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2023-03-31-accounts

Information Pack for the 2022-23 Annual General Meeting

Index

Secton Sub-Secton Page
Context Introducton 3
Background 3
Annual General Meetng & Resolutons 3
Minutes of the Previous AGM 4
Annual Report Introducton 5
Governance 6
Promotng Educaton 6
Visitor Experience 7
Funding 7
Volunteers 7
Horsham District Council 8
Annual Accounts for the Period 1stApril
2022 to 31stMarch 2023		 Commentary 9
Accounts 10
Re-electon of Trustees 11

2

Context

Introducton

This Pack contains all of the necessary information for the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Friends of Warnham Local Nature Reserve, including the Annual Report and Accounts for the year to 31[st] March 2023.

The AGM is to be held on Wednesday 22[nd] November 2023 at the Visitor Centre of Warnham Local Nature Reserve, and will start at 7:30pm.

Background

The Friends of Warnham Local Nature Reserve (FoWLNR), charity number 1171924, is registered with The Charity Commission for England and Wales (The Charity Commission).

The objectives of the charity are:

to promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of Warnham Local Nature Reserve, in particular but not exclusively by:

(a) advancing the education of the public about all aspects of the natural history of the reserve and

(b) promoting biological diversity.

FoWLNR is governed by a formal Constitution and makes annual reports to The Charity Commission.

The 2022/23 report is ready and will be submitted after The Charity Commission confirms that they are able to receive this information once again.

Warnham Local Nature Reserve is owned by Horsham District Council (HDC), and all volunteers of FoWLNR work closely with HDC staff, in particularly those from the Parks & Countryside Department who manage the Reserve.

The day-to-day management of FoWLNR is the responsibility of the Trustee Board which is ably supported by a dedicated group of other volunteers, some of who also attend the quarterly Trustee Meetings.

Annual General Meetng

The Constitution requires that FoWLNR holds an Annual General Meeting (AGM) at intervals of not more than 15 months; the last AGM was held on 18[th] January 2023.

This AGM is in respect of the period from 1[st] April 2022 to 31[st] March 2023.

Only eligible Members of FoWLNR will be able to vote on the Resolutions at the AGM, which are proposed by the Trustees as follows:

Resolution 1: Approve the Minutes of the Previous AGM held 18[th] January 2023 (see page 3)

Resolution 2: Adopt the Annual Report for the Period 1[st] April 2022 to 31[st] April 2023 (see pages 5-8) Resolution 3: Adopt the Annual Accounts for the Period 1[st] April 2022 to 31[st] March 2023 (see pages 9-10)

Resolution 4: Re-election of those Trustees retiring by rotation and who wish to stand for re-election (see page 11)

3

Minutes of the Previous Annual General Meetng

18th January 2023, 7.30pm, the Visitors’ Centre, Warnham Local Nature Reserve

In attendance: (T) denotes Trustee

Peter Hellyer, Diane Hellyer, Jill Brown, Celia Strudley, Richard Symonds (T), Andrea Saxton, Hilary Harding, Paul Shergold (T), Samuel Giacomelli, Denise Knight (T), Steve Kenward (T), Lyn Whale, Neil Henry (T), Graham Matthews (T), Linda Slattery (T).

The Chairman advised that extensive background papers previously circulated with the calling notice for the AGM supported the resolutions now put before the AGM.

None were recorded

  1. To approve the Minutes of the Previous AGM, held on 8[th] November 2021.

The minutes were proposed as accurate by Celia Strudley and seconded by Neil Henry, Lyn Whale and Paul Shergold and adopted by a majority show of hands.

  1. To adopt the Annual Report for the period 1[st] April 2021 to 31[st] March 2022.

The adoption of the Annual Report was proposed by Paul Shergold and seconded by Neil Henry, Richard Symonds and Denise Knight and supported by a majority show of hands.

  1. To adopt the Annual Accounts for the period 1[st] April 2021 to 31[st] March 2022.

The adoption of the Accounts, previously reviewed by the independent examiner for the period to 31[st] March 2022 was proposed by Graham Matthews and seconded by Richard Symonds.

  1. To elect Trustee(s) retiring by rotation.

The AGM appointed by a show of hands, Denise Knight and Stuart Card as Trustees, they having previously retired by rotation and having offered themselves for re-election.

  1. Any other business.

The Chairman (Steve Kenward), thanked members for attending the AGM, and apologised for the formality of such a short event. He advised that it was hoped that the following years AGM’s would of course be formal but would also have an informal element designed for the enjoyment of the Charity’s members.

Resolution 1: Approve the Minutes of the Previous AGM held 18[th] January 2023

Proposer:

Seconder:

Vote of Eligible Members:

4

Annual Report

Introducton

As mentioned in the last annual report, I took on the role of Chairman a couple of months into the year that we are now reporting upon.

I was pleased that my fellow Trustees had both the experience and the enthusiasm to support my early months of involvement, and in the first six months I found myself immersed in the spectrum of the Reserves activities from witnessing bird ringing to dressing as a skeleton for the Halloween Trail.

