Annual Report 2023/24 Heath Hands HEATF4 HANDS L-
Heath Hands The Dairy, Kenwood House, Hampstead Lane, London, NW3 7JN
Registered charity no: 1173419
Trustees
Rachel Chapman (Chair)
Merlin Fox (Deputy Chair), Sarah Williams (Treasurer)
Volunteer Representatives: Stuart Clark, Andrew Morgan, John Arnoldi, Liz Andrew, Susie Gorney
Co-optee: Jeremy Simons
Ex-officio: Emily Hills (EH), Bill LoSasso and William Upton (CoLC), Jeff Waage (Heath & Hampstead Society)
Projects and Volunteer Manager: Colin Houston
Programme Manager: Karin Oleinikova
Bankers: Lloyds Bank, Virgin Money, United Trust Bank
Independent Examiner: Simon Erskine FCA FCIE DChA
Heath Hands is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO), governed by its Trustees, all of whom are appointed by members in General Meetings. The Trustees herewith submit their Annual Report including independently examined financial report for the year ended 31st March 2024. The Trustees employ staff to administer the charity’s operations and membership is open to those who register and contribute to our charitable activities.
Heath Hands works in partnership with the City of London Corporation (CoLC) and English Heritage (EH).
The trustees have given consideration to the major risks to which the charity is exposed and satisfied themselves that appropriate procedures are in place to manage those risks.
Objects of Heath Hands
To help, engaging volunteers, to conserve, protect and enhance Hampstead Heath, the Kenwood Estate, Highgate Wood, Keats House and such other areas as the charity trustees may determine from time to time (the “Relevant Open Spaces”);
To advance education in conserving, protecting and enhancing the environment of the Relevant Open Spaces for the benefit of the members of the CIO and for the benefit of the public at large, and
To help the bodies responsible for the Relevant Open Spaces to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation by the members of the CIO and the public at large with the object of improving their conditions of life.
Structure, governance and management
At each AGM of the CIO, the members elect from amongst themselves charity trustees that hold office from the conclusion of that meeting.
The Chair of the Hampstead Heath Management Committee and Superintendent of Hampstead Heath are trustees, while English Heritage and the Heath and Hampstead Society may appoint a trustee.
Main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit
Heath Hands delivers a range of programmes across our open spaces as detailed in our strategy. Our strategic aims focus on Conservation, Community, Learning and Wellbeing and we’re involved with practical conservation and estate maintenance, ecological monitoring, wildlife interpretation and community engagement. We work with our partners to get people involved regardless of background or ability and deliver over 600 volunteer and community sessions across Hampstead Heath, Kenwood Estate and nearby green spaces each year.
Alongside our adult programmes, our youth, work experience and Heath Friendly Schools activities encourage young people to get involved in nature conservation. These complement our community engagement and outreach work, which supports underrepresented people and those with disabilities.
Heath Hands trustees have given regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
Main achievements of the charity
We are a conservation and community organisation with a dedicated staff team and membership of over 250 people. Since Heath Hands was founded in 1999 our volunteers have contributed over 175,000 hours to the conservation of our green spaces: Hampstead Heath, Kenwood Estate, Keats House and Highgate Wood. We deliver up to 20 volunteer and community activities per week and support many thousands of people taking part each year. These are people of all ages and backgrounds, and we help to improve our participant’s health and wellbeing Our volunteers contribute over 15,000 hours per year to our green spaces.
Impact on participants
Our annual members’ survey demonstrates that our programmes are important for our participants’ wellbeing, for the community and to increase people’s knowledge of nature and the environment:
-
98% of our volunteers agree that participating in our activities improves their health and wellbeing
-
92% find our activities important for their mental health
-
97% agree that our activities benefit the local community
-
94% feel that their knowledge of nature on Hampstead Heath has increased as a result of our activities
-
The comments on what people enjoy about Heath Hands highlight the importance of the social connections and time spent in nature on the Heath.
What our members enjoy most about Heath Hands
Highlights for 2023-24
Over 15,750 hours contributed by volunteers and more than 8,500 participants across our public activity programmes
More than 500 volunteer sessions delivered, with an active membership of over 250
Heath Hands staff deliver over 400 activities and sessions across our green spaces
-
More than 1,000 school children take part and we deliver our first school work experience week
-
Around 3,000 public engagements at interpretation sessions; the Dairy Interpretation Centre opened weekly through Summer with some 2,200 visitors
-
Youth programmes grow and successful Youth Wellbeing project provides therapeutic activities
-
Busy wildlife monitoring year with reptile, butterfly, dragonfly surveys and Nature’s Calendar phenology project (with London Natural History Society (LNHS))
-
Over 50 corporate volunteering events delivered this year, with more than 750 people taking part,
-
Guided nature walks popular once again, with sold-out summer bat walks, and walks on birds, bugs, the historic landscape Kenwood Estate, River Fleet, trees and butterflies.
