– – RIVER OAKS CHARITY ANNUAL REPORT April 2022 March 2023
Executive Summary
Another busy year for ROC, with the reintroduction of our community events and ongoing development of the charity.
Trustee Update
There have been no major changes to trustees this year. We continue to operate without a chairperson. The team pull together and the Trustees meetings are led by the ROC secretary.
Pond Area
In early 2022 our beautiful pond area was updated with new decking, the area is a peaceful environment where people can spend time close to nature. We have had lots of continued positive feedback on this area and we have developed the planted area further. We planted up a red, white and blue theme in preparation for the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations.
Overall the pond arena has matured year on year with a stunning array of roses along with a very eclectic mix of trees, shrubs and annual planting.
Wild Flower Meadow
In partnership with Scouse Flower House, we ploughed and seeded the 2-acre wild flower meadow for the third year. Some 40 adults and children helped with the sizeable area seeding along with Richard Scott and friends from SFH. It was a real encouragement to see so many children throwing seed and planting copious Sun Flowers. A grant from the Community Lottery enabled us to purchase a lot more seed this year.
(photo of the wild flower meadow)
Woods
ROC applied to VET again in 2021 and were given a £37,000 grant to renew 407 metres of pathway across the field and through the woodland with a durable Rhino Pave surface. This not only allows greater and safer disabled, cycle and walker access, but, for the first time, will allow the severely disabled students at Palmerston Special Needs School to access all areas of the ROC site. The school, with both able bodied and severely impaired students, are regular visitors to the pond. With the support of the Head, Alison Wheeler, they produced a two-minute video, expressing how much ROC facilities meant to them.
(photo of the new path)
Our trustees have continued to try and secure a Gating Order to close the main access at night times with the objective of reducing anti-social behaviour, which is a significant issue. Unfortunately, this was not supported by Liverpool City Council. Merseyside Police also tried to support ROC with increased police presence in the woods. Trustees continue to look at alternative options to minimise the anti-social behaviour.
One such option being the encouragement of positive behaviour in the area by establishing a Forest School. Trustees have spent time discussing this with potential forest school providers and hope to implement this as a next step soon, subject to appropriate risk assessments.
The woods have also had an environmental assessment to understand how healthy the area is. We now have a Woodland Report which is very clear on work that will need to be completed. Trustees are reviewing next steps on this.
Events
After two barren years without our customary annual events it was a real joy to renew our ‘legendary’ Easter Egg extravaganza! From 15 attendees in 2009 we now attract, from over South Liverpool, around 100+ adults and children. The theme this year was Bumblebees, Ladybirds and Butterflies. As usual three teams, dressed appropriately with suitably decorated wheelbarrows, led the participants through a carefully choreographed programme, always tinged with chaos, confusion and much hilarity!
(photo of one of Easter Egg Event)
We were also able to celebrate the Queens Jubilee event in partnership with Long Lane Church. This was a marvellous event with lots of families joining together on our field to celebrate this milestone occasion.
(flier advertising the event)
‘Carols by the pond’ was back in December, where the community joined together in carols with mulled wine and mince pies. We also decorated the pond area with Christmas lights and a Christmas tree which was a beautiful sight.
Fundraising
As detailed above, several non-recurrent projects this year have been funded via grant funding – with expenditure restricted to those initiatives (e.g. woodland pathway, wild flower meadow). Such income must be applied for in advance, based on pre-identified need/opportunity.
ROC’s regular day-today expenditure – for items such as grass cuts, gardening, insurance and tree inspections/felling – can only be funded through charitable fundraising. This includes a modest amount of income from events and calendar sales etc, but mainly comprises income from regular and one-off donations from local supporters. Such donations – as modest as they often are – are the life-blood of our charity and our work will not be possible without them.
This year ROC just about delivered a balanced budget – but this was in part thanks to a very generous one-off donation of £2,000 from a supporter via ShareGift. Such a finely balanced budget does present the risk of ROC being unable to afford additional, unforeseen one-off expenses such as tree-felling for the safety of residents and local property. Increasing annual income, and/or finding recurrent cost savings, will be a priority of the charity going forwards.
Future
This year has demonstrated that there are so many opportunities moving forward for our charity to continue to deliver on our mission of creating community and caring for the environment . However, the key challenge we face is resource. Resource both in terms of income but also in terms of people’s time to deliver action. We will continue however to be as passionate as ever about our charity and will look for ways to improve the resource position.
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Glve here brief deta513 of any items that the examiner wlshes to disclose. NONE.
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to tho trusteesl memborn of River Oaks Charty On accounts for tha year ended 3111 March 2023 Charity no (rfany) 1175908 Set oirt on pago• 1and2 I report to the truste88 on my examination of th8 accounts of the above charrty for the year ended 311t Mar¢h 2023. Ro•pon8ibllttles and As the charity tNstees. you are responsible for the preparation of tho ba81• of roport accounts in accordance wth the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the chanty'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 Chanty Commission under section 145{5)(b) of th8 Ad. I have COMeted my examination. I confimi that no material matters have Come to my attention in connection wilh the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect. accounting records were not kept in arLordance wtth section 130 of the Act or the accourrts do not accryd with the accounting record8 I have no concems and have come across no other matters in nnectIOn with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Independent examine8 8tatsm•nt Slgned: 2 November 2023 Mr Keri J H (Xyen Relevant professional qualffi&itionls} or body {If any): Addrèss: 15 Handley Court Liverpool L19 3QS Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to high1ht matters of concem (see CC32, Independent examinabon of chanty accounts.. directions and guidance for examiner5).
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