**Friends of Middleton on Sea Pond & Green Charity (No. 1170594) Chairman's Annual Report to be presented at the AGM on 15[th] September 2021** It gives me great pleasure and pride to begin my report by highlighting the transformation that has been achieved following the extensive de-silting works carried out in July/August last year. Within a couple of days of the contractor moving off site the committee and volunteers were hard at work turning what in effect can only be described as a bomb crater back into the beautiful, tranquil and flourishing area that can be seen today. The first 4-5 months of the year saw a riot of colour from the spring bulbs. The coir rolls preplanted with marginal plants that were positioned surrounding the pond edges have flourished, giving plenty of cover and habitat to the wildlife and additional colour from early Spring throughout the Summer. There was plenty of frog spawn and it was reassuring to know that for the first time in years there was enough depth of water for them and other amphibians to finish their life cycle and thrive. Tiny common newts have been spotted along with plenty of insect species. Our pair of resident moorhens have once again provided much entertainment to our ‘locked down community’, producing a clutch of 7 chicks initially, closely followed by a further 5 and then with 2.5 meters of water still in the pond, another 3 in August. During some torrential rainfalls this year the re-contoured northern ditch ensured that water drained off Middleton Road and flowed into the pond as planned. For many weeks the ditch itself held quite an amount of water which looked an attractive feature in its own right. Unfortunately Covid restrictions meant that we had to scale back our Spring fund raising efforts but the amazing public support and generosity received at the May plant sale topped up our Charity account by £741. A larger Autumn event is currently being planned which will hopefully give it another boost especially as some essential tree work needs to be carried out to prevent damage to neighbouring telephone wires. Managing the many mature trees around the pond continues to be a major expense. The condition of a couple of trees are giving concern which our tree surgeon is keeping his eye on. We have opted at this stage to try and manage them by reducing some of the height and weight rather than remove them completely. This should gain us enough time to plant new trees fairly close that will grow as replacements when the need arises. Safety of the public is our upmost concern in any decisions made about work done on the trees but, like everything, comes at a price. The trustees were pleased to see the native British hedge that they planted in 2019 getting established on the north western boundary. As it continues to mature it should provide ideal habitat and food for small birds and mammals. This Spring a new seat, once again made from recycled plastic milk bottles, was positioned at the southern end of the pond facing north west which has proved very popular and like the other two seats around the pond, very well used. Looking forward, plans are afoot to festoon the trees with fairy lights again over the Christmas period and although restrictions will make it unlikely that the school children will be able to come and sing we are hoping to have a small Pond and Green community celebration with Christmas music, mince pies and some of Richard and Mel’s famous mulled wine. Finally of course I must thank my dedicated fellow committee members and volunteers for the many hours of work that they put in come rain or shine to manage this very special area both for the wildlife and your enjoyment. Extra special thanks must go to Don Faircloth who not only leads and guides the Saturday morning work parties but puts in so much more additional time voluntarily cutting the grass, planting bulbs and plants and generally keeping an eye on things. As I close my report I would like to thank local residents for all the thanks and support the Friends of Middleton-on-Sea Pond and Green Charity receive. You have made it clear how much you appreciate and enjoy this community asset. The volunteers really get a buzz from hearing your positive comments while they work and are always happy to chat and explain what and why things are happening and what we hope to achieve. You can also keep up to date by reading Don’s Diaries in every edition of the Middleton News. This Autumn we will be planting more bulbs and plants and like you will look forward to the results from early next Spring – enjoy! Nicky Mills (Chair of the Trustees) 15[th] September 2021 ||||||||||||||||||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||||Friends of Middleton - on - Sea Pond & Green Charity||||||||||||||||| |||||||CharityNo 1170594|||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||Income and Expenditure Account|||||||||||||||| |||||||for theyear ending31st May2021|||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||Year ending31/05/2020||||||Year ending31/05/2021|||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||Designated||General||||Designated||General|||| ||||||||||||Funds||Fund||||Funds||Fund||| |||Income|||||||||||||||||||| ||||Parish Council Funding||||||||||2,000.00||||||1,000.00||| ||||West Sussex C.C. Grant||||||||||||||||-||| ||||DonaMons(Note 1)||||||||6,500.00||633.50||||751.84||2,066.52||| ||||Fund Raising||||||||-||1,118.85||||-||718.30||| ||||Bequests||||||||500.00||-||||-||-||| ||||||||||||7,000.00||3,752.35||||751.84||3,784.82||| |||Expenditure|||||||||||||||||||| ||||Insurance||||||||||280.00||||||330.00||| ||||Secretarial