Trustees' Annual Report for the period
Period start date
Period end date
Day 01 Month 01 Year 2021 From To
Day 31 Month 12 Year 2021
Section A Reference and administration details
Charity name Friends of Westgate Parks
Other names charity is known by
FOWP
Registered charity number (if any)1178364
Charity's principal address 21 Whitehall Gardens
Canterbury
Postcode CT2 8BD
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 (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terence Westgate | Chairman | |||
| Michael Pocock | Secretary | |||
| Richard Vane- Wright |
Treasurer | |||
| Colette Baumbank | ||||
| Michael Walter | ||||
| Peter Blackett | ||||
Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
Name Dates acted if not for whole year
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Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
| Type of adviser | Name Address |
Name Address |
|---|---|---|
| Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information) | ||
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Constitution Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) Charitable Incorporated Organisation How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company) Appointment by Trustees Trustee selection methods (eg. appointed by, elected by)
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
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FOWP has a Management Committee consisting of the Trustees and
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You may choose to include elected members elected at the Annual General Meeting.
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additional information, where relevant, about: Memorandum of Understanding with Canterbury City Council 15-11-2018
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policies and procedures adopted for the induction and FOWP works closely with Anna Bell “Anna Outdoors” for educational training of trustees; activities and Lauren Baker of Our Stour for conservation tasks.
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the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
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relationship with any related parties;
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trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
Section C Objectives and activities
- To preserve protect and improve the Westgate Parks in Canterbury as a place of historic and ecological interest and beauty; 2. To promote conservation of the natural plant and animal life of the Summary of the objects of the Parks; charity set out in its 3. To advance the education of the public including school children in the governing document subjects of natural history and geography, and by research into the biodiversity, geomorphology and archaeology within the Parks.
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Charity Commission Guidance Notes on Public Benefit (PB1, PB2 and PB 3) have been circulated to, and read by, all of FOWPs’ Trustees. FOWP exercises due regard to this guidance in undertaking its duties and day-today activities. The two aspects of Public Benefit’ have been fulfilled to achieve compliance with the guidance i.e. that the public (to include Canterbury and District residents in general, children attending Primary schools, students attending Secondary schools and Colleges in Canterbury and District and tourists visiting Canterbury are included in the target groups for FOWP.; and that actualbenefit(value) is provided by the work undertaken by FOWP for thepublicthat it serves. Trustees derive no personal benefit from work or activities undertaken by **Summary of the main** FOWP. **activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to** FOWP operates within theWestgate Parks` consisting of Westgate these objects (include within Gardens, Toddler’s Cove, Tannery Field and Bingley Island. this section the statutory Membership of FOWP is open to any resident of Canterbury and District. declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)
Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:
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policy on grantmaking;
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policy programme related investment;
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contribution made by volunteers.
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Section D Achievements and performance
- Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year
Objective 1. - preservation, protection and enhancement of the Parks Tasks carried out by FoWP volunteers: 1. With the Physic Garden trustees and volunteers were able to dig out the old lavender plants and replace with new ones and began working on the raised beds and this is still continuing in 2022. 2. As the original ceramic signs were too easily vandalised it was decided to replace them with small information boards with the same design as the existing main information board. As the cost of these would have exceeded our budget for the Physic Garden we eventually obtained some funding from Canterbury City Council and the design of the new information boards (which retained an image from the ceramic signs) was completed at the end of 2021 and subsequently installed at the beginning of this 2022. 3. Trustee Colette Baumbank who designed the original Toddler’s Cove underpass mural began work on re-painting it in August and this work continued into September. Objective 2.- promotion of wildlife conservation Under the Memorandum of Understanding with Canterbury City Council in November 2018 the conservation tasks have been undertaken this year by Our Stour and FoWP volunteers under the leadership of Lauren Baker or Anna Bell. The following tasks have been completed in 2021: In October the Tannery Field was mowed and raked by Trustees and volunteers. Lauren Baker via Our Stour organised riverfly surveys from May to November and also river dipping sessions with Parkside Primary School on two days in November. KSCP have also been involved with conservation tasks during 2021 which included maintenance of the feeding station planters in the river in Westgate Gardens, a litter pick by punt around Bingley Island and scrub clearance on Bingley Island itself. The hedge at Toddler’s Cove was trimmed by Trustee Michael Walter in the Autumn. Objective 3 – advancement of education and research It was still possible to carry out weekly bird counts of the entire Westgate Parks area. Archaeology - An initial geophysical survey was eventually completed on 8[th] July. The results from this survey justified Canterbury Archaeological Trust going ahead with a test dig which was subsequently carried out over two days on 15[th] and 16[th] October. The results of this dig are being written up. Natural history - Weekly bird counts of the entire Westgate Parks area were carried out by Trustee Michael Walter.