-
Large public events delivered: Little Amal visit in April, Community Fun day in June, Seethrough Carnival in September and Conker Championships in October
-
Popular programme of festive activities, with additional family provision during school holidays attracting new audiences to the green spaces
-
Busy year for community engagement and wellbeing activities, taking over delivery of the Heath’s Health Walks, and over 2,500 people participating in these programmes.
-
A growing team of dedicated staff help support our volunteers, members and community participants
2024 marks the 25th anniversary of our charity’s founding, and new partnership agreements are being agreed with the City of London Corporation and English Heritage.
Aim: Conservation - key impacts
Over the past year, Heath Hands has:
-
Created a new wildflower meadow near the Hive and worked to enhance the Sparrow Site meadow
-
Planted over 200m of native hedgerows around the Parliament Hill area; and worked on significant restoration of mature hedgerows
-
Continued enhancing the Savernake Road entrance to the Heath as a wildlife corridor
-
Taken part in a conservation grazing project on the Extension in collaboration with other groups to improve an area of acid grassland
-
Launched our Hedgehog Friendly Heath project to help conserve this iconic species, carrying out dozens of practical conservation sessions, installing and checking over 30 hedgehog boxes across the Heath and working with community groups and schools around the fringes of the Heath on wildlife connectivity.
Aim: Conservation (Heath Hands staff-led activities)
Conservation and gardens
Volunteers undertake 17 sessions around Parliament Hill assisting with path maintenance, litter picking, hedgerow and meadow management and more. Youth conservation volunteering sessions based around Hive.
Focus on litter picking and meadow management over summer to support CoLC Ranger teams; hedge conservation and planting during Autumn and Winter.
Popular sessions at Whitestone Garden with landscaping and general maintenance. New heathland area created in Autumn 2023.
Increased maintenance with several events and schools now using the Old Orchard Garden on a regular basis, regeneration of play and natural features (e.g. willow tunnel), hedgerow management and general maintenance.
Savernake Road bridge and Hive area
Work continues on developing the Savernake Road Bridge and places around the Hive as wildlife friendly areas and green corridors. Wildflower meadows, native hedgerows, a heathland area all created and maintained and signage and interpretation boards help engage visitors.
New wildflower meadow in collaboration with Big City Butterflies very popular with the public (and butterflies!). Large adjacent grass areas planted with bulbs in Autumn 2023. New hedge planting AutumnWinter 2023 with trees from CPRE.
Corporate Volunteering
53 companies undertook volunteering, with over 775 participants contributing over 1,800 hours of volunteering effort.
A range of tasks completed including fence line maintenance, litter picking, invasive species control, reptile and hedgehog conservation, path clearance and wildlife-friendly gardening.
Youth Programmes
Regular youth volunteering sessions run successfully from the Hive contributing nearly 400 hours of volunteering during term time and engaging young people in conservation.
Completion of successful ‘InYouth’ project working with young people who struggle with school attendance and handover to CoLC learning team. First school work experience week in July 2023.
Wildlife monitoring
Record levels of wildlife monitoring this year (over 1500 volunteer hours contributed).
Collaborating with CoLC Ecologist, LNHS and others - we have coordinated 4 reptile transects and 2 butterfly transects, extending monitoring to Kenwood Estate. Nature calendar plant monitoring project running since January 2023 and expanding to 3 transects in 2024 and dragonfly monitoring developing this year, with many new volunteers involved.
Development of Hedgehog Friendly Heath project, working to educate local community and increase wildlife connectivity for hedgehogs - 11 school sessions, 11 community engagement events, new hedgehog first aid protocols, monitoring and conservation initiatives.
City of London and English Heritage Teams
Highgate Wood
Weekly conservation sessions run outside of bird nesting season, with each Tuesday oversubscribed and 365 hours contributed.
Ran a stall, litter picking and interpretation session at Highgate Wood Heritage Day.
