## **Friends of Middleton on Sea Pond & Green Charity (No. 1170594)** 

## **Chairman's Annual Report to be presented at the AGM on 16[th] November 2022** 

As I start my annual report on this wet November day the trees around the Pond and Green are once again adorned with large poppies in readiness for Remembrance Day. It seems no time at all since they were removed at the appropriate time last year and the volunteers set to work decorating the trees with lights for the festive season. The Queen’s Jubilee saw bunting strung out between the trees in June as I am sure it will be again next May, for the King’s coronation. The positive feedback and appreciation that is shown when the Green is decorated to mark special occasions makes all the hard work worthwhile. 

Throughout the year a good number of work party volunteers have continued to meet every four weeks on a Saturday morning. A special acknowledgment and thanks must go to Don Faircloth who ably coordinates and leads these sessions and keeps the community updated through his ‘Don’s Diaries’ published in the Middleton News. By the end of last year the work parties had cleared the Autumn leaf fall and debris in readiness for the planting of bulbs and wild flowering plants. These produced a riot of colour from snowdrops, daffodils and crocus backed up by bluebells, primroses and later by foxgloves, red campion and cornflower dotted among the cow parsley. 

With lower Covid numbers in May, we were able to resume our main fund raising event with trustees and volunteers selling plants, cakes, bric-a brac, coffee and cake and the 50/50 numbers selling out in record time. We were bowled over by the huge numbers who turned out to support us so generously with takings of £1,600. Many thanks to those of you who donated items and your time for this event. 

I would also like to acknowledge the generous donations that are regularly left for us at Barley’s Hardware Store or paid directly into the charity bank account, which along with an annual donation from the Parish Council, allows the Trustees to manage and maintain this community asset for everyone to enjoy. 

Our biggest expense is managing the large number of trees, mainly from a safety aspect but also to ensure enough light is allowed through to keep the pond healthy and allow a balance of plants to thrive. As well as removing dead wood branches a number of older trees, showing signs of minor decay, have to be routinely reduced to alleviate excess strain on the tree. The beautiful large chestnut tree near the main road for example, requires special investigative scans and a survey every two years to ensure it is safe. By the time the recommended reduction takes place this year it will have cost about £1,000 alone. In addition work on the other trees will amount to another £1,400, a not insignificant amount but I hope you will agree, worth every penny for the pleasure and enjoyment this area gives the community and wild life. 



Early in the year a new Sorbus tree, called Olympic Flame was purchased and planted on the north west bank to grow on and when it becomes large enough and necessary,  replace a neighbouring diseased sycamore. Its first autumn foliage has certainly lived up to its name. 

The trustees were pleased to see that despite the severe drought this year, the 2020 de-silting work paid off with almost 2m of water being retained in the deepest part throughout the summer. A real bonus for the wildlife and the newly installed floating island, which has established well. 

So we have now come full circle, 2,500 more new bulbs are being brought on in pots along with primroses and foxgloves ready for planting out once all the leaves have fallen and been raked up. Bird boxes will be cleaned out, mended or replaced in readiness for next Spring along with a number of other routine jobs. 

Finally my thanks go to my fellow Trustees and volunteers for all their hard work and to you in the community for all the support and appreciation that you show them. 

Nicky Mills Chair of the Trustees 

5[th] November 2022 



## Friends of Middleton - on - Sea  Pond & Green Charity 

## Charity No 1170594 

Income and Expenditure Account for the year ending 31st May 2022 

|Income<br>Parish Council Funding<br>Fund Raising<br>Donations<br>Expenditure<br>Insurance<br>Secretarial Honorarium<br>Printing, Stationery and Postage<br>Site Maintenance<br>Brown Bins<br>Bench<br>Tree lighting<br>Lawnmower and Equipment<br>Tree Work<br>General Garden & Pond Maintenance ( Note 1)<br>Excess of income over (expenditure)<br>Balance  Sheet<br>as at 31st May 2022<br>Assets<br>Current Assets<br>Cash at bank<br>Cash in hand<br>Total Assets<br>Liabilities<br>Current Liabilities<br>Accrued Expenses<br>Capital and Reserves (Note 2)<br>General Reserves<br>Designated Reserves<br>Sinking Fund Reserve|Income<br>Parish Council Funding<br>Fund Raising<br>Donations<br>Expenditure<br>Insurance<br>Secretarial Honorarium<br>Printing, Stationery and Postage<br>Site Maintenance<br>Brown Bins<br>Bench<br>Tree lighting<br>Lawnmower and Equipment<br>Tree Work<br>General Garden & Pond Maintenance ( Note 1)<br>Excess of income over (expenditure)<br>Balance  Sheet<br>as at 31st May 2022<br>Assets<br>Current Assets<br>Cash at bank<br>Cash in hand<br>Total Assets<br>Liabilities<br>Current Liabilities<br>Accrued Expenses<br>Capital and Reserves (Note 2)<br>General Reserves<br>Designated Reserves<br>Sinking Fund Reserve|Income<br>Parish Council Funding<br>Fund Raising<br>Donations<br>Expenditure<br>Insurance<br>Secretarial Honorarium<br>Printing, Stationery and Postage<br>Site Maintenance<br>Brown Bins<br>Bench<br>Tree lighting<br>Lawnmower and Equipment<br>Tree Work<br>General Garden & Pond Maintenance ( Note 1)<br>Excess of income over (expenditure)<br>Balance  Sheet<br>as at 31st May 2022<br>Assets<br>Current Assets<br>Cash at bank<br>Cash in hand<br>Total Assets<br>Liabilities<br>Current Liabilities<br>Accrued Expenses<br>Capital and Reserves (Note 2)<br>General Reserves<br>Designated Reserves<br>Sinking Fund Reserve|Year ending 31/05/2021<br>Designated<br>General<br>Funds<br>Fund<br>1,000.00<br>-<br>718.30<br>751.84<br>2,066.52|Year ending 31/05/2021<br>Designated<br>General<br>Funds<br>Fund<br>1,000.00<br>-<br>718.30<br>751.84<br>2,066.52|Year ending 31/05/2022<br>Designated<br>General<br>Funds<br>Fund<br>2,000.00<br>-<br>2,534.76<br>-<br>1,364.10|Year ending 31/05/2022<br>Designated<br>General<br>Funds<br>Fund<br>2,000.00<br>-<br>2,534.76<br>-<br>1,364.10|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||1)<br>et<br>2022|751.84<br>3,784.82<br>330.00<br>50.00<br>-<br>150.96<br>600.00<br>200.45<br>345.59<br>450.00<br>751.84<br>207.87<br>751.84<br>2,334.87<br>(0.00 )<br>1,449.95<br>2021<br>5,100.67<br>509.00<br>5,609.67<br>-<br>3,609.67<br>-<br>2,000.00<br>5,609.67||-<br>5,898.86<br>330.00<br>150.00<br>10.95<br>229.74<br>15.00<br>196.87<br>392.39<br>1,000.00<br>1,090.98||
||||||-<br>3,415.93||
||||||(0.00 )<br>2482.93||
|||||||2022<br>8,009.91<br>82.69|
|||||||8,092.60|
|||||||-<br>5,092.60<br>-<br>3,000.00|
|||||||8,092.60|
|||e purchase of plants, trees and compost for around the pond area. Other items<br>oppies on the trees and £52 for bunting for our fundraising and the Jubilee.<br>General<br>Designated<br>Sinking Fund<br>3,609.67<br>-<br>2,000.00<br>2,482.93<br>-<br>-<br>(1,000.00)<br>1,000.00<br>5,092.60<br>-<br>3,000.00|||||
||Note 2.<br>Reserves<br>1 June 2021<br>Surplus/(Deficit) for the year<br>Transfers<br>31 May 2022|General<br>3,609.67<br>2,482.93<br>(1,000.00)<br>5,092.60||Designated<br>-<br>-<br>-|Sinking Fund<br>2,000.00<br>-<br>1,000.00||
||||||3,000.00||



## Notes to the accounts 

Note 1. The major expenditure of £848  related to the purchase of plants, trees and compost for around the pond area. Other items included £60 to the Royal British Legion for poppies on the trees and £52 for bunting for our fundraising and the Jubilee. 

|Note|2.|Reserves|General|Designated|Sinking Fund|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||1 June 2021|3,609.67|-|2,000.00|
|||Surplus/(Deficit) for the year|2,482.93|-|-|
|||Transfers|(1,000.00)||1,000.00|
|||31 May 2022|5,092.60|-|3,000.00|



The Sinking Fund has been established to ensure sufficient funds are set aside to meet major anticipated expenditure for tree maintenance and possible tree removals. 

B R Ingate Honorary Treasurer 

**Independent Examiner's Report on the Accounts of the Friends of Middleton-on-Sea Pond and Green Charity No 1170594  for the year ended 31st May 2022** 

My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination 



included a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also included consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required for 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 material matters have come to my attention, which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect, the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act, the accounts did not accord with the accounting records or did not comply with the applicable requirements set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair' view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. 

I have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. 

Signed: Dated: 

Independent Examiner