2022-07-31-accounts

THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

Charity number: 1173016

THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

UNAUDITED

TRUSTEES' REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 JULY 2022

THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

	Page
Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and bankers	1
Trustees' report	2 - 17
Independent Examiner’s Report	18
Statement of financial activities	19
Balance sheet	20
Notes to the financial statements	21 - 25

THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE CHARITY AND ITS TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JULY 2022

Trustees M Adams A Anderson (appointed 20 October 2021, resigned 1 March 2022) C Bethel N Dennehy M Done V Harper Professor R Mason (retired 20 October 2021) J Ricketts A Shackleton S Speak (resigned 12 July 2022) S Williams (appointed 20 October 2021) Charity registered 1173016 number Officers Chair S Williams Vice-chair N Dennehy Secretary C Bethel Treasurer M Adams Registered office 13 Ruskin Avenue Kew Richmond TW9 4DR Independent Examiner Lesley Pasricha FCA 23 Front Street Portesham Weymouth DT3 4ET Bankers Barclays Bank Plc 9 George Street Richmond Surrey TW9 1JU

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

CHAIR'S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JULY 2022

In the 12 months since I took over the chair of the Kew Society (TKS) I have been in learning mode…especially about the wide range of work that our charity does on behalf of the local community. Although I have been a member for many years, I had never fully appreciated the diversity of projects that members of the committee, often ably helped by co-opted members, would deal within the course of a year.

The purpose of this Trustee report is to provide an overview of these activities for the period 1[st] August 1[st] 2021 – 31[st] July 2022, which, of course, includes three months when Roger Mason was very ably leading the team. During those months, he organised a series of briefings for me, so that, when I became chair, I would not be completely at sea. I am immensely grateful for this but, even with this help, I was relatively unprepared for the breadth and depth of our remit. We have four main strands of activity – planning, environment, events and gardening. A relatively small team of – incredibly hard-working – people manage to deliver more than many charities with paid staff could hope to achieve.

To give you a flavour of what we have been doing during the year – more details in the full report – I will describe some of the work conducted in each area of activity.

Many people in Kew associate TKS with planning – and it does remain a very important part of our work, especially at a time when so many people want to build – or live – in Kew. Who can blame them? Throughout the year our Trustee, Alice Shackleton, a property lawyer, looks at every single planning application for the Kew Ward and the Kew area covered by the North Richmond Ward submitted to the Council and then advises the committee on how she, and fellow Trustee, John Ricketts recommend we respond to any that could have a negative impact upon the local area. Contrary to the perceptions of some, we are far from being ‘NIMBY’s’…we do not comment on domestic/smaller scale planning applications unless the resulting development would, in our opinion, be out of keeping with the local area or would – say because of likely increases in traffic or noise – affect the wellbeing of neighbours.

Most of our planning time is dedicated to trying to influence the best possible outcomes from larger-scale planning applications. Sometimes, this means opposing an entire development and other times it means that, whilst accepting that a development is inevitable, we use skills and knowledge to try to influence the best possible outcome for the local community. A good example of this can be demonstrated by the work we are doing to try to ensure that the proposed development of the Kew Retail Park results in a well-designed, sustainable group of homes – including a significant proportion of ‘tenure blind’ affordable homes – alongside features, such as a new community hall, that could be an asset to our village life.

The scope of our work on ‘things environmental’ came as more of a surprise to me. I was aware that we were involved with the campaign against the expansion of Heathrow, and I had an inkling that we helped to maintain the beauty of the riverbank, but it had not occurred to me that – a seemingly never-ending – task would be dealing with graffiti. These, and many other things that are related to our local environment are dealt with by Venetia Harper, supported by Roger Mason and – until his recent resignation as a Trustee – Stephen Speak.

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

CHAIR'S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JULY 2022

The Kew Society is represented on a number of relevant committees, including the Thames Landscape Strategy Community Advisory Group, Habitats and Heritage, and the Kew Police Liaison Group.

Other activities for the environmental team ‘emerge’ in the course of the year. For example, the noticeboard in Kew Plaza was damaged in a storm last March and TKS is contributing time and money to the project team involving the Council, the National Archives and RBGK who will upgrade and restore this useful feature.

Other projects remain on the ‘to do’ list and much time has been spent trying to move things forward...for example, the introduction of step-free access at Kew Gardens Station. The very high cost quoted for providing this – in excess of £10M – must be a deterrent in the current economic times. Rather more modest investment should (we hope) soon pay for the painting and repair of the Hennebique footbridge at the station. We have offered to pay for the painting and renovation of the doors to the station subway.

Air quality is also of increasing concern to many local residents. We are very fortunate to have an expert in our team – Roger Mason – who has been proactive in providing scientific research data to aid a range of campaigns. His input has directly resulted in an increase in the air quality monitoring around local schools.

