2023-09-07-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 7 Sept 2022 Period start date To 7 Sept 2023 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	The Group continued to monitor the site to maintain its quality as an excellent habitat for birds, particularly water birds. New planting of trees, hedges and reedbeds was carried out to pursue this aim. However, owing to excessive rainfall, some projects have been delayed until the autumn .
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 N/A

Policy on grant making	Para 1.38
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38	N/A
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	As per the previous reporting period, Volunteers in conjunction with Durham Bird Club work on a regular basis to keep the lake and its surroundings in good order to encourage and enrich its bio- diversity. Volunteers do not claim allowances nor do they receive refunds for expenditure. (For information, moneys received after the Financial Year ending 7 September 2023 have not all been spent owing to adverse weather conditions in 2024, and it has been agreed that the monies can be spent later in the year when it is hope the weather will be better).
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 work undertaken or planned during this year have helped to improve this. We have also been considering other options to manage the land other than obtaining a lease.

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. Although this is after the Financial Year ending 7 September 2023, Durham County Council has commenced work to establish its Local Nature Recovery Strategy and we anticipate that we will argue that castle Lake could be a good site to support any proposals. This will follow on from arguments we have made during this Financial Year.
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	As at 7 September 2023, the Club held £5,719.11 in the Bank as outlined in the accompanying Financial Report
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:

The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	Existing funds have been retained and, as outlined above, a grant was obtained for fencing works as outlined in the Financial Report.
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	Nothing has occurred this year in this respect

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 their powers and to perform their functions in their capacity as a trustee of the CIO in the way they decide 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 they have or hold themselves out as having; and, (ii) if they act 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 also a Bird Club trustee. The Club has agreed to help finance with payments for the lease if (notwithstanding comments above) this should in fact materialise.
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
	HarveyNeve

– 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 TRUSTEE nominated to Secretary, Chair, etc) perform this duty

Date

27 June 2024

CASTLE LAKE CONSERVATION GROUP

FINANCIAL REPORT

For the year ending 7 September 2023.

At the beginning of the Financial Year, the Group held £9199.11 in the Bank. It subsequently receive £8.00 for the sale of a key to the Bird Hide at Castle Lake and paid £3480.00 to L&G Plant Hire in respect of the construction of ponds at the site.

On 13 February 2023, it received a grant of £1000.00 from the Trimdon Wind farm Grant which was used for fencing, the money being paid to J Davison on 6 June 2023.

On 7 September 2023, the balance held by the Group in the Bank was 5,719.11

R Cowen 27 June 2024.