| Trustees' Annual Report | Trustees' Annual Report | Trustees' Annual Report | Trustees' Annual Report | Trustees' Annual Report | for theperiod | for theperiod | for theperiod | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | Period start date | To | Period end date | |||||
| 01 | May | 2023 | 30 | April | 2024 |
Section A Reference and administration details
Charity name
Benchmark at Grinham's Wood
Other names charity is known by
Registered charity number (if any) 1175777
Charity's principal address Cairnbank, West End, Horncliffe, Berwick upon Tweed, Northumberland
Postcode TD15 2XN
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Herriot | Chair | ||||
| Adrian Bell | Trustee | ||||
| Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees) | |||||
| Name | Dates acted if not for whole year | ||||
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Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of adviser Name Address Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Constitution
Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) CIO How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company) Appointed by members Trustee selection methods
- (eg. appointed by, elected by)
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:
The Trustees have engaged actively in 2023/24 in seeking to advance a woodland and path project at Horncliffe. The charity has engaged with local landowners and funders and significant progress has been made in developing, and commencing the implementation, of plans.
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policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
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the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
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relationship with any related parties;
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trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
Section C Objectives and activities
The objects of the charity are:
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document
3.1 to promote for the benefit of the inhabitants of Horncliffe and the surrounding areas the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the condition of life of the said inhabitants; and
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3.2 to promote for the benefit of the public the conservation protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment.
and to carry out these purposes through establishing and thereafter conserving and protecting a community wood, its wildlife, flora and fauna to be known as Grinham's Wood at Horncliffe, for the benefit of the public.
The principal activity undertaken to date has been to explore the possibility of a woodland project to compliment the Tweed's source to mouth walking route which is being developed. Recently the project has extended to the inclusion of interpretation, art and local history on that path enhancing the route and its use by those passing through Horncilffe and its locality.
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)
Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:
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policy on grantmaking;
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policy programme related investment;
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contribution made by volunteers.
To date all input, costs, expenses, work, fees, etc have been covered by the Trustees and various individuals who have made it possible for the project to develop and reach an important milestone, being the launch of ‘The Friends of Benchmark at Grinham’s Wood’ which takes place on the 19th January 2025. The event is designed to demonstrate progress to date, plus the background story which led to the initiative. A further important aspect relates to engaging with the local community and encouraging as broad a participation as possible.
Phase 1 is now complete: The creation of Grinham’s Wood, which involved the planting of 8,000 trees and installation of gates and fencing - which is to be found on the riverside path between the iconic Union Chainbridge and the village of Horncliffe. This a vital first step in the initiative and achieved via funding from the English Forestry Commission, Destination Tweed/Tweed Foundation and the landowner.
Further funding is now available for memorial benches, sandstone plinths, information panels, signposts and groundwork materials relating to Phase 2. This has been achieved via generous support from the Berwick-upon-Tweed Preservation Trust and Destination Tweed/Tweed Foundation. This relates to the benchmark element which the plan to complete by July 2025.
The focus for 2025 involves raising further funds for Phases 3, 4 & 5. The Fishing Shiel Memorial, restoration of a Tweed Coble and planting of Stalwarts Copse on the riverbank section beyond Horncliffe.
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The charity has a number of exciting events and initiatives planned for 2025 to raise the necessary funds and secure and engage volunteer input required to ensure we meet our stated aims for the project. To assist with these information in relation to our 2025 activities will be made available via a dedicated website (currently in production) which is scheduled to go live in the latter half of January 2025.
Section D Achievements and performance
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Section D Achievements and performance
After some years of planning significant progress has been made in Summary of the main 2024. achievements of the charity during the year
Benchmark at Grinham’s Wood is centred around 2 miles of path encompassing spectacular vistas of the river Tweed from the Union Chainbridge up-river to the village of Horncliffe and beyond to St Thomas’ Island. This also happens to be a part of the Lower Tweed Trail and Destination Tweed’s (Tweed Foundation) ambition and work in relation to establishing a trail from the source of the river to the mouth.