Protecting and enhancing our environment is central to our work – but we are now also actively encouraging people to get out and enjoy our local area. During this year, a small team of Trustees – Claire Bethel, Mary Done and Venetia Harper – developed an idea for a ‘historical walk’ around Kew, and – with the help of a generous grant from the Council – turned the idea into reality, producing a map and information leaflet for launch early in the next charity year.

For many people – members and non-members alike – our gardening activities are our most visible contribution to the local area. A team of volunteers, led by our Head Gardener, Anna Anderson, devote many hours to planting, watering and maintaining beds alongside the station platforms, in the village and – thanks to John and Daphne Turner – a wonderful public garden on North Road. This year, we have benefitted greatly from advice on planting and design provided at no cost by Suzie Jewell from RBGK. Suzie has previously helped us with the planting along the station platforms and around the war memorial on Kew Green and we are very grateful for her advice.

We are always looking to recruit new members! Not least, so that we are able to represent the full diversity of local residents in our responses to any proposed changes or developments which could affect our lives. We now have 818 members – up from last year - and many of them enjoy the events that are (wonderfully) organised by Mary Done – Trustee and Events Lead – ably supported by Sue May and Jane Hogan. Many of our talks take place in the National Archives, and we are extremely grateful for their generous support in allowing us to benefit from their facilities and expert staff at very modest cost.

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

CHAIR'S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JULY 2022

In addition to a diversity of talks, Mary and her team also organised and managed a range of well-received outings and walks and ensured that the Society had a public presence at the Kew Fair, the Kew Horticultural Show and some Kew Village markets. TKS also hosted an ‘open to all’ local election hustings at Queen’s school in April.

Throughout the year, we communicate with members in a variety of ways. Our newsletters – edited by Claire Bethel, Trustee – attract very positive feedback. As well as reporting on TKS activities, Claire always includes a range of features about life in Kew. During 20212022, we distributed these publications electronically, only producing hard copies upon request. The committee have decided that, going forward, we will print and distribute hard copies to all members unless they ask us to continue to only send them the online version.

Nora Dennehy – Trustee and Deputy Chair – has a varied portfolio of responsibilities, including managing our presence on social media, posting wonderful photographs and generally ‘flying a flag’ about our local activities.

During the pandemic, Roger Mason, ably assisted by Nick Hutchings, our webmaster, produced regular ‘Kew Miscellany’ newsletters. Once life returned to something more normal, I have replaced them with shorter notes, raising awareness about issues or activities which may be of interest to our members. These notes have also provided a platform to publicise ‘Meet in Kew’ a monthly ‘pop-up pub’ in the Kew Community Centre for anyone living or working in Kew. These enjoyable events are now a joint TKS/Kew Community Trust initiative and are proving to be a very good way for members to meet each other and to chat with committee members.

Thanks to the expert husbandry of our Treasurer, Mike Adams, the charity’s finances are in a very sound position. All our work is done by volunteers and we have also been fortunate in receiving grants to help with projects that are regarded as being of benefit to the Kew community.

It is a great privilege to be the chair of the Kew Society, and I am much looking forward to ‘growing into’ the role. I have been very fortunate to inherit such a talented and dedicated team and almost all the credit for our success should go to them. I would also like to acknowledge the invaluable support provided by our Patrons. I have no doubt that, during 2021-2022 we have fulfilled our charitable objectives.

Shiona Williams

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JULY 2022

The Trustees present their annual report together with the financial statements for the period 1st August 2021 to 31st July 2022. The Trustees confirm that the Annual Report and financial statements of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the CIO’s governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) as revised in March 2018.

Constitution and Election of Trustees

The Kew Society is registered with the Charity Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with registration number 1173016 and is therefore governed by its constitution. The Constitution of the Society is published in the policy documents file on The Kew Society web page (http://www.kewsociety.org). The Charitable Incorporated Organisation was incorporated and registered as a charity on 12 May 2017.

The Charity's affairs are conducted by the Executive Committee, comprising the Trustees and co-opted members, and usually meets eleven times a year. None of the Trustees, nor any persons connected with them, has received any remuneration during the year. The Officers of the Society, consisting of the Chair, Vice Chair, Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary are elected annually whilst other Trustees hold office for a period of three years. Trustees can be re-elected for a further term, subject to a maximum of six years and can then only be re-elected after standing down from the Executive Committee for one year.

The Trustees have the power to appoint new Trustees at their discretion. New Trustees appointed in this way must put themselves forward for reappointment at the next Annual General Meeting of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Trustees are required to familiarise themselves with the guidance provided to Trustees by the Charity Commission but the charity does not have any formal programme for the induction and training of new Trustees. C Bethel performs the day-to-day affairs at the principal address of the charity: 13 Ruskin Avenue, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DR.

