Geranium Trust Annual Report 30th September 2022 to 1[st ] October 2023
This year we have seen things slowly returning back to normal after a couple of difficult years following the pandemic. But, sadly we are finding that many of those who come to our events are still finding life a bit of a struggle with some saying that they are suffering from stress and anxiety brought on by the cost of living, heating their homes, the Ukraine war and continual bad news.
We have been busy, as usual, at Court House welcoming visitors to Geoff’s Meadow - Memory Garden and the Wildlife Haven which has become very popular with locals taking walks. Two ladies from the village, one in her 80’s the other aged 90, never miss a day whatever the weather. “You can get out everyday if you dress correctly” the 90 year old told me when I suggested that she might take a break when the rain and gales are blowing.
After a couple of tree planting days in December and January (we planted over 3000 trees this year) we decided to start a Tuesday Gardening Group. We had 5 or 6 regulars turn up to garden each week, but when the hot summer weather came, and the clay soil turned to concrete, they asked if they could take a break until the cooler weather returned. They didn’t have to wait too long!
Joe Knights and the learners from Able2Achieve in Yeovil are still coming weekly to do gardening, with the Tuesday Gardening Group, and also wildlife studies and surveys. We have seen the changes in the young people. They love coming here and often join the old folk at our monthly tea parties.
The Tea Parties have been as popular as ever with around 30 to 40 guests attending each month. We used to purchase cakes and biscuits for the parties but now we have a couple of local ladies who bake beautiful cakes for
us and the A2A bakery send down a tray of cakes with the learners when they come.
Our LGBT+ Support Group Sunday Roast Dinners attracts anything up to 18 guest each month and on one occasion we had 25 booked in. As it was a bit of a struggle trying to find room to sit everyone in the farmhouse kitchen, and luckily it was mid summer, we laid tables in the garden and eat alfresco. Brian, who does all the cooking for our events, has told me that I MUST NEVER turn anyone away. “We’ll find room, just tell them to come along.” This year we started a new monthly LGBT+ Drop-In Coffee Morning. This is held on the second Saturday in each month. We have guests come from as far away as Bristol, Minehead and Devon showing that there is a great need for this kind of event.
As well as the usual Geranium Trust events we also host smaller dinners for individuals who are alone, Sunday morning breakfasts for the members of the Wildlife Group, and non-stop tea and coffee for visitors to the house. These are paid for out of the general housekeeping and is not charged to the charity.
Without our kind and generous volunteers we would not be able to do what we do. I will not name them individually as I’m sure that I will upset them if I do. So, I will just say a truly big thank you to everyone who is part of our big family of friends at the Geranium Trust whether they be volunteers of guests.
Terence “Paul” Palfrey Founder - Chair For the Geranium Trust
Geranium Trust
Income & Expenditure Account for the period 1 October 2022 - 30 September 2023
| Income: DON Donations & Grants LGBT LGBT Lunches TP Tea Parties BKS Sale of Donated Books OG Open Garden (net) PREM Use of Premises TAX Gift Aid Tax Reclaimed SAL Sales Table OLUNCH Other Lunches DNP Donations in respect of Presentations mem In Memoriam SUNI Sundry Income Expenditure: FD Food GAR Garden INS Insurance EQP Equipment SUNE Sundry Expenditure CLN Cleaning Materials WEB Website Expenses STP Stationery & Printing CHG Bank/PayPal Charges KIT Kitchen Sundries El Electricity FEES Professional Fees MEM In Memoriam Net surplus for period to date Reconciliation: 1 October 2022: Cash NatWest Bank Current Account Debtors Creditors + Surplus for year to date 30 September 2023: Cash NatWest Bank Current Account Debtors Creditors Loans outstanding Restricted Funds |
12,551.89 £ 783.50 £ 280.44 £ 278.22 £ 240.75 £ 80.00 £ 20.64 £ - - - - - |
12,787.58 £ 9,140.94 £ |
1/10/21 - 30/9/22 3,697.75 £ 406.00 £ 400.67 £ 217.90 £ - £ - £ 142.38 £ - £ - £ - £ - £ - £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14,235.44 £ 724.54 £ 512.03 £ 174.16 £ 3,622.00 £ 19.77 £ 15.13 £ 12.46 £ 11.00 £ - 3.41 £ - - - |
4,864.70 £ 512.84 £ 1,820.87 £ - £ - £ - £ - £ 217.96 £ - £ - £ - £ - £ - £ - £ |
||
| 5,094.50 £ 9,140.94 £ 23.43 £ 12,664.15 £ 100.00 £ - £ |
2,551.67 £ 2,313.03 £ |
||
| 58.77 £ 25,855.65 £ - £ 3,985.90 -£ |
|||
| 21,928.52 £ 21,928.52 £ - £ |
|||
| 21,928.52 £ 1,562.00 £ |
Registered Charity No 1176738
Produced 19/11/2023