Trustee Annual Report Year end 2021 Charity number 1179411
Contents
Trustee Annual Report..............................................................................................1 Year end 2021...........................................................................................................1 Reference and Administrative Information............................................................3 Board of Trustees...................................................................................................3 Our Aims and objectives.......................................................................................3 Purposes and Aims...................................................................................................3 Ensuring our work delivers our aims.....................................................................3 Our organisational structure.................................................................................3 The focus of our work............................................................................................4 How our activities deliver public benefit...............................................................4 Who used and benefited from our services?.........................................................5 Principal Funding Sources......................................................................................5 Future funding.......................................................................................................5 Plans for Future Periods.........................................................................................5 Business planning.................................................................................................5 Structure, Governance and Management..............................................................5 Trustee Induction and Training..............................................................................6 Policies..................................................................................................................6 Reserves................................................................................................................6
Reference and Administrative Information
Charity Name: Friends of Margam Park Charity registration number: 1179411 Registered Office and operational address: Margam Park, Margam SA13 2TJ
Board of Trustees
Mrs Andrea Kennedy Chair (Term ended)
Mr Tony Barrett Chairperson (for a period of two years)
Mrs Suzanne Barrett Secretary (continuing for a second period of two years) Mrs Doreen Nash, Vice Chair (continuing for a second period of two years) Mr Peter Ross (Stood down)
Mr Peter Lindsay (continuing for a second period of two years) Ms Beverley Carver (continuing for a second period of two years)
Mrs Tracy Robbins Treasurer (for a period of two years) Ms Lisa Roberts (for a period of two years) Mrs Roswitha Carruthers (for a period of two years)
Our Aims and objectives
Purposes and Aims
To provide or assist in the provision of facilities for recreation and other leisure time occupation in the interests of social welfare with the object of improving the conditions of life of the public in Neath Port Talbot and the surrounding area by the preservation, promotion, support, assistance, and improvement of Margam Country Park.
Ensuring our work delivers our aims
We will review our aims, objectives, and activities each year. This review looks at what we achieved and the outcomes of our work in the previous 12 months. The review looks at the success of each key activity and the benefits they have brought to those groups of people we are set up to help. The review also helps us ensure our aim, objectives and activities remained focused on our stated purposes. We have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aim and objectives and in planning our future activities. In particular, the trustees consider how planned activities will contribute to the aims and objectives they have set.
Our organisational structure
Our group has a tremendous capacity for growth; however, growth will not be achieved while we remain one tightknit group. The members within our group have a wide and diverse range of skills that they are able to bring the friends of Margam Park. We aim to utilise the skills within certain areas of the group.
Our group structure is as follows:
Figure 1 Updated Group Structure
The focus of our work
Our main objectives for the year will continue to be the promotion and wellbeing of Margam Country Park and will act as a continuation of our covid recovery program.
We are now in later recovery stages of the pandemic Covid 19. The castle is still closed due to covid and renovations. As it is closed to the public and therefore our members, and no castle activities could take place.
However, tours outside of the castle have been a regular favourite for a long time. We are now in the unique position of being able to offer walks and tours through the magnificent scenery of the country Park. These tours are now being organised and advertised whilst keeping in line with coronavirus regulations. As volunteers we well-known the benefits that spending time in such an area, benefits are persons mental well-being, and we will now be placing a lot more focus on being able to offer the community assisted health walks as part of a Covid recovery plan.
How our activities deliver public benefit
Early on in the pandemic, we were keenly aware that we needed to ensure our members health and wellbeing were at the centre of our current plans. Even though we could not carry on our usual activities, the board of trustees made the decision to support our members during this time and asked if they wished to take part in a wider community activity. Many of our membership responded and began to make wash bags for the NHS and key workers. Most of our members were shielding at the time and so our chairperson, after asking the community for material, then collected and distributed that material amongst a good number of volunteers. When the wash bags were finished, the chairperson then delivered them to various hospitals, surgeries, care homes etc. We also were assisted by some other organisations such local sewing clubs and women’s institutes. This gave them a sense of belonging and a worthwhile
purpose to all who took part. Whilst shielding, many people felt lonely and isolated and interworking in this fashion helped keep those feelings at bay. Our volunteers received tremendous recognition from the various organisations they assisted with this activity.
Who used and benefited from our services?
Many people from the immediate community of Neath Port Talbot have benefited from our community service whilst the Park was open. However, in response to the pandemic, many other organisations have received some remote assistance from us with our ‘washbag’ activities. We now have health walks and activities planned for the wider community as well as those referred from surgeries, well-being groups et cetera.