The Objectives and Work of the Society

The Kew Society is established for the public benefit and its objectives are to promote high standards of planning and architecture in Kew, to educate the public about the locality, to preserve and enhance the beauty of our local environment and to make a positive contribution to community life.

The Trustees have given due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission in accordance with section 17 of the Charities Act 2011.

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JULY 2022

We meet our objectives by:

• examining planning applications that are submitted for the Kew area, as well as other applications and government proposals that could affect Kew;

• organising events for members that have a relevance to the Kew area and which we hope will be of interest to members;

• liaising on behalf of members with our MP, local councillors, the local planning authority and other local and national voluntary organisations;

• providing a community network to help to connect members, facilitate information gathering, and promote understanding of issues that could impact upon the lives of people living or working in Kew, and

• enabling newcomers to Kew to meet other residents and become part of village life.

Risk Assessments and operational procedures

The Kew Society Executive Committee has Risk Assessment procedures for a number of activities and responsibilities including Governance and Financial Management, Operational and Regulatory Matters, Events and Gardening Activities. These have been kept under review during 2021-2022. All members of the Executive Committee have access to our Google Drive Archive of Committee Documents and Reports from 2012 to the present time.

An Overview of the Activities and Achievements of the Kew Society, 1st August 2021– 31st July 2022

The Society’s governance relies on four sub-committees and teams, three – Planning, Environment and Events are led by a Trustee and one – Gardening – by a co-opted member. Each sub-committee has specific responsibilities for considering planning issues, environmental issues, organising events and outings, and for the Kew Society gardening initiatives in Kew. Each sub-committee reports to the monthly Executive Committee meeting.

Planning:

The Planning sub-committee (Alice Shackleton, Trustee and lead, John Ricketts, Trustee) worked on a wide range of projects during the year. Until his recent resignation as a Trustee, Stephen Speak also provided assistance on some projects.

We continue to scrutinise developments that would affect the Kew area and the World Heritage Site of Royal Botanic Gardens Kew (RBGK), with the objective or preserving and enhancing the beauty of our locality. We work closely with RGBK and liaise with other amenity societies and bodies.

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JULY 2022

Large Developments south of the River Thames

Kew Retail Park: We had been waiting for development proposals following the reported acquisition of half of the site by Berkeley Homes in 2021. In May 2022, we were invited to a presentation by JTP Architects on behalf of St Georges (Berkeley Homes) and Marks and Spencer as the beginning of a community engagement exercise. This was followed in June, and July by further presentations/site walkabouts and workshops for the community, which were attended by several Trustees. We have updated members and encouraged participation in the community engagement, which focuses on the landscape and community use aspects of a development of up to 1200 flats with a new Marks and Spencer store, other commercial uses and a community hall. The design and density of this proposed development and its impact upon local infrastructure is clearly going to be of major concern to those living in Kew. The planning application is expected to be submitted next summer.

Mortlake Brewery (Stag Brewery): We continue to work closely with local groups, with our concerns primarily being how this scheme would affect traffic levels and thus air quality in Kew, as well as the provision of infrastructure, both social and physical. We objected to the April 2022 revised scheme.

Homebase Manor Road: We have consistently objected to this scheme, and the several substantive revisions to it and have requested that successive Secretaries of State call it in to take it over from the Mayor of London, who has indicated approval of the scheme. The Mayor allowed a further substantive revision at the end of 2021 to which we objected. A formal decision is still awaited from the Mayor.

Large Developments north of the River Thames :

We consider these mainly for their effect on RBGK and protected vistas in RBGK and liaise closely with RBGK on the approach that we take. Proposals in which we have been involved include:

Holly House, Chiswick Roundabout: Proposal for a 24-storey tower to which we have objected.

Homebase and Tesco Superstore, Syon Lane: We objected and attended part of the public inquiry – decision awaited.

B & Q Site, Gunnersbury Lane: This was approved in December 2021.

We have also commented upon other local development applications:

Heidelberg Scheme (west of Watermans) – now approved. SEGA building (on A4) – very early stages; and Albany and Charlton Houses, Brentford High Street (opposite Watermans), now approved.

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JULY 2022

Smaller Developments in Kew

As a matter of policy, we do not comment on domestic applications unless there is a more general implication. Some of those we have commented on are:

Telecommunications masts and cabinets: There is a fine balance between the need for better connections and harm to the locality through inappropriate siting. We objected on siting and appearance grounds to a mast outside Broome Court and a proposed mast by the Swimming Baths in Old Deer Park through membership of the Old Deer Park Working Group. We monitor the site opposite 105 North Road which obtained ‘deemed consent’ in 2019.

77 North Road (former doctors’ surgery): Successive applications were made to change the use of this property to a children’s day nursery. Whilst we expressed support in principle, we submitted our concerns at the numbers of children (latest application about 80 children and 15-25 staff) and the possible noise, traffic and parking implications for the neighbourhood, suggesting conditions to protect neighbours’ amenity. Applications were withdrawn or refused.