The research on non-biting midges breeding in the Great Stour noted last year was finally published in June, in the Journal of Natural History , and can now be freely download from our website – together with our previously published work on Bingley Island plants and insects.
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Section E Financial review
FoWP constantly monitors its financial obligations and outgoings. These Brief statement of the are reported to the Trustees monthly, and at each meeting. Expenditure is charity’s policy on reserves carefully managed to ensure that sufficient reserves are maintained to cover all financial commitments.
Details of any funds materially in deficit
None
Further financial review details (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:
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the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
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how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
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investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
We received notification that our bid for a Kent County Council member’s grant of £2216 Westgate Parks Rejuvenation had been accepted on 14[th] January. The project envisaged was in three parts:
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In the Westgate Gardens it was to replant and repair the Physic Garden including the ceramic signs and lavender maze, to undertake a geophysical survey in conjunction with Canterbury Archaeological Society on the north side of the river near the line of Watling Street and develop new labels for the trees of the existing Tree Trail and eventually add further trees.
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On Bingley Island to provide a new information sign about the importance, interest and management of this urban nature reserve.
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A scoping project for the rejuvenation of the underpass murals.
Additional funding was received from Canterbury City Council for the new information boards at the Physic Garden.
Also some income was derived from donations, plus a small sum from the sale of booklets. A £100 contribution towards the cost of insurance was received from Canterbury City Council.
Over the course of 2021, the charity received a total income of £4339.50 (including the KCC grant), incurred a total expenditure of £5717.11 (which included matched funding for the KCC projects), and ended the year with a bank balance of £6472.02.
Section F Other optional information
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
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Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
| Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date |
||
|---|---|---|
| Michael Pocock | ||
| Secretary | ||
| 11/08/2022 |
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Friends of Westgate Parks: Treasurer’s Report 2021
Income and Expenditure, 1[st] January 2021 – 31[st] December 2021 inclusive
| Friends of Westgate Parks: Treasurer’s Report 2021 _Income and Expenditure, 1st January 2021 – 31st December 2021_inclusive |
Friends of Westgate Parks: Treasurer’s Report 2021 _Income and Expenditure, 1st January 2021 – 31st December 2021_inclusive |
Friends of Westgate Parks: Treasurer’s Report 2021 _Income and Expenditure, 1st January 2021 – 31st December 2021_inclusive |
Friends of Westgate Parks: Treasurer’s Report 2021 _Income and Expenditure, 1st January 2021 – 31st December 2021_inclusive |
Friends of Westgate Parks: Treasurer’s Report 2021 _Income and Expenditure, 1st January 2021 – 31st December 2021_inclusive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broughtforward at 1st Jan 2021(NW 47): £7849.63 | ||||
| INCOME2021 | EXPENDITURE2021 | |||
| Donation(11 Jan;Bt NW 47) | 20.00 | |||
| Donation(10 Feb;Bt NW 47) | 20.00 | |||
| Donation(M. Still,19 Feb.;NW 48) | 250.00 | |||
| Grant(KCCgrant,1 March,bt NW 48) | 2216.50 | |||
| Donation(10 Mar.;Bt NW 48) | 20.00 | |||
| CCC* Inv FoWP010(25 Mar.;Bt NW 49) | 98.93 | |||
| Maze replanting (Ch 000048;NW 49) | 303.77 | |||
| Insurance*(Ch 000040;NW 49) | 197.87 | |||
| Donation(12 April;Bt NW 49) | 20.00 | |||
| Donation(12 May;Bt NW 50) | 20.00 | |||
| Donation(17 May;ex T&HLtd;BtNW51) | 1500.00 | |||
| PGdn Cotoneaster(Ch ..0049;NW51) | 194.26 | |||
| Donation(24 May;Amazon;BtNW51) | 6.20 | |||
