Yeovil Rivers Community Trust
Trustees Annual Report for Year
1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025
The Yeovil Rivers Community Trust
19, Chilton Grove
Yeovil
Somerset
BA214AN
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rct.or
REGISTEREDCHARITYNUMBER:1180724

Executive Summary
1. Registration Name:
The Yeovil Rivers Community Trust
2. Registration Number:
1180724
3. Registration date:
16th November 2018
4. Governing Document:
The Yeovil Rivers Community Trust Constitution
5. Names of Charity Trustees serving during the year:
Mr Lome Thomson
Chair
Mr Thomas Bell
Ms Yasmin Khan
Mr David Godwin
Mr Stuart Saunders
Mr Josiah Knights
6. Objects of the Charity
To promote for the benefit of the public both locally in Yeovil and
the wider public within Somerset and Dorset, the conservation
protection and improvemenl of the physical and natural
environment by promoting and maintaining biological diversity,
notably, but not exclusively. in the restoration, enhancement and
creation of watercourses and any other water features (including
multi-function surface features as part of a sustainable drainage
system) and their adjoining terrestrial areas. Maintaining biological
diversity includes managing and monitoring relevant habitats for
the mutual benefit of biodiversity and the public.
To advan￿ the education of the public in the conservation,
protection and improvement of the physical and natural
environment.
REGISTEREDCHARITYNUMBER'.1180724

7. Organisation of the Charity
Number of elected Honorary Officers: 1
Number of representatives of statutory authorities= O
Number of paid staff.. 7
Two of the trustees are professional ecologists who provide
their professional expertise and experience to the Charity
Note:
8. Further details of the Charity
Name and address of Bank:
Barclays Bank plc.
King George Street
Yeovil
Somerset
Insurers:
Zurich Insurance
The Zurich Centre
3000 Parkway
Whiteley Fareham
Hampshire P015 7JZ
REGISTEREDCHARITYNUMBER'.1180724

Objectives & Activities
The formation of the Yeovil Rivers Community Trust (YRCT) was spurred by the need to
protect the local streams, rivers and ponds together with adjacent natural landscape
features, amid growing concern for the environment expressed by the local population as
well as a range of organisations including local authorities, the Environment Agency,
Somerset Catchment Partnership and other NGOS.
The objectives of the Charity are lo promote for the benefit of the public, in Yeovil and more
widely in South Somerset and North Dorset, the conservation, protection and improvement
of the physical and natural environment by..
Promoting and maintaining biological diversity, notably, but not exclusively, in the
restoration, enhancement and creation ofwater courses and any other waterfeatures
(including multi-function surface features as part of a sustainable drainage system
and Nature Based Solutions, e.g. Natural Flood Management) and their adjoining
lerrestrial areas.
Maintaining biological diversity includes managing and monitoring relevant habitats
for the mutual benefit of biodiversity and the public.
To advance the education of the public in the conseNation, protection and
improvement of the physical and natural environment with a special
emphasis on water and the impacts of climate breakdown.
Funding to support this activity has thus far been sourced solely through public donations
and grants from statutory nature conservation bodies (SNCO), local authorities and
charitable organisations. Throughout 2024125 the trustees continued to develop the
delivery of paid services by the Trust to diversify income streams with a view to
increasing the proportion of Trust funding generated from paid services to reduce reliance
on grant funding and improve the sustainability of the Trust.
The Charity's work is managed and undertaken by local volunteers and a small number of
mainly part-time staff. Technical advice and project management as well as specialist
services are supplied by consultants as required.
Specifically, the needs and activities addressed by the Charity are..
An independent overview of Planning Applications insofar as they affect the
natural flow and diversity of waterbodies and habitats, this activity being
undertaken in co-operation with the relevant authorities and organisations.
Through the deployment of volunteer working parties, undertake physical
activities on streams and riverbanks, clearing rubbish, debris and invasive non-
native plants and undergrowth. This work is in support of the Local Councils,
the Environment Agency and other stakeholders.
To carry out surveys of local water courses checking for sustainable wildlife
habitat b
undertakin
water sam
and checkin
out sources of ollution
REGISTEREDCHARITYNUMBER'.1180724