159 Mortlake Road (previously Jigsaw headquarters): We objected to a previous application to convert part of this site to 31 apartments, suggesting a number of conditions including the safety of access on to the South Circular road. Consent was given subject to conditions, but it was not proceeded with by the owners.

32 Haverfield Gardens: A proposal to develop this site to provide five houses was opposed by many residents and the Society. We suggested possible changes to mitigate the visual impact of the scheme and these changes have been incorporated.

Kew Cricket Club proposal for new nets on Kew Green: We opposed this scheme which would have given poorer access to the nets. The application was withdrawn.

Consultations :

We also respond to public consultations, where appropriate. Richmond Council is in the process of creating a new Local Plan. We responded to the first consultation, Direction of Travel, and then, in early 2022, to the Pre-Publication Draft Local Plan. One of our concerns was to ensure that the transport needs of elderly and less able people are catered for.

Environment

The work of the Environment Sub-Committee (Venetia Harper, Roger Mason and, until his recent resignation as a Trustee, Stephen Speak), covers a wide range of activities, including representing Kew Society members on a variety of relevant committees and actively participating in a number of government and council consultations.

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JULY 2022

Committee Representation.

Nora Dennehy is our representative on the Richmond Heathrow Campaign Committee (RHC), and Venetia Harper replaced Stephen Speak following his resignation on the Old Deer Park Working Group Committee (ODPG). Venetia also represents TKS on the Thames Landscape Strategy Community Advisory Group (TLS), The West London River Group (WLRG), The Towpath Group, Habitats and Heritage Richmond Friends of Parks Group Forum (H&H) and the Kew Police Liaison Group.

Consultations.

We keep a watchful eye and ear on consultations related to the environment whose outcomes may impact the lives of people who live or work in Kew. An example of this would be that, on behalf of the committee, Roger Mason responded to the consultation on expanding the ULEZ to the outer London Boroughs in August 2023. We concluded that there are compelling reasons to extend the ULEZ to cover all of Outer London in addition to the current inner zone.

Some of our more general activities this year have included:

Kew Plaza .

The Council has committed to repairing the frame of the noticeboard that was damaged in a storm in March and this work is overdue. TKS is liaising with the National Archives and the RBGK on the design and production of a replacement map.

TKS has approached London Underground with a proposal to have the doors to the subway and the handrails leading to the station platforms professionally painted. The doors are in poor condition and their appearance would be much improved by this intervention. Despite persistent efforts to obtain permission to undertake (and pay for) this work, we have not yet received permission to proceed. Network Rail has handed the responsibility to Transport for London (TfL) and London Underground. Despite it being a listed building and warnings about TfL’s lengthy bureaucratic procedures, we would have hoped for a positive and speedier response.

Kew Road Cycle Lane consultation.

After a period of experiment, LBRUT consulted on the future of the Kew Road cycle lanes during November 2021. TKS had received a large number of comments from members and we summarised them in our response. We did not oppose the introduction of the cycle lanes, but asked the Council to consider a range of concerns before making final plans. These concerns included a range of issues about parking. Coaches would no longer be able to drop off/collect passengers or park on the Kew Road. We were concerned that the loss of around 180 parking spaces could particularly impact on visitors to RBGK with mobility problems and families with small children requiring buggies. During the pandemic, the

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JULY 2022

number of home deliveries had increased sharply and many residents intended to continue with this practice. Ensuring that delivery vans had safe places to park was a key request.

Graffiti

Venetia Harper has continued to interact with the Council, TfL, National Rail and the local police over graffiti issues which continue to blight Kew. Both the Council and TfL are responsive to requests to clear graffiti and there has been some reduction in this vandalism.

Rewilding Arcadia

Avril Dalglish and Richard Jaggard, members of TKS, took regular hydrologic readings at the West Surrey Golf Course to assist with the TLS rewilding plans for the Old Deer Park and along that stretch of the Thames.

Kew Green

Following a series of incursions by Travellers on to Kew Green, TKS is supporting the setting up of a Kew Green Residents Association.

TKS Circular Walk Around Kew

Mary Done first proposed that the Kew Society researched and designed a map about a historical walk around Kew over two years ago. TKS submitted a successful application for funding from the Council’s Local Area Fund and we were awarded a grant of £2,700. A small team, led by Claire Bethel, developed the materials needed and worked with a design company to produce an illustrated map highlighting a variety of points of interest. Aimed at both local residents and visitors, the objective was to encourage people to do the walk and learn more about many local landmarks in this beautiful area.

Richmond Borough Air Quality

We are very fortunate to be able to include an acknowledged expert on air quality in our team. During this year, Roger Mason has provided high quality scientific input to the Richmond Borough Community Group Air Quality Meeting. This information has helped to increase the amount of air quality monitoring and audits of schools including Darrell.

