**Report for Charity Commission Letcombe Brook Project** **Registered Charity 1172111** ## **01 April 2024 – 31 March 2025** ## **Address** c/o Vale & Downland Museum Church Street Wantage Oxfordshire OX12 8BL Names of Charity Trustees Kiera Bentley, Chair Anthony Harker Julian Taylor-Gadd Mike Stead Type of governing document: Constitution Type of Organistion: Charitable Incorporated Organisation Trustee Selection Methods: Appointed by Trustees ## **Additional Governance Information:** Local concerns for the health of the Letcombe Brook led to the formation of the Letcombe Brook Project in 2003. Initially the Project was funded by the Environment Agency, the Vale of White Horse DC and the Grove and Wantage Councils and these bodies provided representatives of a Steering Group to manage the Project. Subsequently the Environment Agency stopped funding the LBP but remained on the Steering Group. Later Both Letcombe and Hanney Councils joined the Project as funders with seats on the Steering Group. The LBP was remodelled as a CIO in 2017 whilst retaining the Steering Group to advise and maintain local Community links. All Trustees are provided with LBP Policies on appointment and subsequently all take part in the development and approval of modified or additional Policies, Procedures and Project Officer Work Programmes. ## **Objectives and Activities** The objects of the charity as set out in the governing document are as follows: 1. To promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of the Letcombe Brook catchment , in particular but not exclusively by promoting biological diversity. 2. To advance the education of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of the Letcombe Brook catchment. ## **Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects** ## **Introduction** This has been a busy year for the Letcombe Brook Project. We have monitored species, removed invasive plants, trained and worked with volunteers and landowners to enhance and protect the brook, helped the public to enjoy the brook and surrounding areas as well as worked with wider stakeholders to reduce flood risk. ## **Enhancing and Protecting the Brook** We have monitored biodiversity and worked to improve it over the last year by: - Carrying out practical habitat management work, including reducing over-shading and bramble/nettle cover– our volunteer group has grown to around 16 active members and has met 19 times throughout this period, equating to over £3,500 in-kind support. - Removed over 50 bags of litter from the brook and its corridor, including regular litter picking on VWHDC land - Monitoring and control of invasive species in the brook corridor, including Himalayan Balsam, skunk cabbage, monkeyflower and American mink - Completing surveys of water voles as part of BBOWT’s Water Vole project, and coordinating a new proposal to reintroduce water voles into the upper catchment, where water voles were present until 2018 - Coordinating and recruiting volunteers in riverfly monitoring, enabling us to monitor water quality and pollution incidents - Reporting five incidents of pollution or debris dams to the Environment Agency and Thames Water for their attention, and clearing a further three debris dams ourselves - Working in partnership with Thames21 to establish a new water quality monitoring scheme on the Letcombe Brook, recording phosphate and nitrate levels as well as turbidity - Liaising with Thames Water on the proposed reservoir scheme, identifying opportunities for habitat enhancement, should the scheme go ahead - Engaging with 38 riparian landowners to discuss encouraging biodiversity on their patch - Liaising with staff at VWHDC to discuss the future management of Willow Walk nature reserve, where we hope to take on a more active role. - Working closely with the Environment Agency to identify opportunities for habitat enhancement and restoration of the chalk stream, including applying for funding from their grants scheme. ## **Helping People to enjoy the brook** We have organized and attended several community outreach events in the last year to encourage people to visit and enjoy the brook, reaching well over 150 people in total including: - Health & Well-being event for local doctors’ surgeries in Wantage in April - Public engagement event at Grove in May - Talk on the Letcombe Brook at the Vale & Downland Museum in June - Family Day at Williams F1 in July - Guided walk and river creatures day at Willow Walk in July, in partnership with the Vale & Downland Museum We held two sessions at Charlton primary school teaching their Year 4 classes about healthy rivers, and ran four outdoor education sessions at Willow Walk nature reserve for Charlton, Stockham and Wantage Primary Academy primary schools, reaching around 120 children in total, teaching them about chalk streams, associated wildlife and water resources. All in all, we have worked very hard in partnership with the community to protect and enhance the brook and its corridor, help people to enjoy the brook and ensure that flood risk is mitigated where possible. ## **Financial Stability** We have also worked to ensure that we have sufficient ongoing income to continue our activities and have