More seriously, there was work too; initially to complete together with Trustees and HDC colleagues the Management Plan for the Reserve. We were pleased to ensure that the plan as finalised heralded a 50-year time horizon. This will ensure that any actions taken, be it clearance, planting or the introduction or replacement of infrastructure, is sympathetic to the Reserve being in 50 years as it is today.

We are all conscious that Warnham Local Nature Reserve is not a theme park, nor a destination for the sake of it, but a wonderful natural haven to be enjoyed by its visitors, as it is today, for many years to come and the 50-year horizon will ensure that is the case.

It was great to see in the year that our total visitor numbers at 32,427 grew back and exceeded pre Covid levels by 15%. This increase enabled us to substantially increase our sales at the Herons Rest by 30%, although the inflation that we all experienced increased our costs to support this sales increase.

As we got back into our stride, we were able to minimise our administration expenditure. The increased visitor numbers, sales in Herons Rest and reduced non-food expenditure coupled with the fact that our planned expenditure on the Reserve was largely delayed, meant that the charity ended the year with healthy financial reserves and which will enable increased spend on the Reserve in subsequent years.

Looking forward and driven by the charitable objects and the desire to ensure that the Reserve is a place where wellbeing can be found and enjoyed the Trustees anticipate:

Much has, and continues to go on behind the scenes to ensure the Charity is compliant, follows best practice and is a good corporate citizen. This will always be work in progress and I am grateful and offer my thanks to the Trustees and the volunteers who give of their time freely and work tirelessly to make the Reserve the wonderful place that it is – thank you.

Steve Kenward

Chair – Friends of Warnham Local Nature Reserve

5

Governance

FoWLNR continued throughout the year to fulfil its obligations as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation that is registered with The Charity Commission.

The Trustees run the charity in line with the documented constitution, and all aspects of the day-today operations were managed by the Trustees and their designated function leads or teams.

On a quarterly basis, the Trustees and function heads met to review the performance of FoWLNR in line with its objectives, to develop strategic plans and to translate those into future operational goals.

The Trustees of FoWLNR for the period 1[st] April 2022 to 31[st] March 2023 were:

The designated function heads or teams for that same period were:

The constitution requires that one-third of the elected Trustees must retire from office at every AGM. In the order of their appointment, those resigning this year are:

Promotng Educaton

In line with our objective of advancing the education of the public about all aspects of the natural history of the reserve, FoWLNR has:

6

Visitor Experience

2022/23 was a very successful year for visits to the Reserve, with 32,427 separate visits being recorded.

Positive feedback was received from many of these visitors, either in person or via various online platforms. In particular, the Shelley Memorial Garden at the front of the Reserve generated most compliments with its wonderful array of spring and summer colours.

A very small number of visitors were unhappy or critical about elements of their visit; where any such feedback was received, it was shared with the applicable function and HDC to identify any opportunities for improvement.

Funding

FoWLNR generates income in a number of different ways, including:

We are very grateful to our members and to those who have made contributions to FoWLNR, who we wish to thank.

During the year we were able to contribute over £25,000 towards various projects on the Reserve, and the year ended with a healthy bank balance which will help us with future projects.

Volunteers

Our dedicated group of volunteers have continued to generously donate their own time in support of FoWLNR and HDC, to ensure that Warnham Local Nature Reserve remains one of the leading visitor attractions in the Horsham District.

We wish to take this opportunity to thank them all for their contributions, which combine to make FoWLNR the success that it is.

These volunteers contributed to:

We are seeking additional volunteers to help us, and if you are interested in contributing to one of the areas above, or would consider becoming a Trustee, or indeed would like to join us to help with the “off grid” project please email fowlnr@gmail.com

7

Horsham District Council

FoWLNR would like to thank HDC staff and in particular their Parks & Countryside Team, who are always very supportive of our charity and with whom we have an excellent relationship.

Resolution 2 – Adopt the Annual Report

Proposer:

Seconder:

Vote of Eligible Members:

8

Annual Accounts for the Period 1[st] April 2022 to 31[st] March 2023

Commentary

Throughout the year financial processes were reviewed and streamlined.

The Annual Accounts of FoWLNR are shown on the next page. These were independently examined and were approved on 14[th] September 2023.

The Independent Examiner is Richard Hopkins, who is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accounts in England & Wales.

Total funds of FoWLNR at 31st March 2023 amounted to £94,233.37 which included £8,754.03 General Reserve which was held in a Savings Account, in line with the Charity’s Reserve Policy.

That Policy was reviewed and updated subsequent to this reporting period, and funds in excess of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FCSC) limit of £85,000 were transferred to an interestbearing account with a separate bank.

While the total funds held by FoWLNR are healthy, there are some ambitious projects in the pipeline, highlighted in the introduction, which will require these funds plus other substantial amounts to be raised.