Roger has also advised The Mortlake Brewery Community Association on traffic and air quality at Chalker’s Corner and in Mortlake.

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JULY 2022

Painting the Hennebique pedestrian foot bridge at Kew Gardens Station.

A planning application to paint and repair the grade 2-listed footbridge was lodged in March and Roger Mason was advised that the budget for the renovation is in place. The Kew Society has repeatedly requested renovation for several years. By the end of July, work had not yet begun.

Step-Free Access at Kew Gardens Station

Many local residents and visitors to Kew, especially those pushing buggies or using wheelchairs, continue to face significant challenges getting from one side of Kew Gardens station to the other. Helping to improve this situation remains an important objective for the Kew Society.

Further to the Feasibility Study completed in 2020, an application for funding from the Access to All Scheme was submitted. In March, the Council and TKS submitted a joint request, along with letters of support for funding, to the Department for Transport (DfT). National Rail and the Department for Transport were due to meet in April but no information about progress has been communicated.

Gardening

For many people, our gardening activities are our most visible contribution to the enjoyment of living in Kew. We continue to invest in plants and shrubs for all seasons.

Volunteer gardeners, led by Anna Anderson, Head Gardener and Co-opted member of the Committee, maintain several garden areas, which have been planted around Kew.

One of the main projects for the team this year was the replanting of the Kew Village beds . We revitalised the beds in the spring, with the creative input from the RBGK to produce a new design and planting plan. As well as design advice, we also needed practical help from Continental Landscapes, the council’s gardening contractor, to raise the soil level in the triangular planter to provide enough soil depth for the new plants. The planting was done in April/May and the beds have provided a lovely display of geranium, salvia and erigeron flowers during the summer.

The wildflower planting around the War Memorial and St Anne’s Churchyard has not worked as well as we had hoped and it is clear that wildflower planting needs regular management. We have met with Continental Landscapes and people from the church to agree a way forward. Continental Landscapes have agreed to clear the areas and remove invasive weeds, and they will then reseed the areas in the spring. This will probably have to be repeated every two to three years to provide an ongoing display of wildflowers and to ensure it is not overcome by weeds.

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JULY 2022

Other gardening work has included maintaining the flower beds at Kew Gardens station, the garden on the corner of North Road and High Park Avenue and some planting in Kew Plaza.

Challenges for our Gardening team

The changing climate!

The summer of 2021 was dry and this year was even drier with scarcely any rain over the summer months. We are very aware that climate change is already having a negative impact on our gardens. Watering has been a major challenge, especially to help new plants get established, and has taken many hours of gardeners’ time. We are grateful for the help we have had from the Kew Greenhouse Café, Chris and Chris Motors and the cafes on Kew Plaza in giving us access to water and help in watering.

Longer term, we will have to rethink what we plant to focus on more drought tolerant species which are better adapted to the changing climate.

We need to grow our team!

We have a small team of regular gardeners and a few people who help from time to time but more people are needed to keep the gardens looking at their best. It is a very enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours each week in the fresh air and passers-by always stop to say how much they appreciate what we do. New volunteers would be very welcome.

Kew Society Events

Our Events Team (Mary Done [Trustee and Lead], Sue May and Jane Hogan) organised a varied programme of “live” events over the past year following the relaxation of the rules governing activities during the pandemic.

TKS is grateful to all the excellent speakers and tour leaders who helped achieve such a successful programme; Sue and Jane are the backbone of our Kew Society events programme, giving their time and enthusiasm to help to organise and publicise events.

We would also like to say a big thank you to members and their guests who ‘dipped their toes in the water’ and returned to live events after the pandemic. A huge vote of thanks also goes to the Venues team at the National Archives – especially Lee and Magda – who calmly assisted and guided us through each event. We are very fortunate to be able to use such high-quality facilities at an affordable rate.

AGM 2021

The October 2021 AGM at the National Archives was well-attended. Our speaker – Lord Darroch – gave an extremely well-received talk, generously sharing some of his knowledge and experience and answering questions from members.

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JULY 2022

During 2021-2022 members and guests have been invited to participate in a diverse mix of talks, walks and outings including:

• ‘Draw-off of the Thames’: A fascinating walk last November along the foreshore of the river at Richmond to understand more about the work of the Thames Landscape Strategy and The Arcadian Thames.

• This was followed up in May 2022 by two superb guided walks: a ‘Wet Meadow walk in Home Park’ (alongside Hampton Court) and ‘The Trees of Kew’ (by RBG Kew’s Head of Tree Collections).

• July 2022 returned us to London for a fascinating tour by Helen Bartolome of The City of London Gardens.

In late 2021 we were entertained and delighted by some wonderful and uplifting talks

• November 2021: ‘More Than Poppies’ – Marian Mollett. Marion is a Kew local resident with a wealth of knowledge about St. Anne’s Church and surrounds, and ‘Kew and the East India Museum’ – Leila Redpath, a devotee of this historic time.

