2024-03-31-accounts

Friends of Durham Woodland Cemetery

Registered Charity Number:1176990

Annual Report April 2023- March 2024

Background

Durham Woodland Cemetery is accessible from the South Road Cemetery and Crematorium. The 5 glades provide space for natural burials and the woodland is a pleasant place for members of the public to walk, following a burial or during a visit.

The Friends of Durham Woodland Cemetery is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with a voting membership in addition to the charity trustees. The constitution provides for members or trustees to appoint new trustees.

Stephen Hare (Chairman), Jacqueline Watson, Andrew Charles, Abigail Thompson Revd Judith Walker-Hutchinson served as trustees for the full year. Judith resigned from her role as Treasurer in March 2024 and the Trustees would like to extend their thanks to Judith for remaining in post and ensuring that final accounts were prepared for the financial year end.

Role

The role of the Friends is to:

1. Promote the conservation, protection, and improvement of Durham Woodland Cemetery.

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1. Raise public awareness of the site and promote its importance as a conservation area.

2. Promote use of the site in the interests of social welfare for people in Durham and the surrounding area.

Activities

Durham County Council owns the Durham Woodland Cemetery and is responsible for maintaining the site to agreed standards and arrange funerals or burials during the year. Whilst The Friends have no direct involvement, they do provide feedback to the Council about remedial work required to meet these standards when issues are raised with them from members.

During the year, trustees continued to provide advice to members of the public on matters such as plaques and the planting of trees and flowers at the site, and made referrals to the Council, as appropriate. Offering help and advice in response to enquiries at a difficult time was continued to be seen as important as this approach provided a personal touch, showing kindness, respect, and caring for the bereaved and those with an interest in the woodland cemetery.

In February 2024 an “Open Event” was held at Merryoaks Community Centre to provide members with the opportunity to view and vote for seating options within the glades from a discussion held at the end of the previous AGM held on 2[nd] December 2023. 19 members attended the session and voted for their preferred option 5 memorial benches from Graeme Hopper at an approximate cost of £ 10,000+ VAT. It was identified by Trustees that further fundraising would need to take place.

Interest was also sought from potential new Trustees at the AGM, “Open Event” and from those Friends who had expressed an interest as Trustees. Serving Trustees remained at the minimum number until the end of March to function and carry out the decisions of the Charity with the Treasurer indicating an intention to resign In March 2024.

All the activities of the Friends were continued to be for the public benefit.

Financial Position

The Charity has reserves of £9,851.19 at the year end. The Charity aims to ensure sufficient cash is held to cover known commitments at the year end.

The Trustees thank Trustee, Revd Judith Walker- Hutchinson who in taking on the role of Treasurer in 2023 produced the annual accounts for this year.

Operation of the Charity

The constitution of the Charity requires a minimum of 5 Trustees and maximum of 12 Trustees after a change in the clause of the constitution from 6 Trustees which was agreed at the last AGM and the Friends ended the year with 5 Trustees in place. On

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17[th] March 2024 Paul Satterthwaite a previous Trustee of the Charity with a long involvement with the Woodland sadly passed away. The Trustees and Friends are indebted to Paul for his support and commitment.

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Friends of Durham Woodland Cemetery

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	Statement of Financial Activities 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
		£	£
Income
	Donations and gifts	290.00
	Gift Aid	60.36
	Grants provided by government/other charities	0.00
	Other	50.00
		Total Income	400.36
Expenditure
	Postage	56.25
	Stationery & Admin	25.00
	Meeting Expenses	77.80
	Insurance	340.86
	Repairs & Improvements	1121.92
		Total expenditure	1621.83
		Net	(1221.47)
Friends of Durham Woodland Cemetery		Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Registration no. 1176990

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Friends of Durham Woodland Cemetery - Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2024
		£	£
Current Assets
	Cash at bank	9,885.44
	Sundry Debtors	60.00
Less
	Current liabilities	94.25
		Total assets	9,851.19
Represented by
	Surplus B/fwd	11,072.66
	Surplus/defcit y/e 31.3.23	(1,221.47)
		Surplus c/fwd	9,851.19
Friends of Durham Woodland Cemetery		Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Registration no. 1176990

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