Resolution 3 – Adopt the Annual Accounts

Proposer:

Seconder:

Vote of Eligible Members:

9

Friends of Warnham Local Nature Reserve Annual Accounts 2022-2023

Income £16,780.35
£25,710.96
£2,321.30		 Expenditure Expenditure
Purchases - Food & Cold Drinks £12,011.60
Purchases - Hot Drinks £5,955.34
Purchases - Ice Cream £1,145.00
FOOD & DRINK SALES TOTAL £44,812.61 TOTAL FOOD & DRINK
COSTS		 £19,111.94
Membership
(new)
Membership (renewal)		 £230.00
£1,320.00
Card Machine Rental &
Fees		 £2,293.31
MEMBERSHIP TOTAL £1,550.00 Coffee Machine Lease £971.10
Sales - General
Artwork sales commission
Sales - Logs & Kindling		 £1,164.90
£233.85
£6.00		 Goods Purchased for Sale £212.40
Events Costs £791.43
Phone, Internet, Website,
IT		 £1,113.20
Printing £320.14
SALES TOTAL £1,404.75 Miscellaneous(incl. unassigned) £1,498.22
Organisational Costs £157.00
Events Income £3,190.00 TOTAL ADMIN
EXPENDITURE		 £7,356.80
NPOTY
Youth Groups		 £0.00
£208.00
Charitable Expenditure
EVENTS TOTAL £3,398.00 Birdseed & Lard Purchases £3,038.54
Gift Aid Income
Donations & Bequests Rec'd
HDC permit donations
Birdseed
Donations
Income - Other		 £0.00
£2,190.64
£21,219.59
£2,743.39
£159.56		 Heron & Nestbox Cams £498.00
Hides, Footpaths
Wildlife Surveys		 £0.00
£499.61
Habitat Management £7,740.00
Nest Boxes & Wool
DiscoveryHub		 £75.00
£0.00
DONATIONS
TOTAL		 £26,313.18 Visitor Centre £2,543.65
Projects £9,481.00
£1,566.37
KeepRookwood Green £301.44
TOTAL CHARITABLE
EXPENDITURE		 £25,743.61
TOTAL INCOME £77,478.54
TOTAL EXPENDITURE £52,212.35
YEARLY SURPLUS
£25,266.19

10

Re-electon of Trustees

As mentioned earlier in this document, the Constitutional requires that one-third of the elected Trustees must retire from office at every AGM.

In the order of their appointment, those resigning this year are:

Resolution 4: Re-election of those Trustees retiring by rotation and who wish to stand for reelection, namely Paul Shergold and Richard Symonds.

Paul Shergold Richard Symonds
Proposer:
Seconder:
Vote of Eligible Members:		 Proposer:
Seconder:
Vote of Eligible Members:

11

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Receipts and payments accounts CC16a Forthe period To 01A)4r2022 3110Y2023 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Endowment funds Total funds Last year A1 Recelpts S￿e$.FOOLI and (￿d dDrths es-hotdrinks Saes- i(2 uea embetship fees Olhersales and Ixxnm155i Events DonatioTrs 16.780 25,711 1321 16.780 25.711 321 1.550 11,210 22.575 1,033 1.710 724 1,229 2d.509 3.398 26,313 3.398 26.313 Sub tOtal(GrO￿ Ancome for ARJ 7TN79 77,479 62.990 A2 Asset and irtv8stment sales. Isee table). Sub total 77,479 77.479 62.990 A3 ments Purchases forfesae Admin expEnditure ¢h8ritrble expeThJtre 19.112 7,35T 2&743 19.112 12,851 Z5.743 Sub total 51212 52,212 47.879 A4 Asset and investment urchases, Isee table) Sub total 52,212 52312 47.B79 Net 0frecwp￿(Payrn0nts) A5 Transfrr5 between fund$ A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end 25267 25.267 15,111 69,406 94,673 54,295 69,406 94,673 CCXK R1 accounts ISSI 07109r2023

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestracted funds Restricted funds Endowment funds to t￿rESt £ to n￿reStE to ￿areSt£ B1 Cash funds 65.031 29202 fimiw drftEretKX5 rotai cash funds 94.673 Restricted funds Endowment funds tts nèarest £ funds Dotails Fund towhich Details Co¥t Current valuè iona Fund to Twhich Details costl0ptiofi￿j Cur¥errtvalue nal B4 Assets retained for the charity's own use rii- FundtDwhKh Arnourtdue Details When due nal B5 Liabilities SvJrTred by one or two t¥ustee5 on ho￿Of all the trustees Print Name Date of roval 11 ofi Z Jl-9-23 .4 J £cbgZ75 CCXX R2 accounts ISSI 0710912023

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of The Friends of Wamham Local Nature Reserve On accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 Charity no lif any) 1171924 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (Ihe Trusl.) for the year ended 3110312023. Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust. you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {Ihe Acf). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination. I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145151{bl of the Act. I have Gompleted my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed below ") in connection with the examination which gives me cause to belEve that in, any material respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordan￿ with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's statement I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in orderto enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ' Please delete the w0￿S in the brackets rfthey do not appty. Signed: Dats: 14 Name: 14oeK i Relevant professional qualification(s) or body lif any): ify Etyq (JWD w whLtt Address: I ltrk Ef fLfr4J l7& IER October 2018

Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner needs to highlight matters of con￿rn {see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidan￿ for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. N(Nc- IER 2N October 2018