During 2022 our talks programme included:

• January: ‘A Slice of Eel Pie’ – Celia Holman, Eel Pie Island Museum.

• February: ‘Twickenhamshire’ – The Riverside Gardens and Villas of 18[th] Century Twickenham – Chris Sumner, local resident and historian.

• April: ‘The History of the Olympic Studios’ – Roger Miles, archivist

• June: ‘Crown & Sceptre’ – Tracy Borman, author

• Of course, we must not forget ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Richmond’ and travelling around the local area on board a Routemaster bus for a nostalgic Swinging Sixties bus tour featuring music we all knew the words to, and historical musical snippets from Paul Endacott.

• Thanks go to The Queen’s School in Kew who hosted a lively ‘Hustings’ evening in April prior to Kew’s local elections. Grateful thanks go to the school events team who assisted.

• We hosted a Kew Society stand at the first (and blustery!) February Kew Village Market and also at the 2022 Kew Summer Fair. These events offer a great opportunity to chat to existing and potential new members who stop by to say ‘hello’. Several non-members who showed a keen interest in our colourful display boards on planning applications, gardening projects, events etc have joined the Society as a result.

• Finally, a huge thanks for your support!

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JULY 2022

Communications and Membership

The Trustees are pleased to report that our membership currently numbers 818 compared to 760 at the time of the 2021 AGM – 545 couples/households and 273 individuals. 94 new members have joined during the year. We have lost some members because, sadly, a number have died during the past year and others have moved away from the area. A small number have decided not to renew membership. We are delighted that, as a result of encouragement from Michael Fletcher, our membership secretary, well over 80% of our members now pay by standing order. Payment by credit card is also becoming more popular. New member recruitment comes through a variety of sources, including attendance at talks, the Kew Village Market, the Kew Fair and the Kew Horticultural show. A significant proportion say that they have been recommended by friends who are already members.

During the pandemic it was not possible to host any ‘welcome’ parties for new members, but in April, we were very delighted to be able to relaunch these enjoyable events, where new members are able to meet and chat with members of the committee.

We maintain regular communications with members in a variety of ways, including:

• The Kew Society Newsletter (Claire Bethel, Trustee and Editor, assisted by Paul Bethel). We have continued to produce quarterly Newsletters usually of eight or, occasionally, twelve pages. During 2021-22, they were available online with hard copies being produced for those who do not have electronic forms of communication. The richly illustrated Newsletters have carried reports on many of the Society’s activities on planning and environmental issues, and our gardening projects. There have also been interviews with local people, and with members. For example, we featured some members who volunteered to host Ukrainian guests after the Russian invasion in February 2022. We have also included features about the work of other organisations and charities in Kew, including the RNLI and Dose of Nature. The committee decided that, for the next financial year, we should move to a hard copy format for most members to make the content more accessible and inclusive.

• The Kew Society Social Media platforms (Nora Dennehy, Trustee and Public Relations/Marketing lead). Nora regularly posts wonderful photographs and news and information of relevance to members on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Importantly, these platforms reach many people across the Kew community who are not currently our members, raising our profile and ‘flying a flag’ about our activities conducted on behalf of the local community.

• ‘Kew Miscellany’ Notes to members and invitations to ‘Meet in Kew’ (Shiona Williams, Chair, assisted by Nick Hutchings, Webmaster). Once life had returned to relative normality after the pandemic and most members were able to get out and about more, the need for the (wonderfully broad ranging) ‘Kew Miscellany’ online communications that brightened the lives of many members during lockdown

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JULY 2022

seemed slightly less relevant. We have replaced them with (fairly) regular notes from the chair, raising awareness about issues or activities that could be of interest to members. For example, we have encouraged members to actively participate in the community consultation process for the proposed redevelopment of the Kew Retail Park. Occasionally we also include links to other items of interest, including a range of very well-researched historical papers, written by John Moses, a member and local historian. Shiona was a founding member of ‘Meet in Kew’, the monthly ‘pop-up pub’ for anyone who lives or works in Kew before she became a Kew Society trustee. When these very enjoyable events (which have raised funds for Ukraine and community projects) were relaunched in April it was agreed that they should go forward as a joint Kew Community Trust/Kew Society initiative. The events are a great way to meet up with other members and to have a chat with the chair and (often) other committee members.

A thank you to our Patrons.

Throughout the year, we have valued the support and advice provided by our Patrons.

Summary

The Trustees believe that they have met the criteria inherited and listed as the Objects of the Society and that the above is evidence of Developments, Activities and Achievements.

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JULY 2022

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The Trustees have reviewed the Charity's need for reserves in line with the guidance issued by the Charity Commission.