Honorarium||||||||||200.00||||||50.00||| ||||PrinMng,StaMoneryand Postage||||||||||80.51||||||-||| ||||Site Maintenance||||||||||||||||||| |||||Brown Bins|||||||||189.39||||||150.96||| |||||Bench|||||||500.00||352.50||||||600.00||| |||||Revetment Works|||||||1,520.00||-||||||||| |||||InterpretaMon Boards|||||||3,600.41||||||||||| |||||Lawnmower|||||||||||||||345.59||| |||||Tree Work|||||||500.00||155.00||||||450.00||| |||||General Garden & Pond Maintenance(Note 2)|||||||1,740.19||223.30||||751.84||408.32||| ||||||||||||7,860.60||1,480.70||||751.84||2,334.87||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||Excess of income over(expenditure)|||||||||(860.60)||2,271.65||||(0.00)||1449.95||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||Balance Sheet||||||||||||||| |||||||as at 31st May2021|||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||Assets|||||||||||2020||||||2021||| ||||Current Assets||||||||||||||||||| |||||Cash at bank|||||||||4,042.48||||||5,100.67||| |||||Cash in hand|||||||||117.24||||||509.00||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||Total Assets|||||||||||4,159.72||||||5,609.67||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||LiabiliMes|||||||||||||||||||| ||||Current LiabiliMes||||||||||||||||||| |||||Accrued Expenses|||||||||-||||||-||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||Capital and Reserves(Note 3)|||||||||||||||||||| ||||General Reserves||||||||||2,659.72||||||3,609.67||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||Designated Reserves||||||||||-||||||-||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||SinkingFund Reserve||||||||||1,500.00||||||2,000.00||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||4,159.72||||||5,609.67||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||Notes to the accounts|||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||Note 1.|The designated donaMons received relates to the balance remainingfrom the Arun District Council Grant for desilMng|||||||||||||||||| |||||thepond. General donaMons include a one ofgia of £1,000 from a Charitable Trust,which was spent on the bench|||||||||||||||||| |||||and the mower.|||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||Note 2.|The monies received from the above desilMng grant of £751.84 were spent on regrassingareas around thepond,|||||||||||||||||| |||||includingtopsoil and bulbs,as well as installingsafetymeasures such as lifebouys and depthgauges.|||||||||||||||||| |||||Othergeneral maintenance include a Christmas tree,lights,bageries and Mmers £200.45 as well as bulbs,seeds and|||||||||||||||||| |||||compost.|||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||Note 3.|Reserves|||||General|||Designated||||SinkingFund|||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||1 June 2020|||||2,659.72|||-||||1,500.00|||||| |||||Surplus/(Defcit)for theyear|||||1,449.95|||-||||-|||||| |||||Transfers|||||(500.00)|||||||500.00|||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||31 May2021|||||3,609.67|||-||||2,000.00|||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||The SinkingFund has been established to ensure sufcient funds are set aside to meet major anMcipated|||||||||||||||||| |||||expenditure for tree maintenance andpossible tree removals.|||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||~~B R Ingate~~|||||||||||||||||||| |||
HonoraryTreasurer|||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||**Independent Examiner's Report on the Accounts of the Friends of Middleton-on-Sea Pond and Green Charity No 1170594 for theyear**|||||||||||||||||||| |||**ended 31st May 2021**|||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||MyexaminaMon was carried out in accordance withgeneral DirecMonsgiven bythe CharityCommission. An examinaMon|||||||||||||||||||| |||included a review of the accounMngrecords kept bythe charityand a comparison of the accountspresented with those records.|||||||||||||||||||| |||It also included consideraMon of anyunusual items or disclosures in the accounts,and seekingexplanaMons from the trustees|||||||||||||||||||| |||concerningsuch magers. Theprocedures undertaken do notprovide all the evidence that would be required for an audit,and|||||||||||||||||||| |||consequentlyno opinion isgiven as to whether the accountspresent a 'true and fair' view and the report is limited to those|||||||||||||||||||| |||magers set out in the statement below.|||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||In connecMon with myexaminaMon,no material magers have come to myagenMon,whichgives me cause to believe that in,|||||||||||||||||||| |||anymaterial respect,the accounMngrecords were not kept in accordance with secMon 130 of the ChariMes Act,the accounts did|||||||||||||||||||| |||not accord with the accounMngrecords or did not complywith the applicable requirements set out in the ChariMes(Accounts|||||||||||||||||||| |||and Reports)RegulaMons 2008 other than anyrequirement that the accountsgive a 'true and fair' view which is not a mager|||||||||||||||||||| |||considered aspart of an independent examinaMon.|||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||I have come across no other magers in connecMon with the examinaMon to which agenMon should be drawn in this report in|||||||||||||||||||| |||order to enable aproper understandingof the accounts to be reached.|||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||Signed:|||||||Dated:||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||Independent Examiner|||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||