups to run/support workshops with natural and sustainable craft
activities. Two very successful "Woodland Folk evenings" were also organised, with food,
fellowship and Singing around the bonfire, with over 30 attendin& many new to Hawbush
Gardens. Further progress was made in the development of the sensory garden (therapeutic
horticulture projettl,. the aim to provide gardening activity and OT support for those with
limited mobility, for whom there is limited provision at present.
The music group, organised by Integrated Plus. has continued to meet in the community
building, Wednesday pm.

Achievements and Performance
Renovation work on the large pond Ibegun in autumn/winter 20211. progressed well following
re-lining and channelling of the spring water inflow, with some landscaping around the
margins. The pond has become, both an attractive feature and a powerful draw for wildlife,.
with a range of bird specie5. aquatic plants and supporting a thriving population of newts,
frogs. dragon flies and many other insects. The recently established lavender bed is attractive
to bees and other pollinating insects.
A local bee-keeper has continued to make regular visits to manage the hives located in the
main orchard. In August. with the help of the bee=keeper. we were able to harvest our second
batch of "Hawbush Honew. In 2022 over 7 litres of honey were collected and sold in small jars,.
in total 33 jars, which were very popular with volunteers. visitors and local residents and sold
without any promotional effort, raising a total of £165.
Following some hard work by young volunteers from Princes Trust and the High Oak
Community Projett. an attrattive clearing has been created on the raised area overlooking the
art garden and woodland to NE and picnic area to SW. This site was chosen by the family of a
former Hawbush resident for a memorial bench and, also. for the Queens Jubilee Green
Canopy plantin& the latter in the presence of WM Deputy Lieutenant, Mayor of Dudley. Mike
Wood IMPI and Cllr Adam Davies. A special tree was also be planted in this location in
memory of Sheridan Jones, Tcf Connect Projett, who sadly died of COVID in December, 2021.
A5 part of the original vision for Hawbush Gardens, we have continued to supply freshly grown
fruit and vegetables to the Black Country Foodbank and some families in the community,. in
2022, a total of 241kg of produce Ipotatoes. tomatoes. cucumbers, vegetables and fruit).
Based on feedback from groups and records of events held throughout the year, an estimate
of the number of people in the community impatted Ipositivelyl by the work of the volunteer5
and COTTrmunitygroups on Hawbush Gardens has been drawn together, as follows..
HCG volunteers- 205
EKHO referrals & volunteers- 215
Family events- estimated 50 families- 2(K)
Mom'5 Mindful Hub including children - ItKJ
Tcf Connect Projert- 15
Plot holder5 & families- 40
Pens Meadow students-40
Dudley YJS rep. - 20
Gardens in community- 10
Foodbank lindirectl- 30
Hence a TOTAL= 875 lapprox.)
The Queens Award for Voluntary Serwce, was announced on 2r4June, anniversary ofThe
Queen's Coronation. The Celebration of The Queen's Award was held at the Birmingham
Hippodrome, 30th October 2022. A 8la5s fronted display case has been made for the crystal and
mounted in the Community Buildin& alongside the QAVS Certificate, personally signed by Her
Majesty.

Financial Review
Principal sources of income included receipts from Allotment Fees. tyonations, Grants and Hire
Charges which are used to sustain the availability of the facilities for the benefit of the
community.
Policy on reserves
The policy agreed by the tnjstees is to aim to hold in unrestritted reserves not committed or
invested in tangible fixed assets Ithe 'free' reserves) sufficient to cover the general overhead
expenses and salary costs not specifically funded by extemal agencies, for a period of six
months. At this level. the trustees feel that they would be able to continue the current
activities of the charity in the event of a significant drop in funding. It would then be necessary
to consider how the funding would be replaced or attivities changed. The amount of 'free'
reserves at 315t December 2022 amounted to £6610 which equates to 33.35 months.
Trustee5' responsibillties in relation to the financial ststements
Law applicable to charities in England and Wales ￿quireS the tTUStees to p￿pare financial statements
for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the charity's financial activities during the year
and of it5 financial position at the end of the year. In preparing those financial statements. the trustees
are required to:
selert suitable accounting policies and then appty them consistently-
make judgments and estimates that arè reasonable and prudent,-
stste whether applicable accounting standards and stateMe￿ts of recommended prartice have
been followed subject to any departures dtsdosed and explained in the financial statements,.
and
Prepa￿ the financial statements on the Boing concem basis unless it is inappropriate to
presume that the charity wrll continue in business.
The trustees a￿ responsible for keeping accounting records which disclose with ￿aSonable acturary at
any timè the financial position of the tharity and enable them to ensure that the financial 5taternents
toniply with the Ch3fitlgs Act 1993. They are alx> responsible for safeguarding the zsset5 of the charity
and hence for taking reasonable Steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Approved by th trustees on
05
/09125
and signed on their behalf by
Ken Smith
Chairman of the Board of Trustees

HAWBUSH COMMUNfTY
GARDENS
Cash in hand a$ at 31st
Decembgr 2021
£5293.49
Year to 31st December 2022
INCOME
Plots Fee
Sales
Donations
Room Hire
Sund
203
2012
560
TOTAL INCOME
3695.00
EXPENDITURE
HB Proect
Maintenance
Gardens
Ullilies
Sochil
Cha
Sund
402.59
1185.88
258.61
es
63.6
467.56
TOTAL EXPENSES
2378.24
Cash in hand as at 31 Dec 2022
6610.25