| Donation(10 June;Bt NW 51) | 20.00 | |||
| Donation(11 June;anonymous;NW52) | 5.00 | |||
| Donation(12 July;Bt NW53) | 20.00 | |||
| DarnleyArchaeol. 4 Aug (Ch 000050) | 350.00 | |||
| Donation(10 August;Bt NW53) | 20.00 | |||
| Donation(14 Aug;Amazon;BtNW54) | 7.09 | |||
| Donation(10 Sept.;Bt NW54) | 20.00 | |||
| Donation(11 Oct.;Bt NW55) | 20.00 | |||
| Bklt sales(20 October;cash: 600427) | 10.00 | |||
| FWD&PL 27 Oct(Ch 00051) physgdn | 1576.20 | |||
| CCC 28 Oct(Ch 00052)muralproject | 720.00 | |||
| Donation(10 Nov.;Bt NW55) | 20.00 | |||
| 10 Nov(Ch 000053)taxi for excursion | 50.00 | |||
| 26 Nov(Ch 000054)CAT archaeology | 765.01 | |||
| Donation(10 Dec.;Bt NW56) | 20.00 | |||
| Donation(13 Dec;AmazonEurope Core) | 5.78 | |||
| 17 Dec(Ch 00055)CCC I 0003530980 | 1560.00 | |||
| Carried forward from 2020 | 7849.63 | |||
| Total Incomefor 2021 | 4339.50 | |||
| (carried forward + 2021 income) | 12189.13 | Total Expenditurefor 2021 | 5717.11 | |
| _Balance at 31st December 2021_to carryforward to 2022£ | 6472.02 | |||
| R.I. Vane-Wright, Hon Treasurer, 30th December 2021 |
NW = NatWest account statement (sheet number) Inv = FoWP invoice number Ch = Cheque number Bklt = Trail booklet CCC = Canterbury City Council Bt Bank Transfer I Invoice number of other organisation * Insurance: CCC contribution: 50% of annual premium, as per MOU (to limit of £100)
Summary breakdowns and overview
| Carried forward from 2020: | £7849.63 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total income for 2021 | £4339.50 | Total expenditure for 2021 | £5717.11 |
| KCC ‘rejuvenation’ Grant | 2216.50 | Insurance | 197.87 |
| Donations | 2014.07 | Research (garden visit) | 50.00 |
| CCC contribution | 98.93 | Physic Garden (1) | 2074.23 |
| Booklet sales | 10.00 | Mural (2) | 720.00 |
| Events | 0.00 | CAT archaeology (3) | 1115.01 |
| Bingley sign (4) | 1200.00 | ||
| Tree trail signs (5) | 360.00 |
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The two largest donations were £250 (individual) and £1500 (corporate) – the latter is unlikely to be repeated
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Note zero income from events – a dramatic indication of the effects of the pandemic
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The KCC ‘rejuvenation’ grant proved critical for maintaining activity during 2021
Apart from statutory expenditure on insurance (£197.87, of which £98.93 was paid by CCC under terms of MOU), ALL remaining expenditure for 2021 was related to the KCC grant: a total of £5469.24 (excluding £50 for ‘research’) was spent on the five identified projects (1–5). This comprised £2216.50 from KCC plus £3252.74 from FoWP – the latter thus more than matching the KCC contribution. This was justified by several of the projects becoming more extensive and/or being executed to a higher specification than originally planned. In addition, CCC contributed generously to the mural project (from S106 monies), and FoWP volunteers contributed over 200 hours – representing a further input, based on minimum adult wage, of over £2000.
The end-of-year balance of £6472.02 was £1377.61 less than the previous year – a reduction of 21%. While there is no need for immediate alarm, a similar trend is likely for 2022 – so our unconditional income for 2023 and beyond will need to be greatly increased – certainly if we wish, or need to pursue matched-funding sources.
Conclusion . A highly atypical year during which some lasting improvements were successfully funded. Sufficient monies were carried forward to 2022 to ensure completion of other critical projects (notably replacement of the deleted website and a Roman Trail marker destroyed by flood damage, and replanting the physic garden) – but for 2023 and beyond new sources of funds will be critical. A significant increase in volunteer input as a complement to cash resources would also be very welcome.
“Charities whose gross income is below £10,000 have an obligation to keep their registered details up to date – they can use the annual return to do this” (Charity Commission guidelines). Given that a full audit is therefore unnecessary, the final page of this 3 page report is an Independent Examination , based on our bank records, receipts and invoices, made by a qualified accountant acting in a voluntary capacity. No matters of concern were identified.
Dr Richard I. Vane-Wright
Trustee and Honorary Treasurer, Friends of Westgate Parks (Registered Charity 1178364) 21[st] April 2022