## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From: 01/10/24 Period start date To: 30/09/25 Period end date** **Charity name: FRIENDS OF RIDLEY PARK (FORP)** **Charity registration number: 1177588** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|**FORP was set up to:**
•
help the inhabitants of Blyth and
its surrounding area by providing or
assisting in the provision of
facilities for recreation and other
leisure time occupation.
•
improve the conditions of life for
the inhabitants in the area of
benefit by the preservation,
promotion, support, assistance and
improvement of Ridley Park.| |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|**Park entrance project to improve the**
**main entrance to make it more**
**attractive to the local community.**
Construction is underway and installation
is due for Spring 2026. Fundraising
continues for a ringfenced maintenance
fund with ticket sales and donations from
One Lottery.
**Nature projects to improve and promote**
**biodiversity in the park.**
•
Contribution towards wooden
pergola and climbing roses (with
funding from Co-op Community
Fund In previous financial year)
•
Gardening equipment for
volunteers
•
Seasonal planting
•
Bird feeder
**Public Liability Insurance**
To ensure all volunteers, their events and
activities in the park setting are covered.| |||**Pavilion upkeep**
•
CCTV monitor was replaced and
security lights cleaned
•
Nature mural on back of pavilion
was repainted
•
Toilets were repainted| |---|---|---| |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 observed the
Commission’s statutory guidance on public
benefit to improve facilities and activities
within Ridley Park.| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|Treasurer: 2.5 hours weekly (130 hours)
Secretary: 2.5 hours weekly (130 hours)
Trustee: 1 hour weekly (70 hours)
Trustee: 7 hours
Accounts auditor: 8 hours
Weekly Jobs in the Park: 288 hours per
year
Community event attendance: 24 hours
**Total for year: 657 hours**| |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|**Park entrance**
During this financial year FORP has
continued to liaise with Northumberland
County Council who will project manage
the works. The contract was awarded to
Stephen Lunn, Anvilman, Red Row,
Northumberland and he is currently
working on its fabrication. The installation
is due to take place in 2026.
FORP fundraising efforts for the park
entrance continued through One Lottery
ticket sales and donations from prize-
winners to build up and ring fence a
maintenance fund. This project will
substantially enhance and promote the
park to the community. The park entrance
has been driven forward by community
involvement. It was designed by students
from The Blyth Academy with the aim of
giving young people pride in a local
feature.
**Nature projects**
FORP liaised with Northumberland County
Council regarding the new wooden pergola
in the rose garden and contributed
towards its new climbing roses.
Croftway School children did summer
planting over two sessions as part of their
community week.
Garden equipment was donated by ASDA
Community Champion to replace broken
equipment. Other items were replaced
from member funds.
Members often engage with the public to
explain the planting strategies in the park.
The gardening equipment has allowed
members to participate more easily in
nature activities within Ridley Park and
introduce new members to gardening
activities.
**Pavilion upkeep**
The CCTV monitor was replaced and its
cameras cleaned upon receiving a grant
from the local Blyth Town Councillor.| A large external nature mural was repainted in September 2025. Members worked together to repaint and varnish the mural featuring a squirrel, fox and leaves through the seasons which had fallen into disrepair. The pavilion toilets were repainted by volunteers. The ASDA Community Champion donated painting equipment. These all contribute to the overall pavilion upkeep by the volunteers and improve the experience of visitors to the park and pavilion by keeping the area wellmaintained and problem free. **Other achievements** These relied heavily on volunteer time and minimal or no financial input from FORP. Members bring a positive presence to the park to improve the park for all the community. Some members work together on creative projects, while others are active on engagement with groups in the wider community. Activities include: **JOBS IN THE PARK** (weekly): litter picking, deadheading roses, bird-screen and pavilion cleaning, light gardening, window displays, nest box audit and report, Blyth Rotary crocus planting for World Polio Day. Members provide a welcoming and positive presence in the park. Visitors frequently comment how beautiful and well-kept Ridley Park is and appreciate the activities carried out by the volunteers. **HERITAGE ACTIVITIES to promote and record the park characters.** Bill & Ben mascots were decorated throughout the year. A festive edition of FORP CONNECT was produced to help charity trustees stay in touch with Ridley Park, especially those with an underlying health condition, living alone or socially isolated. It is also considered a valuable archive resource for FORP. **PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT** to promote Ridley Park and the activities of FORP to the wider community. Volunteers attended the following: |•
Northumberland Wildlife Trust| |---| |•
Thriving Together Network| |•
Love to Volunteer event| |•
Best of Blyth Community| |Celebration| |•
Blyth Library Carnival event| |•
Blyth CVA event| |•
University of the Third Age (U3A)| |**AWARDS**| |FORP contributed to the Green Flag 2024-| |2025 award by their community| |involvement in Ridley Park.| |**PAVILION USE**| |Different groups and individuals from the| |wider community used the space| |throughout the year, including a regular| |summer presence from the Royal British| |Legion.| |Blyth Town Council used the pavilion as a| |base during park events and| |Northumberland County Council used it for| |their free tree collection scheme and| |training sessions.| |The pavilion benefits from its location in a| |park and is accessible for a variety of| |community uses.| Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: Achievements against Para 1.41 objectives set |||| |---|---|---| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|| |Other||| ## Financial Review |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|Expenditure continues to be carefully
monitored. One Lottery ticket sales and
prize-winner donations is allocated to the
maintenance fund for the new park
entrance. All other income from pavilion
hire, Easyfundraising, bank interest and
donations is allocated to the Miscellaneous
fund unless otherwise specified. Members
then agree to allocate funds to a
particular project.