and reporting formally to the appropriate authorities.
Deliverables resulting from the work of the Charity include..
The provision of technicallspecialist analysis and reports to the appropriate
sponsorlauthority of the Trust's findings.
Provision of hydraulic and hydrological modelling studies, design drawings,
mapping and ecological proposals for aquatic and terrestrial habitats, e.g. new
ponds,wetlands and modified riverbanks etc., as required.
Provision of plants, fencing, trees etc., in support of new and enhan￿d habitat
and Nature Based Solution interventions.
Visual and amenity improvements and ongoing maintenance and monitoring to
existing projects.
Learning opportunities for young people via formal programmes integrated with
school curricula and informal events sponsored outside school hours. We
continued to extend this work to local adult groups and organisations with a
focus on mental and physical wellbeing and learning disabilities but also to other
sectors of the community, e.g. Wild Women over 50 Project.
Active public engagement on environmental issues around rivers and
walerways and habitats and biodiversity generally with an increasing emphasis
on Climate Change adaptation, nutrient monitoring and building resilience.
Physical improvement and extended viability to the local streams and rivers in
respect of public accessibility and enjoyment. This includes a healthier and
sustainable wildlife habitat. This incorporates identifying, designing and
implementing a range of measures to restore, enhance and create aquatic and
terrestrial habitats using nature based solutions (NBS) and natural flood
management {NFMI techniques wherever possible within the Yeo and adjacent
Catchments.
The Charity completed further works on the Brympton and RYCCCARP projects during the
financial period. The projects numbering seven in total are described in the following section.
At the time of reporting, two projects are currently not being worked on, as they are
awaiting approvallclearance from sources external to the Yeovil Rivers Community Trust.
The trust employed one full-time and 6 part-time staff within the year to assist the delivery
of projects and provide administration capacity.
REGISTEREDCHARITYNUMBER'.1180724

Achievements and Performance
The following table itemises the major project activity undertaken by the Charity during the
reporting period.
Project
Identity
Description
Deliverables
Funding
Status
Completion
Dodham
Brook
Restoration
Further enhancement works in
the concrete flood channel are
planned for 2025126 et seq as
funding pemits. These will be
similar to features already
installed and
modificationslrepairs lo the
damaged macrophyte bays.
These are designed to fill
performance gaps arising from
the works in 2022- 2024 to
achieve the habitat and
connectivily objeclives of the
project. The focus of the
project has now changed lo
providing benefits for water
vole, reducing phosphorous
levels and providing NFM
benefits downstrearn. In view
of this, Project P001 has been
concluded in the 2024125
return period and the
respective project elements will
be divided between P008 and
P012.
100°/.
Project deliverables
will now be
undertaken via P008
and P012.
Nillcompleled
001
004
Restoration and long-lem
maintenance of Brympton
Pond.
Planned activity=
Development of a natural
pond which will be semi
incorporated into a proposed
business park development.
Futu￿ use and maintenance
to be planned.
Following discussion
within the YRCT, it is
considered thal the
site may be suitable
for Biodiversity Net
Gain C>ffsetting with
no public access.
Project currently on
hold while BNG
develops and
discussions can be
had with landowner
and developer.
Awaiting
landowners
agreement.
Project on hold
REGISTEREDCHARITYNUMBER'.1180724

{P0071
Brympton
Project-
Phase 2
range of habitat
nhancemenucreation
inlerventions in open green
spaces across the Brympton
Parish are to be delivered via
his new project phase.
Delivery commenced in the
2024125 year and is set to
continue beyond 2025126.
he planned interventions will
arget ponds, the Preston
Brook and other terrestrial
habitats. A small number of
activities were delivered in the
024125 period.
15.10
ctivilies at this
location have been
esigned in conjunction
ith Brympton Parish
ouncil. Activities to
nhan￿ one pond,
including digging new
crapes, tree
management lo reduce
hading and planting
plug plants were
undertaken by
olunteers supervised
by YRCT staff.
ddilional managemen
ctivilies, e.g.
egetation control in a
pond, scything of t811
ruderal vegetation and
maintenance of a
mplex habitat bank
ere also delivered at
nolher pond site.
An
environmental
fund has been
established by
the Parish
Council and
activities are
mainly funded
from this with a
small proportion
coming from
donations
received for
running
corporate
volunteer
sessions. Only
a small amount
of activity was
undertaken in
the period with
expenditure of
£2,226.46 and
income of
£2281.95
received.
More extensive
works, including
urban NFM
(leaky woody
dams} and
surface water
runoff
management
works and
meadow
creation are
planned for
2025126.
REGISTEREDCHARITYNUMBER'.1180724