Ranger and Conservation teams
Conservation Team run sessions on Wednesdays and Saturdays. 2,129 hours contributed since April, across 119 sessions
Collaboration with Heath and Hampstead Society, Mudchute City Farm, CoLC Ecologist and Ranger teams on sheep grazing project at Heath Extension.
Golders Hill Park and Hill Garden
Regular sessions working up to three times a week - 685 hours contributed at Golders Hill Park and 1310 at the Hill Garden working with the Garden Team over 131 sessions at both sites combined.
Apprentice Gardeners have been helping lead sessions, with new Friday sessions helping their development.
Several sessions run in Golders Hill Park zoo to help the Keepers.
Keats House
Dedicated team of volunteers contribute 667 hours at 47 sessions to help maintain the Keats House grounds, supporting the Head Gardener.
Kenwood Estate
Twice-weekly sessions have volunteers working at locations across Kenwood - 866 hours contributed so far this year across 64 sessions - a slight decrease from previous years, in particular due to the winter cancellation of afternoon sessions.
Aim: Community
74 dedicated community outreach activities with local organisations since April, with around 2,700 participants
Community newsletter reaching over 250 organisations locally and across London
Ongoing partnerships with Umoja (African) Health Forum, Queens Crescent Community Association (QCCA) for wellbeing and family sessions on the Heath with groups from BAME communities. Continued joint working with wide range of organisations, including Kentish Town City Farm, Barnet Mencap, Camden Carers for disability inclusion and for older people support.
Links with new organisations this year: New Citizen Gateway (teen refugees), Prospex (youth centre), Elfrida Rathbone (SEN school)
Little Amal visit to Hampstead Heath in April and Community Fun Day in June , with over 1,500 participants. Music from local musicians and a Bengali band, nature activities, visit of Mayor of Camden and we hosted Seethrough Theatre’s inclusive Carnivall in September.
Aim: Wellbeing
12 Mindfulness and mental health wellbeing sessions delivered, with over 80 participants
Social Prescribing : new activities focusing on those with poor mental health in partnership with Mind in Camden and sheltered housing group. Visits organised with UCL / Royal Free medical students.
21 individuals with additional needs supported into beneficial activities across the green spaces.
Ongoing walking programmes - weekly health walks with our walk leaders with new weekly walk added March 2024, family/community walks, women-only Nordic walks with QCCA.
Aim: Learning
Interpretation (WaHH)
Over 2,900 public engagements at 39 weekend activity sessions. Running multiple activities each month on the Heath, plus participation in community events, Highgate Wood, Kenwood (Dairy) and street parties off the Heath.
New nature interpretation centre at the Dairy opened! Open once a week on average throughout the year, with schedule varying by season. Over 2,200 visitors at the Dairy Centre.
4 nature outreach sessions delivered for young people at Kentish Town City Farm.
Walks and talks
32 walks, talks and workshops this year, with bat walks particularly popular. Other topics including bugs, the River Fleet, history, birds and the Kenwood Estate.
Very popular festive programme running in December .
Return of member outings with visits to Stephen’s Garden, Hackney Wick and Brompton Cemetery.
Work Experience
Work experience trainee (Jay) worked with us this year, focusing on office tasks, interpretation and helping open the Dairy.
7 volunteer Session Leaders regularly helping us lead community, youth and school sessions.
First school work experience week delivered in partnership with Acland Burghley school to provide more opportunities to discover the environmental sector as a career path.
Heath Friendly Schools
41 school sessions and outings delivered, involving over 1000 children and contributing 1,295 volunteer hours. Successful fundraising initiatives and multiple visits to school assemblies and clubs.
20 schools now members including: Brookfield, Heathside, South Hampstead High School, Highgate School, the Village School, St Margarets, CFBL, Gospel Oak, Fleet, Hampstead Hill, Swiss Cottage, UCS, Christchurch, St Anthony’s and Abacus.
Supporting special educational needs (SEN) projects to use Old Orchard Garden every week and weekly activities with Swiss Cottage Special Needs school and working with Camden DofE to support their expedition preparation.
2023-24 Financial review
Total cash funds at the end of the period were £74,288 with £65,663 held in deposit accounts.
The charity’s principal sources of income are donations, retail sales, grant funding, corporate volunteering plus the benefits in kind set out in the Notes to the Accounts. Total receipts for the period were £120,392.
Total payments for the period were £138,161 and included payroll, catering, events, office expenses, volunteer uniform and equipment, insurance and training.