Pavilion hire income has increased this
year due in part to repeat bookings.
The insurance premium was renegotiated
this year leading to a decrease in the
premium. This outlay continues to be an
annual challenge for this small charity.
Income is also generated by an interest
paying account linked to the current
account. The account name is changing to
become a Charity Account.| |---|---|---| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|Friends of Ridley Park aim to hold £1000 in
reserves as this will ensure we can cover
our Public Liability insurance costs.| |Amountof reservesheld|Para 1.22|£1000.00| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|| ## **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|| |---|---|---| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|| Other ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|Constitution| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|Charitable Incorporated Organisation (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|Appointed by Charity Trustees of Friends
of Ridley Park| 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|Safeguarding Policy
Data Protection Policy
Health & Safety Policy
Equality and Diversity Policy
Volunteer Policy
Social Media Policy| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|| |Relationship with any
related parties|Para 1.51|| |Other||| ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|Friends of Ridley Park| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|| |Registered charity number|1177588| |Charity’s principal address|11 Manor Place
Morpeth
NE61 1FB| ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
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|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year **|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year **|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||Fiona Gibson|||March 2018 - present||Trustees of Friends of Ridley
Park| ||John Young|Treasurer||November 2023 -
present||Trustees of Friends of Ridley
Park| ||John Stenhouse|||February 2025 - present||Trustees of Friends of Ridley
Park| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| |||||||| ||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 held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets ## **Additional information (optional)** ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** |**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**| |---|---|---| |**Type of**
**adviser**
**Name**
**Address**||| |||| |||| |||| |||| |**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)**
**Full name(s)**
**Position (eg Secretary,**
**Chair, etc)**
**Date**||| |---|---|---| ||Fiona Mary Gibson|| ||

Trustee|| ||1 December 2025|| ||1 December 2025|| FRIENDS OF RIDLEY PARK Wensleydale Terrace, Blyth, NE24 3HF Charit Commission Number- 1177588 Statement of Accounts For the Year Ended th 30 September 2025 FRIENDS OF RIDLEY PARK Chari commis￿0￿ Number.. 1177588 RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT- YEAR ENDED 30TH SEPTEMBER 2025 Total Funds at 1st October 2024 7.464.43 RECEIPTS Donations Donations- General Donations- Pavilion Use Donations- One Lottery Prizes 120.16 1,125.00 374.88 1,620.04 Grants & Awards Adrian Cartie IBlyth Town Council) Award 310.00 Other Recei ts Easy Fundraising Receipts One Lottery Ticket Sales Refunds Uoyds Bank Savings Account Interest 84.25 1.053.¢)J 64.12 1,201.37 TOTAL RECEIVED DURING THEYEAR 3,131.41 10.595.84 PAYMENT5 Miscellaneous Pro ect Insurance- Combined Policy NCC- Gaming Licence for One Lottery Flowers for Member Gardening Equipment Replacement CCTV Monitor Plants for Planter Pavilion Maintenance Materials RNLI Donation on behalf of Joan Dearden Plants for Croft Academy 313.83 20.(K) 30.(KI 9.98 194.40 31.50 S6.98 30.00 20.26 706.95 Bird Screen & Nest Boxes Pro ect Rodent-Proof Bird Feeder 34.90 Nature Pro ert NCC- Contribution towards Pergola & Roses 860.00 TOTAL PAID DURING THE YEAR 1.601.85 Total Fund5 at 30th Se tember 2025 8,993.99 10.595.84 FRIENDS OF RIDLEY PARK Chari Commission Number.. 1177588 STATEMENT OF MEMBER'S FUNDS AS AT 30TH SEPTEMBER 2025 Assets & Llablllties Assets Cash at Bank & In Hand= Balance at Lloyds Bank Cash in Hand 8.959.92 34.07 Total Assets 8.993.99 Total Liabiliies 8.993.99 Represented 8v'.- Member's Funds: Miscellaneous Projert Park Entrance Project Bird Screen & Nest Boxes Project 2.042.64 6,751.35 200.00 8.993.99 ned on behalf of all Trustees= 558n*ure Date 3 11.?¢>2 (Trustttl Name Signature Date 11. 2025 ITrusteel N4rne FRIENDS OF RIDLEY PARK Accounts for the Year Ended 30 Se tember 2025 Inde endent Examinerfs Re ort Having examined the accounts of "Friends of Ridley Park" the receipts and payments are. to the best of my knowledge, a true and accurate record. Signed: Name: Joan Dearden Date: Addres5: 27. Forster Street Blyth Northumberland NE24 3BG Phone: 07926 522553 Charity Commission Number. 1177588