006
Brimsmore housing
development.
Improvements and over811
enhancement ofthe SUDS
which will include:
stabilisation of water level
and improvements in its
quality-
Cleaning the outlet culvert and
stream which are severely
silted up.
No acts'vity
undertaken in the
reporting period.
Awaiting the
Somerset Council
adoption of the site
No budget in
place at this
time.
Project on hold
until site is
adopted by the
Somersel
Council. This
may be
complicated by
the move lo a
unitary
Somersel LA.
REGISTEREDCHARITYNUMBER'.1180724

008
Yeovil Country Park
(Ninespringsl Lake, Pond and
Water Vole habitat
Enhancement
The project aims to..
Create new aquatic habitats in
the lake and pond
The project will provide
valuable new and enhanced
aquatic habitats near the
centre of Yeovil which already
accommodate endangered
species. The proposed
enhancements will also
augment the works delivered
after the restoration of
Dodham Brook which runs
through the country park lo
the north of the lake and
pond. An optimised, resilient
network of
habitats will thereby be
created to support enhanced
biodiversily. The project area
was expanded during the
return period to include the
Upper Yeo catchment of
which the Dodham Brook
Catchmenl is a part. The
phosphale managerllent
element has also been
expanded accordingly. The
mitigation of phosphate
pollution can be achieved via
essentially Ihe same
inlerventions which would
benefit waler vole habitats.
75%
Funding was secured
or the phosphate
management element
hrough the
evelopmenl ofa
partnership with
essex Water in which
RCT assist them to
eliver their Phosphate
Reduction Programme
o landowners. A CSI
phosphate sampling
programme continues
in the Yeovil and other
parts of the Upper Yeo
alchment including
North Dorsel. Practical
orks, planned for
elivery in the Yeovil
ounlry Park lake and
pond in the 2024125
ear were delayed
hrough lack of
permissions and funds.
hese works, including
he creation of reed
beds, a water vole
bund and increasing
plant diversity in the
lake and pond, will now
be delivered in
025126. Activities in
024125 were limited to
urveys, eDNA
ampling and
refinement of project
esigns.
Total grants
amounting to
£5,230 were
secured in the
year.. Voltalia
£5000. Grant
expenditure
was focused on
purchasing
sampling
equipment,
carrying out
sampling and
surveys and
preparing
concept
designs for
interventions for
water vole
conservation
and
management of
phosphate.
Some funding
remains for
practical
delivery in
2025126.
Further grant
funding will be
applied for in
2025126 with a
target of £20-
35k from private
grant providers
and polenlially
a crowd funding
campaign.
REGISTEREDCHARITYNUMBER'.1180724

011
The Yeovil Wellbeing, Wildlife
and Water Community
Project continued lo be
developed.
Ongoing.
YRCT continues to
deliver activities
alongside Wessex
Water at their Sutton
Bingham site. These
include guided walks
and surveys. We
continue to work with
a2a lable2achieve}
and have extended
this to Cambian
(Lufton College) and
You Care We Care
Iyeovill lo deliver
activities to other
vulnerable adults
charities and their
service users.
Deliverables include
nature walks,
volunteering activities
(surveys, land
management, litter
picking, etc,).
Engagement
continues with
schools and other
community groups
and a specific project
for women over 50
was very successfully
concluded (Wild
Women Project).
Grant funding
secured from
The National
Lottery in
March 2024 for
£20,000 was
available for
the 2024125
period and a
further
£4,790.00 was
secured from
various
sources,
including
corporate days.
Further bids to
support this
ongoing work
will be
submitted lo
private grant
providers in
2025126
including a
further bid to
The National
Lollery for
£20,000 when
we become
eligible in
De￿mber
2025. We will
continue lo
expand the
income from
corporate
volunteering
days in the
2025126
ear.
REGISTEREDCHARITYNUMBER'.1180724
10