Unrestricted funds are needed to provide funds which can be designated to specific projects to enable these projects to be undertaken and to cover administration and support costs without which the charity could not function. The Trustees consider it prudent that unrestricted reserves should be sufficient to cover a minimum of one year's administration and support costs and to ensure that sufficient funds are maintained to enable the Trustees to fund known future commitments. The level of reserves are monitored and reviewed by the Trustees on an annual basis.

Restricted funds equal to approximately two years' incoming resources have been set aside so as to be able to engage professional advice on planning matters in a timely manner.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Incoming resources during the year amounted to £12,117 (2021: £7,984). Resources expended on charitable activities in the year totalled £11,678 (2021: £4,935). Governance costs amounted to £250 (2021: £250).

The results for the current year have been inflated through the receipt of a one-off grant of £2,677 from the Local Area Fund. This grant is intended to part-fund the creation of a circular walk around Kew introducing visitors to a number of points of interest within the local area and was so used. The total cost of the study came to £3,217. This grant has not been included in the calculation of necessary restricted funds.

PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS

The future plan of the Charity is to continue to maintain and enhance the area of Kew and the area immediately adjacent.

ASSET COVER FOR FUNDS

Note 11 sets out an analysis of the assets attributable to the various funds.

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable lncorporated Organisation}

TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued} FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST JUL Y 2022

TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES STATEMENT

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The Charities Act 2011 requires the Trustees to prepare a statement of accounts for each financial year. Under The Charities Act 2011 the Trustees must not approve the statement of accounts unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charitable lncorporated Organisation and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the Charitable lncorporated Organisation for that period. In preparing the statement of account, the Trustees are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;

• make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charitable lncorporated Organisation will continue in operation.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Charitable lncorporated Organisation's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charitable lncorporated Organisation and enable them to ensure that the statement of accounts comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charitable lncorporated Organisation and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

This report was approved by the Trustees on 6 September 2022 and signed on their behalf by: < VW_ u1( _1; /;l� � r. Trustee & Chair S W11hams ' / \ �

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(A Charitable lncorporated Organisation)

THE KEW SOCIETY

INOEPENOENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES ON THE PREPARA TION OF THE UNAUDITED STATUTORY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE KEW SOCIETY FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[sr ] JUL Y 2022

1 report on the accounts for the year ended 31 July 2022.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. lt is my responsibility to:

• examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,

• to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and

• to state whether particular matters have come to my attention .

Basis of independent examiner's statement

My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. lt also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in 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.

Independent examiner's statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention

• 1 . which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements:

• to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and

• to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met; or

• to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Lesley Pasricha, Chartered Accountant 23 Front Street, Portesham Weymouth DT3 4ET

September 2022

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (Incorporating Income and expenditure account) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] JULY 2022

Note INCOME FROM: Membership subscriptions and donations 2 Other income 3 TOTAL INCOME EXPENDITURE ON: Charitable activities: Charitable activities 4 Governance costs 5 TOTAL EXPENDITURE NET INCOME BEFORE OTHER RECOGNISED GAINS AND LOSSES NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS: Total funds brought forward TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD	Restricted funds 2022 £ -- ---------------0	Unrestricted funds Total funds 2022 £ 2022 £ 7,0730 7,0730 5,044 5,044 12,117 12,117 11,428 250 11,678 11,678 439 11,428 250 439	Total funds 2021 £ 6,5790 1,405 7,984 4,835 250 5,085 2,899
	- -
	-
	-
	15,000 -	439 17,206 32,206 17,645 32,645 439	2,899 29,307 32,206
	15,000

The notes on pages 7 to 12 form part of these financial statements.

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable lncorporated Organisation)

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 JULY 2022

INVESTMENTS CURRENT ASSETS Debtors and prepayments Stock of postage stamps Cash at bank and in hand CREDITORS:amounts falling due within 12 Note 9 7 months 8 NET CURRENT ASSETS CREDITORS: amounts falling due afer more than 12 months 8 NET ASSETS CHARITY FUNDS Restricted funds Unrestricted funds TOTAL FUNDS 10 10	2022 t 4,791 450 14,505 19,746 (1,911) t 15,000 17,835 (190) 32,645 15,000 17,645 ~~32,65~~	2021 f 1,762 620 30,484 32,866 (446) f 0 32,420 (214) 32,206 15,000 17,206 32206

The Trustees consider that the charity is entitled to exemption from the requirement to have an audit under the provisions of section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 ("the Act") and members have not required the charity to obtain an audit for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Act.

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees on 6 September 2022 ö\;�h•ri�( S Williams Trustee & Chair

The notes on pages 7 to 12 form part of these financial statements

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] JULY 2022

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

1.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.

The Kew Society meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.

1.2 Going concern

There are no material uncertainties about the Charity's ability to continue, and so the going concern basis of accounting has been adopted.

1.3 Fund accounting

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Restricted funds are available only for the purposes for which they have been created.

