2020-09-07-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 7 Sept 2018 Period start date To 7 Sept 19 Period end date

Charity name: Castle Lake Conservation Group

Charity registration number: 1177070

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	1) To promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment by promoting biological diversity of the area in Bishop Middleham, County Durham known as Castle Lake. 2) To advance the education of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	Activities were severely curtailed in 2020 and the beginning of 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. However a public event was arranged before lockdowns took effect to plant a hedgerow. Conservation work has also been carried out on ditching and island creation, the creation of a reed bed and installing a tern raft and Sand Martin bank .
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	The Trustees have had regard to the guidance by tailoring activities and objectives for the benefit of the public.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38	N/A
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38	N/A
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	While Volunteers in conjunction with DBC work on a regular basis to keep the lake and its surroundings in good order to encourage and enrich its bio-diversity, this has been severely curtailed during the past 12 months because of the Covid pandemic. Volunteers do not claim allowances nor do they receive refunds for expenditure.
Other

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	The site continues to be an important one for wildlife, particularly birds. We believe that events that we held or planned during this year have helped to improve this. Although progress towards a formal lease has been glacially slow, we are hopeful that recent developments may help to speed up this process. Terms for the lease are presently being discussed.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41	Progress has been made to maintain the importance of this site. Progress has been necessarily limited because of the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	N/A
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41	N/A
Other

Financial Review

Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	I need info for this.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	N/A
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	N/A
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	N/A
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	N/A
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	N/A

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	Principal source of funds to date is through donations.
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	N/A
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	N/A
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	CIO Constitution
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	CIO
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	In view of the Coronavirus pandemic, no progress has been made on this this year

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51	The charity trustees will make available to each new charity trustee, on or before his or her first appointment: (a) a copy of the current version of this constitution; and (b) a copy of the CIO’s latest Trustees’ Annual Report and statement of accounts. And c) draw their attention to relevant CC guidance
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	We have 7 trustees: (1) Functions and duties of charity trustees The charity trustees shall manage the affairs of the CIO and may for that purpose exercise all the powers of the CIO. It is the duty of each charity trustee: (a) to exercise his or her powers and to perform his or her functions in his or her capacity as a trustee of the CIO in the way he or she decides in good faith would be most likely to further the purposes of the CIO; and (b) to exercise, in the performance of those functions, such care and skill as is reasonable in the

		circumstances having regard in particular to: (i) any special knowledge or experience that he or she has or holds himself or herself out as having; and, (ii) if he or she acts as a charity trustee of the CIO in the course of a business or profession, to any special knowledge or experience that it is reasonable to expect of a person acting in the course of that kind of business or profession.
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	Although the Group is a distinct organisation from Durham Bird Club, it does seek to work in close collaboration with it. Three of the trustees are also members of the Club and one is a trustee of the Club. The Club has agreed to help finance with payments for the lease when it is finalised.
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Castle Lake Conservation Group
Other name the charity uses	N/A
Registered charity number	1177070
Charity’s principal address	Mr. Richard Cowen Rose Cottage, Old Quarrington, Co Durham DH6 5NN

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 (if any)
	Richard Cowen
	Michele MacCallam	Treasurer
	John Olley
	Kim Baines
	Nicola Dexter
	Frederick Milton
	Fernanda Boorman

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name	Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets N/A held in this capacity

Name and objects of the N/A charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects

Details of arrangements N/A for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of Name Address adviser

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

• Reason for non disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) R Cowen Full name(s) Richard Saywood Cowen Position (eg Secretary, TRUSTEE nominated to Chair, etc) perform this duty Date 6 June 2020