Principal Funding Sources
This year little funding was received via visitors to the park. We were however awarded a sum of money to fit out our lovely Historical Turbine house on the park estate, which will house us and help us to deliver a professional visitor experience. This building is now partially fitted out and we anticipate it will be fully open to the public weeks. We also have a range of merchandise and an online shop, that we are now seeing a steady stream of purchases incoming. As our principal funding source previously came from donations, we are grateful to have this income.
Future funding
We are aware that the Park by its nature is not the most accessible place to visit. Now we are located at the entrance of the park, we will be looking to improve the level of access to those that need it. With mobility scooter hire (minimal cost) and possibly other transport means to take people from the entrance up to the castle. To this end, we will be looking for sponsorship from large organisations to do this. Focusing on historical links for example, there is a direct link with Great Western Railway and Rice Mansel Talbot and so we hope to garner support from them to assist with refurbishment and lengthening of the Parks steam train. We are also looking for new bids as part of the Welsh Gov recovery program.
Plans for Future Periods
Our plans have changed somewhat in reaction to the pandemic. We understand the mental health benefits that walking in the surroundings of the park can bring. This is more important now for us as a group and we aim to assist as many of the public as possible with providing arranged Covid safe tours for all, including specialist tours for those with mobility difficulties and those that use mobility scooters. As the Castle and all buildings are out of bounds, all activities will now be resumed outdoors.
Horticultural activities - we are also looking at bringing in as many volunteers as possible as well as opening the activity to the general community. We are looking at restoring the orchards as well as maintaining the park grounds. To
this end, most of the park’s volunteers have now moved over to become our volunteers. The end aim will be to have one volunteer group (FoMP). The working relationship between the park head gardener, Jeanette Dunk, is fantastic and more garden projects are planned.
Current and anticipated projects include:
Community Orchard - working with other charities and the local community to restore the orchards and benefit from the produce. We partnered Margam Park on this Heritage lottery fund submission and was successful with a £50k bid. This fund goes directly to the park for equipment, resources et cetera. Protection of Capel Mair and the Well - we procured funds to carry out a feasibility study to assess the viability of protecting, displaying, and educating people on both Capel Mair and the well. This will be carried out by author and expert on Holy Wells, Phil Cope.
Business planning
A business planning has slowed in reaction to the pandemic. Ideas and activities are in place, but dates and timelines cannot be given. We will be looking to our members, for ideas and suggestions moving forward although the main focus will remain as the development of Margam country Park.
Structure, Governance and Management
Our Governing Document will need to be changed as a new board of trustees will be formed after this AGM.
All member of the Trustee Board gives their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the charity.
All trustees are subject to the ‘Trustee Code of Conduct’ as is published on our website.
Trustee Induction and Training
Most trustees are already familiar with the practical work of the charity, new Trustees will be given guidance. We also rely on the guidance given by the Charity commission The essential trustee: what you need to know, what you need to do.
Policies
All policies are on our new digital newsletter for all members to view. These can be requested in different formats and languages if requested. The policies include:
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Grievance
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Trustee duty of care
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Guidance on Public Benefit
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Equal opportunities
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Safeguarding
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Lone working
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Volunteer agreements
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Data protection
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Reserves
We are currently putting through all Trustees through Disclosure Scotland for their basic disclosure. We have also ensured that at least one volunteer working within a small group of volunteers will be DBS checked.
Reserves
Our reserves are still at £15,000.00. Currently we are planning to use the funding received to develop the Turbine house, with office and exhibition equipment to be able to expand the services we can offer from there.
FRIENDS OF MARGAM PARK
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR 1ST AUGUST 2020 TO THE 31 st JULY 2021
RECEIPTS
| RECEIPTS | ||
|---|---|---|
| CASH IN BANK 1 ST AUGUST 2020 |
||
| Community Account Business Premium Account Petty Cash Float Membership Fees Donations Sale of merchandise LESS PAYMENTS WIFI & Broadband IT, Ofce Equipment & Stationery Merchandise Miscellaneous MS Subscriptions, Website and Software Online Shop Subscription Petty Cash Float Postal Charges Turbine House Visitor Centre project Portaloo Hire Twyn Yr Hydd Project PPE |
22,676.22 32,069,72 71.04 54,816.98 |
|
501.00 1,053.06 1,289.64 2,843.70 162.00 127.44 2,302.00 500.79 615.59 226.80 245.00 7.43 18,371.83 228.00 318.65 73.96 23,179.49 |
CASH IN BANK 31st July 2021 Community Account 2,340.43 Business Premium Account 32,076.56 Petty Cash Float 149.25
34 566.24