The Grinham Legacy is an important aspect and relates to Fredrick Grinham who died in 2003, and his wife Pierrette who died in 2010. It was at this time their French relatives generously donated the proceeds of the estate to the village. This was used to restore and extend the village hall, create a village play park, restoration of the war memorial, installation of information panels for the Union Chain Bridge – amongst others.
This fund was exhausted prior to the concept of Benchmark at Grinham’s Wood, hence one of the charity's aims being to highlight and celebrate the philanthropy and generosity of both the Grinham and Capron families.
To date Phase 1 has seen the planting of 8,000 trees (Grinham’s Wood) via grants and assistance from the English Forestry Commission, Destination Tweed and a local landowner.
Phase 2 of the project on which we are now engaged involves the installation of 10 memorial benches, sandstone plinths and information panels highlighting 10 stalwarts of the community who served their country in WW2. One of those being Frederick Grinham who joined the RAF in 1942 (at the age of 19) and became a navigator/bomb aimer in Lancaster bombers. Others of a similar age served in the Navy, Merchant Navy, Army and RAF in many theatres of war.
With 2025 being the 80th anniversary of the ending of the conflict it was deemed, if their stories were not recorded now, they would disappear for ever. The charity aims to highlight not only what these people endured – but more importantly the positive lives they led despite their War time experiences.
The funding for Phase 2 is now in place and completion of this is planned for July 2025.
A future planned phase 3 relates to the Fishing Shiel Memorial with the aim of commemorating and explaining the important role salmon fishing once played not only for Horncliffe’s community, but also the Tweed catchment area as a whole and over many centuries. Raising the necessary funds for this is now under way.
The initiative has become more than a local path/trail, extending now to recording the exploits of a young generation who made it possible for those following to be the lucky generation, as well as highlighting the important role salmon fishing once played (not so long ago).
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Section E Financial review
Given the early stage of the organisation's development, and its very Brief statement of the limited funds and activity to date, no reserves policy has yet been charity’s policy on reserves established.
Details of any funds materially in deficit
Further financial review details (Optional information)
The charity is very grateful to those who have indicated their commitment You may choose to include to support the charity's ongoing activity as it moves through its identified additional information, where phases. Further fundraising activity is ongoing and the charity is looking relevant about: to secure both grants and contribute from a membership scheme, Friends the charity’s principal of Grinham's Wood. sources of funds (including any fundraising);
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how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
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investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
Section F Other optional information
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
| Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date |
||
|---|---|---|
| Adrian Bell | ||
| Trustee | ||
| 16 January 2024 |
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Benchmark at Grinham's Wood 1175777 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period 01.05.23 30.4.24 To from
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment funds funds funds
Total funds Last year
to the nearest £
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
| A1 Receipts | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donations | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||
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| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||
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| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | - |
- | - | - | - | ||||||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, | |||||||||||||
| (see table). | |||||||||||||
| - | - | - | - | ||||||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||
| Sub total | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||||
| **Total receipts ** | - | - | - | - | - |
A3 Payments
| A3 Payments | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
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| - | - | - | - | - | |||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| A4 Asset and investment | |||||||||||
| purchases, (see table) | |||||||||||
| - | - | - | - | ||||||||
| - | - | - | - | ||||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| **Total payments ** | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| **Net of receipts/(payments) ** | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| A6 Cash funds last year end | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| **Cash funds this year end ** | - | - | - | - | - |
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B5 Liabilities B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Details Cash at bank Details Details Details Details Signature Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) |
to nearest £ to nearest £ 75 - - - - - 75 - Agreement Error OK to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Print Name Adrian Bell Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which asset belongs Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) |
to nearest £ Endowment funds |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| to nearest £ Endowment funds |
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| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
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| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
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| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
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| Date of approval |
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| Adrian Bell | |||
| 16-Jan-25 |