been successful to some extent in diversifying our funding base. We will continue to explore the potential for securing additional funds from new sources to enable us to step up the work we are able to do to protect the brook. ## **Public Benefit Statement** The Trustees are aware of the definition of public benefit as laid down by the charity commission and are confident that all of the activities detailed above fall under those guidelines. ## **Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year** We have improved the biodiversity of the brook and its catchment through co-ordinating active groups of volunteers to steward the flora and fauna in and around the brook. We have also continued our commitment to outreach work to local schools and community groups to educate local people on how best to look after the brook for generations to come. In addition, we have made progress liaising with riparian landowners to encourage environmentally sustainable practices on their land, as well as working with the Environment Agency to explore the potential for adding in bypass channels to improve fish passage around some of the obstacles in the brook. We have also worked with and trained volunteers on water quality monitoring, encouraging people to report excess sewage discharge and incidents if pollution to the appropriate channels. We hope to increase our involvement in the local community in coming years. ## **Charity’s reserve policy:** We aim to have reserves which cover three months of the current running costs together with a nominal sum for fixed costs and insurance, communications and consumables. ## **Additional Information:** The majority of our funding has traditionally come from the local district council and the local parish councils, with some additional support from trusts and foundations. We are fortunate in having the ongoing financial support of he Williams F1, as the brook flows through their land. Recelpts and PayTnents A(muntsforthe year ended 31 Marth 2025 Genew41 Dewated Re5tsirted Totsl 2025 Totsl 2024 Notes .'Income Donations Ilnc. Gift Aid tax Tecoveredl Grants '.Other operatin8 activitie5 .,Bank interesr 16.410 30.3(MJ 13.750 812 47.523 13.7 61.273 56.689 Expendhure IProjert Costs Fundraising 31.105 3.150 5.985 Ltountants. Insurance. Jbscription, Trainin& Website Other expenses 1,885 36,140 5.985 42.124 57.672 Surplus IDeficitlfor the y￿r 11.383 7.765 19.149 983 ,Fund b31ances at 31 March 2024 '.Surplus (Deficitl for the year 1.288 11.383 29.366 7,765 30.654 19.149 31.638 19831 Fund balan￿S at 31 March 2025 12.671 37,131 49.8n3 30.655 Represented by.. Cash at B3nk- current accour*t Cash at Bank- 5avin85 aicount 12.672 15.424 15.457 28.096 21.707 9.760 20.895 6.2 Totsl 12.672 30,881 6,250 49.8x13 30.655 TOTAL in DesignotsdlRethcted Bolance as at 3113Iz5 37,131 Donor Category Dandrid es Mill Fish Bypass Childre 8rook Pro ect Miscellaneotjs Pro ects Mi5cellaneou5 Pro ert5 Remaining Des/Rest Restricted Resirided Desi nated De51 nated EA Thames Warer Sie hen Brindle Previous 6,250 20,854 10,027 37,131 eLTfs TOTALS 6.250 30,881 37.131 Restrtcted Desi nated ALEXANDER HARRISON LIM￿ED Jest8r& Tothiii. Burghclere. Newbury. Berks RG20 9ED alexanderharrisonlidCcL'icloud.com 07957 154993107841 023103 Independent Examlnar's Report to the Trustees of the Letcombe Brook Project I report on the accounts tortheyear ended 3111 March 2025which are setout on the attsched pages. Respective respon•ibilities of the Trustees and Independent Examiner As trustees of the charity. trustees are responsible lorthe preparation ot the accounts. They considerlh8t an 8ud¥t is not required for this year under section 144121 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Actl and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts under section 145 ofthe 2011 Act; follow the procedures laid down in the General Directlons glven bythe Charlty Commissioners section 14515)Ibl ofthe 2011 Act: and state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basis Ot Independent Examiner's Statement My examination was conducted in accordance with the General Directions given the Charity Commission. An examination includes a reviewofthe accounting records kept tythe charity and a Comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual iterns or disclosure5 in the accounts and seeking explanations from the treasurer concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide allth8 evid8nce thatv￿)Uld be required in a fuu audit. and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts. Independerrt Examlner's Statement In connection with my examination. no matters hav8 come to myattention which give me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements to keep 8ccounting records in accordance with $.130 of the 2011 Act: or • to pr8P8re 8ccounts which accord wrth these 8ccounting records have not been met. Indepondent Examinor Christine Lycett-still MIC8 PMDip yd August 2025 Rewitrnd Office: JPXer¥.T￿h1ll. 8urtslere, Ne•thry RC209ED No. 2393 TIIE INSTITUT UF LEiLT¥FIEt) Declaration.. Tho trustees dacl8re that th6y have approvod the ITUgtOag' loport Above. Signed on behalt of the chaflty'$ trusteos Slgnature: Full Name: Posltlon: A/ 22/0//2>26 Date: