Trustee Annual Report Year end 2023
Charity number 1179411
Contents
Trustee Annual Report ......................................................................................................................... 1 Year end 2023 ...................................................................................................................................... 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 .................................................................................................. 4 The focus of our work ............................................................................................................ 4 Who used and benefited from our services? ......................................................................... 4 Principal Funding Sources .................................................................................................... 5 Future funding ....................................................................................................................... 5 Plans for Future Periods ........................................................................................................ 5 Business planning ................................................................................................................. 6 Structure, Governance and Management ............................................................................. 6 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
Mr Tony Barrett Chairperson
Mrs Suzanne Barrett Secretary
Mrs Tracy Robbins Treasurer
Mrs Doreen Nash, Vice Chair
Mr Peter Lindsay
Mr Robert Jones
Mrs Joyce Hunt (standing down 22/09/2023)
Mrs Linda Short
Ms Alex Harman (appointed 23[rd] March 2023)
Mrs Roswitha Carrutthers (stood down 13/05/2023)
Ms Jane Reynolds (stood down 21/04/2023)
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 to 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.
We have continued to offer a range of walks and tours offered to park visitors and our fortnightly Photography walk has proven to be a big hit with visitors to the park and is well attended. All our walks and tours are advertised extensively on social media and our website.
Our team of volunteers continue to carry out the restoration of the historical walled gardens at Twyn Yr Hydd.
Members have continued to socialise and feed the alpaca herd on a daily basis and over the summer period started harnessing and walking them. This will get the animals trained in readiness for visitors to be able to book guided alpaca walks next year.
We also have members assisting with the park estates team, looking after the animals and general maintenance, including fencing and train track repairs.
Who used and benefited from our services?
Many people from the immediate community of Neath Port Talbot have benefited from our community service as well as visitors travelling to the park from further afield. In March we were successful obtaining funding to purchase three Pride Ranger all-terrain mobility scooters which have proven to be a great success enabling visitors far and wide to visit and enjoy the park.
Principal Funding Sources
We have continued to make a steady income from donations received, and from our small shop, located in the turbine house. We have also received funding from four successful bids from various funds (Newlands Wind Farm, Margam Community Fund and Margam Green Energy Fund) which have been used to purchase mobility scooters, litter picking equipment, roses for Twyn Yr Hydd and recently funding to purchase a defibrillator, which is mounted in a heated storage cabinet, installed by the main kiosk.
Future funding
We have a number of projects which we will be looking into during the course of next year including hedgelaying at Twyn Yr Hydd, the clearance/restoration of the small pond outside the turbine house and the purchase and installation of cameras to capture birds, bats, and relay live images to the computer screen in the turbine house.
Plans for Future Periods
We understand the mental health benefits that walking in the surroundings of the park can bring. This continues to be of major importance to us as a group, and we aim to assist as many of the public as possible by expanding our range of tours and walks, to include specialist tours for those with mobility difficulties and those that use mobility scooters.
Current and anticipated projects include:
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Hedgelaying project at Twyn Yr Hydd
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Dry stone walling training to enable volunteers to assist the park with the maintenance of its many dry-stone walls
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Clearance and restoration of the pond in front of the turbine house
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Interviewing and recording of subjects for our oral history archives
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Interviewing and recording of members for promotional use on our social media and YouTube channel
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Purchase and fitment of cameras to record and stream footage of wildlife to the large computer screen in the turbine house. To include purchase and placement of bird boxes and bat boxes
Monthly craft sessions for volunteers to make decorations for seasonal park events
Business planning
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
All members of the Trustee Board give 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 ]
Reserves
Our reserves are set at £10,000.00
FRIENDS OF MARGAM PARK
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR 1[ST] AUGUST 2022 TO 31[ST] JULY 2023
RECEIPTS
CASH IN BANK 1[ST] AUGUST 2022
COMMUNITY ACCOUNT 1,417.08 BUSINESS PREMIUM ACCOUNT 19.003.18 PETTY CASH FLOAT
20,420.26
INCOME
| CORONATION PARTY | 260..00 |
|---|---|
| DEPOSIT | 908.99 |
| DONATIONS | 5539.61 |
| FUNDING RECEIVED | 17,013.08 |
| CHRISTMAS PARTY | 225.00 |
| PETER LINDSAY 80TH GIFT | 50.00 |
| MEMBERSHIP | 800.36 |
| MISCELLANEOUS | 40.45 |
| MOBILITY SCOOTER HIRE | 587.27 |
| MERCH SALES | 3,855.44 |
| REFUNDS | 126.12 |
| TRANSFER OF FUNDS FROM BPA. | 1,009.18 |
| UNIFORM SALES | 339.77 |
| 30,755.27 |
PAYMENTS
| ALPACAS | 110.68 |
|---|---|
| BROADBAND & COMMS | 747.30 |
| CRAFT SUPPLIES | 368.97 |
| UNIFORM PURCHASED | 257.00 |
| CORONATION PARTY 273.50 COURTYARD ROOM 86.01 CHRISTMAS PARTY 351.88 EVENTS 311.31 PETER LINDSAY 80TH GIFT 50.00 ROOM HIRE 480.00 INSURANCE 745.24 IT & OFFICE 783.49 COURTYARD ROOM LEASE 375.00 MERCHANDISE 1,448.82 MISCELLANEOUS 546.97 MS 365 SUB 603.28 PETTY CASH 570.00 PROTECTIVE CLOTHING 84.95 PRINTING 88.56 FUNDED PROJECTS 17,715.07 POSTAL CHARGE 13.40 TRAINING 173.24 TURBINE HOUSE 1,668.18 TYN YR HYDD 122.52 27,975.37 CASH IN BANK 31st July 2023 COMMUNITY ACCOUNT 4,196.98 BUSINESS PREMIUM ACCOUNT 18,070.06 PETTY CASH FLOAT 85.43 22,352.47 |
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|---|---|
FRIENDS OF MARGAM PARK
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR 1[ST] AUGUST 2022 TO 31[ST] JULY 2023
RECEIPTS
CASH IN BANK 1[ST] AUGUST 2022
COMMUNITY ACCOUNT 1,417.08 BUSINESS PREMIUM ACCOUNT 19.003.18 PETTY CASH FLOAT
20,420.26
INCOME
| CORONATION PARTY | 260..00 |
|---|---|
| DEPOSIT | 908.99 |
| DONATIONS | 5539.61 |
| FUNDING RECEIVED | 17,013.08 |
| CHRISTMAS PARTY | 225.00 |
| PETER LINDSAY 80TH GIFT | 50.00 |
| MEMBERSHIP | 800.36 |
| MISCELLANEOUS | 40.45 |
| MOBILITY SCOOTER HIRE | 587.27 |
| MERCH SALES | 3,855.44 |
| REFUNDS | 126.12 |
| TRANSFER OF FUNDS FROM BPA. | 1,009.18 |
| UNIFORM SALES | 339.77 |
| 30,755.27 |
PAYMENTS
| ALPACAS | 110.68 |
|---|---|
| BROADBAND & COMMS | 747.30 |
| CRAFT SUPPLIES | 368.97 |
| UNIFORM PURCHASED | 257.00 |
| CORONATION PARTY 273.50 COURTYARD ROOM 86.01 CHRISTMAS PARTY 351.88 EVENTS 311.31 PETER LINDSAY 80TH GIFT 50.00 ROOM HIRE 480.00 INSURANCE 745.24 IT & OFFICE 783.49 COURTYARD ROOM LEASE 375.00 MERCHANDISE 1,448.82 MISCELLANEOUS 546.97 MS 365 SUB 603.28 PETTY CASH 570.00 PROTECTIVE CLOTHING 84.95 PRINTING 88.56 FUNDED PROJECTS 17,715.07 POSTAL CHARGE 13.40 TRAINING 173.24 TURBINE HOUSE 1,668.18 TYN YR HYDD 122.52 27,975.37 CASH IN BANK 31st July 2023 COMMUNITY ACCOUNT 4,196.98 BUSINESS PREMIUM ACCOUNT 18,070.06 PETTY CASH FLOAT 85.43 22,352.47 |
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