Statement on reserves
The trustees of Heath Hands employ a prudent approach in terms of financial management, retaining a fairly large reserve against risk, but spending a proportion of the reserves on beneficial projects that enhance our green spaces in line with our charitable objectives and Strategic Plan. The reserves were generated from a variety of sources including a major legacy left by our founder Bobby de Joia.
Heath Hands will retain reserves to cover 12 months of core operational costs for the charity, this has increased to around £60,000 due to the increased growth of the charity. Financial unrestricted reserves on 31st March 2024 were £70,443.
Signed on behalf of the Trustees
- Rachel Chapman, Chair 19th June 2024
Heath Hands Annual Accounts
For the year ended 31 March 2024
==> picture [524 x 504] intentionally omitted <==
----- Start of picture text -----
2023/24 2023/24 2023/24 2022/23
to 31 March to 31 March to 31 March
Account Restricted Unrestricted TOTAL TOTAL
Receipts £ £ £ £
Interest Income - 2,734 2,734 883
Merchandise - 5,464 5,464 4,707
Donations - 15,310 15,310 14,580
Friends - 3,345 3,345 2,441
-
Heath Friendly Schools 8,440 8,440 6,407
Events and Venue Hire - 5,913 5,913 3,785
-
Wildlife adoptions 2,550 2,550 1,431
Gift Aid - 2,322 2,322 1,902
-
Corporate Volunteering 42,046 42,046 29,761
Grants 31,608 - 32,268 55,920
Total Receipts 31,608 88,124 120,392 121,817
Payments
Catering and events 142 3,693 3,836 4,464
-
Transportation 3,145 3,145 6,483
Insurance - 1,439 1,439 1,290
Office expenses 53 10,143 10,197 15,983
Tools and equipment 1,745 5,604 7,349 8,858
Training 2,407 5,034 7,441 5,783
Volunteer Expenses 441 485 926 500
PPE/ Uniform 362 4,388 4,750 3,587
-
Buildings and Rates 6,012 6,012 4,456
Pensions Costs - 1,416 1,416 1,370
Salaries 29,655 61,337 91,652 70,012
Total Payments 34,805 102,696 138,161 122,787
Surplus (deficit) (3,197) (14,572) (17,769) (970)
Transfers 111 (111) - -
Surplus (deficit) after transfers (3,086) (14,683) (17,769) (970)
Cash funds last year end 6,931 85,126 92,056 93,026
Cash funds this year end 3,845 70,443 74,288 92,056
----- End of picture text -----
Heath Hands Statement of assets and liabilities as at 31/03/2024
Bank balances
| 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Lloyds Cash | £9,070 | £12,330 |
| United Trust Savings | £62,868 | £80,152 |
| Virgin Money Savings | £2,795 | £2,760 |
| Credit card payable | (445) |
(3186) |
| TOTAL | £74,288 | £92,056 |
Other assets
| Equipment, stock and PPE | £16,245 |
|---|---|
| ATV vehicle | £13,400 |
| TOTAL | £29,645 |
Liabilities
| PAYE due for Feb-Mar 2024 | £1,740 |
|---|---|
| Account examination fee | £1,300 |
| Rent on Dairy for April 2024-March 2025 | £3,600 |
| TOTAL | £6,640 |
Notes to accounts:
-
The full-time Projects and Volunteer Manager is seconded from the City of London Corporation which meets all their costs.
-
Heath Hands occupies the Hive, Hampstead Heath, courtesy of the City of London Corporation.
-
Grants received in 2023-24: The National Lottery Awards for all (£10,000), Aviva / BA community fund crowdfunders (£8,458), London Catalyst (£3,000), Camden Giving (£2,000), John Lyon’s Charity (£2,000), Walking and Cycling Grants London (£1,500), CPRE (£1,000), Camden Festival Grant (£400)
-
Transfers represent the short-fall in funding of completed projects which has been met from Unrestricted funds.
-
Donations include Co-counsel in memory of Peter Usborne (£5,000), Kenwood Walking Group (£420).
Signed on behalf of the Trustees
Sarah Williams, Treasurer - 19th June 2024
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Report to the trustees of Heath Hands, registered charity no. 1173419, on the accounts for the year ended 31/03/2024 set out on the preceding two pages.
Responsibilities and basis of report
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended.
As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
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 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
-
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
.
Signed:
Date: 19/06/2024
Simon Erskine FCA FCIE DChA 61 Mortimer Road London NW10 5QR
Heath Hands
The Dairy
Kenwood House, Hampstead Lane London
NW3 7JN