1.4 Income

Income from membership subscriptions and donations is included in the statement of financial activities when these are receivable, except as follows:

When members and donors specify that fees and donations given to the charity must be used in future accounting periods, the income is deferred until those periods.

When donors impose conditions, which have to be fulfilled before the Trustees become entitled to use such income, the income is deferred and not included in incoming resources until the pre-conditions for use have been met.

All other incoming resources are included in the Statement of financial activities when the charity has entitlement to the funds, certainty of receipt and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability.

1.5 Expenditure

Expenditure on charitable activities and governance costs are accounted for on an accruals basis.

1.6 Taxation

No provision for taxation is included in the accounts as the Charity is entitled to exemption from tax.

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] JULY 2022

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)

1.7 Financial instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

1.8 Investments

Investments held as fixed assets are revalued at mid-market value at the balance sheet date and the gain or loss taken to the Statement of Financial Activities.

2. VOLUNTARY INCOME

3.

Membership subscriptions Donations Total membership subscriptions and donations Total 2021 OTHER INCOME	Restricted funds Unrestricted funds 2022 £ 2022 £ 6,368 705	Total funds 2022 £ 6,368 705	Total funds 2021 £ 6,520 59
	- 7,073	7,073	6,579
	- 6,579	6,579

Gift Aid Surplus on self-funded events Local Fund Grant Interest Income Total 2021	Restricted funds 2022 £ - - -	Unrestricted funds 2022 £ 1,379 923 2,677 65	Total funds 2022 £ 1,379 923 2,677 65	Total funds 2021 £ 1,400 0 5 1,405 0
	-	5,044	5,044
	-	1,405	1,405

22

THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] JULY 2022

4. EXPENDITURE BY CHARITABLE ACTIVITY

Donations Membership subscriptions Printing and stationery Society unfunded events Planning and appeals Gardening Postage Insurance Website Circular walk Bank charges Total 2021 Sundry Provision for renewal of Plaza Noticeboard	Restricted funds 2022 £	Unrestricted funds Total funds 2022 £ 2022 £ 1,398 145 1,757 979 0 0 1,501 932 198 120 11 10,428 10,428 1,000 1,000 11,428 11,428 4,835 4,835 1,398 145 1,757 979 1,501 932 198 120 3,217 3,217 11 170 170	Total funds 2021 £ 940 520 1,090 1,029 0 767 199 198 72 0 13 4,835 0 4,835 7
	0
	-

5. GOVERNANCE COSTS

Fee of Independent Accountant	Restricted funds 2022 £ -	Unrestricted funds 2022 £ 250	Total funds 2022 £ 250	Total funds 2021 £ 250
	-	250	250	250

6. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION

None of the Trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or reimbursement of expenses from the Charity during the year.

There were no employees during the year.

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] JULY 2021

7. DEBTORS

Gift Aid Other debtors and prepayments CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one year Subscriptions paid in advance: Due within 12 months Other creditors Subscriptions paid in advance: Due after more than 12 months INVESTMENTS Value of investments at August 1 2021 Addition: United Trust Bank Charity 1 Year Bond Value of investments at July 31, 2022 Provision for renewal of Plaza Noticeboard	2022 £ 1,379 3,412	2021 £ 1,400 362
	4,791	1,762 2021 £ 196 250 0
	2022 £ 202 709 1,000
	1,911 190	446 214
	1,101	660 2021 £ 0 0 0
	2022 £ 0 15,000
	15,000

8. CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one year

9. INVESTMENTS

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THE KEW SOCIETY

(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[ST] JULY 2022

10. STATEMENT OF FUNDS

Unrestricted funds General funds: Other reserves Restricted funds Restricted fund Total of funds 2021	Balance at 1 August 2021 £ 17,206	Incoming resources £ Resources expended £ Balance at 31July 2022 12,117 (11,678) 17,645 12,117 (11,678) 17,645 - - 15,000 12,117 (11,678) 32,645 32,206 9,476 (6,577)
	17,206 15,000	12,117 (11,678) - -
	32,206	12,117 (11,678) 9,476 (6,577)
	_29,307 _

There have been no movements on restricted funds during the year ended 31 July 2022.

11. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS

Investments Current assets Creditors due within 12 months Creditors due after more than 12 months	Restricted funds £ Unrestricted funds £ 2022 £ 2021 £ 15,000 15,000 19,746 32,866 (1,911) (446) (214) (190) 19,746 (1,911) (190) 0	Restricted funds £ Unrestricted funds £ 2022 £ 2021 £ 15,000 15,000 19,746 32,866 (1,911) (446) (214) (190) 19,746 (1,911) (190) 0	Restricted funds £ Unrestricted funds £ 2022 £ 2021 £ 15,000 15,000 19,746 32,866 (1,911) (446) (214) (190) 19,746 (1,911) (190) 0
		15,000	17,645 32,645 32,206

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