Friends of Middleton on Sea Pond & Green Charity (No. 1170594)
Chairman's Annual Report to be presented at the AGM on 4[th] October 2024
Another busy year has passed and the trustees and volunteers have continued with regular work parties to keep a well maintained but natural looking Village Pond and Green which is so enjoyed and appreciated by our local community and visitors.
In May a review of the area was undertaken by Ecologist, Kate Ryland, who last surveyed and drew up a management plan in 2015. She was pleased to see that almost all of her recommendations had been carried out and said that the Friends…... “ have overseen this impressive example of community action to restore, enhance and maintain an asset with historic, ecological and amenity value”. She left us with some suggestions for future habitat enhancement and management from which the trustees will be taking guidance in the years to come.
In September the large chestnut tree was once again inspected by Gale Tree Consultancy. Two years since the last inspection, it was reassuring to see that although the tree is continuing to decay, this is not currently at any great speed and no further tree surgery was required this time. For safety we will follow the recommendation to have it re-inspected in two years time. Unfortunately three other trees were not so lucky and having died from Dutch Elm disease had to be removed by our tree surgeon. To put things into perspective management of these trees alone came to just short of £1,000.
With the amazing support of the local community another very successful fund raising event was held in May raising just over a £1,000 towards maintenance costs. Many thanks to all the additional volunteers who came and helped on the various stalls and for the donations of cakes and plants etc.
We are also grateful for all the financial donations that are either paid directly into our account or left in an envelope at Barley’s which allows us to fund the Christmas lights, bulbs and wildflower planting among other things. I must also acknowledge the generous support of Barley’s Hardware and Middleton Parish Council.
Weather and flooded state of the Green permitting we hope to host our regular mulled wine & mince pie get-together at Christmas – watch out for the date nearer the time.
This annual report would not be complete without once again acknowledging and thanking Don Faircloth for all the hard work he puts in throughout the year. In addition to leading the monthly volunteer work parties he can often be seen down at the Pond & Green cutting the grass, planting bulbs and plants, checking for storm damage and filling our brown bins.
Finally my thanks go to my fellow Trustees and volunteers for all their hard work, without them none of which would be possible.
Nicky Mills, Chair of the Trustees, 22nd October 2024
Friends of Middleton - on - Sea Pond & Green Charity Charity No 1170594 Income and Expenditure Account for the year ending 31st May 2024 2023 2024 General Fund General Fund Income Parish Council Funding Donations includin8 Gift Aid Fund Raising 2.OCKI.IXJ 1,323.56 1,178.41 2,000.00 729.36 1,037.78 4,501.97 3,767.14 Expenditure Insurance Secretarial Honorarium Legal and Professional { Note 2) Printin& Stationery and Postage Slte Maintenance Brown Bins Te lighting Lawnmower and Equipment Tree Work General Garden & Pond Maintenance ( Note l) 384.60 l(K). 88.20 8.20 384.60 100.00 750.00 155.52 367.95 51.32 2,785.(Kl 1,090.00 1,211.08 Ls 5,151.87 3,331.57 172.18 370.24 Excess of income over (expenditure) (649.90) 435.57 Balance Sheet as at 31st May 2024 Assets 2023 2024 Current Assets Cash at bank Cash in hand 7.364.29 78.41 7,818.07 60.20 Total Assets 7,442.70 7,878.27 Liabilitles Current Liabilities Capital and Reserves {Note 3) General Reserves 4.442.70 3,878.27 Sinking Fund Reserve 3.000.(M) 4,000.00 7,442.70 7,878.27
Notes to the accounts Note l. The General Maintenance costs relate to the purchase of plants, bulbs and compost. Note 2. Professional fees include £650 for an ecological survey. Note 3. Reserves General Sinking Fund l June 2023 Surplus for the year Transfers 4,442.70 435.57 {I,(K)o.00) 3,000.00 1,000.00 31 May 2024 3.878.27 4,000.00 A further £1,000 has been transferred to the Sinking Fund to ensure sufficient fijnds are set aside to meet the estimated expenditure for major tree Maintenan and possible tree removals. orary reasurer Independent Examlnerfs Report on the Acounts of th• Frfends of MIddhSea Pond and Gre•n Charlty No 1170594 for the year ended 31st May 2024 My examlnatlon was carrled out In accordance wlth general Dlrectlons glven by the Charlty Commlsslon. An examlnatlon Included a revlew of the accountlng records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also included consideration of any unusual Itern5 or disclosures in the accounts. and seeking explanatTons from the trustees concerning such matters. The procedures undertsken do not provide all the evidence that would be required for an audit, and consequently no oplnlon Is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fairf view and the report Is limited to those matters set out in the ststement below. In connectlon wSth my examination. no material matters have come to my attentlon. which gives me cause to belleve that In, any materlal spect, the accountin8 records were not kept in accordance vh section 130 of the Charftles ACL the accounts dld not accord with the accountlng records or did not comply with the appllcable requirements set out in the Charitié5 (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fairf view which is not a matter onsidered as part of an independert examination. I have come acTOSS no other matters In wlth the examlnatlon tovthkh atteThon shwld be dnwn In thi5 report In orderto enable a prw Understand1r of the accountsto be reathed. Slgned: J<loglJ* Independent Examiner