012
Upper River Yeo Catchment
Strategy with Natural Flood
Management {NFMI element.
The NFM project element
continued lo be mainly funded
through the Environment
Agency. Overall, the project
aims to prepare a detailed
catchment restoration plan for
implementing at the landscape
scale to address identified
environmental issues. The
NFM element is designed to
carry out co-ordinated works
within parts of the catchment
to build on the successful pilot
scheme delivered in 2022123.
The NFM sub-project
continues lo grow with more
landowners showing an
inlerest in implementing NFM
and Nature Based Solutions
generally and a further strand
has evolved in our work wilh
Wessex Water to deliver their
Phosphate Reduclion
Programme. This work will
commence from July 2025
and expand and continue until
April 2026.
Ongoing
The scale of the
project requires it to
be delivered in
phases. The phases
are synchronized
with the tax year as
this is the basis of
EA funding.
Extensive
stakeholder
engagement is
ongoing within the
River Wriggle and
Camlcaundle Brook
sub-catchments. The
number of
landowners in the
Wriggle River
Improvement Group
IWRIGI continues to
grow and up lo 8
sites are lookin9 to
accommodate NFM
interventions lo
mitigate potential
flooding and create
enhanced habitat
diversity. These
interventions are
also hugely
beneficial for
mitigating phosphate
issues. Further
practical works are
planned for further
phases and
stakeholder
engagement will be
expanded to new
stakeholders and
other sub-
catchments. Slow
but steady progress
is being made in
developing the Yeo
Catchment Strategy
with desktop analysis
extended to the
lower part of the
catchment. Funding
limitalions are the
main reason for the
slow progress in this
element. It is difficult
to attach a deadline
for completion of the
strategy for this
reason.
A £45,000
budget was
secured via the
EA for the
2024125
financial year.
Funding was
also secured
from the
Dorset
Council FIPL
scheme for
works in
AONBS. This
was not paid
directly to the
Trust as we
were not the
grant holder,
bul funds
were claimed
from third
party
landowners
On￿ works
had been
delivered.
YRCT
commenced
the
registration
process with
Wessex
Water to
provide paid
ServI￿S to
help them
deliver their
Phosphate
Reduction
Programme in
March 2025
and hope lo
commence
delivery later
in the
2025126 year
to generate
additional
income.
REGISTEREDCHARITYNUMBER'.1180724

Financial Review
At the end of the reporting period, the total income amounted to £83,372. The total
expenditure amounted to £62,197, thus making a surplus of £21,175. Cash carried
forward from the previous year of £47,858 gave a year end balance of £69,033.
The charity does not currently have any unallocated financial reseNes. The credit
balance at the end of this financial year represents unspent grant funds which are
committed to current projects according to the required expediency in maintaining
progress. We ￿nIZe the IMWrtan￿ of a reseNe to ￿ long4emi suslainalilty of the trust
Whenfurther funding has been secured and the prospect of a reserve being retained
becomes potentially viable, a discussion will be held among the trustees to agree the
amount of unrestricted funds which should be placed in a reserve.
Funds in deficit - None
REGISTEREDCHARITYNUMBER'.1180724
12

Financial Report
The financial stalus ofthe Yeovil Rivers Community Trusl forlhe period ending 31st March 2025
is shown in the Accounts Form CC16a for submission to the Charity Commission.
Report Prepared by: Lome Thomson (Chair- YRCT)
Signed
Date.. 2011012025
Report Approved by.. Josiah Knights (Trustee)
Signed
Date- 28110125
Definitions & Abbreviations
BPC
Brympton Parish Council
cio
Charitable Incorporated Organisation
EA
Environment Agency
FWAG
Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group
helophyte
plant which grows in marsh, partly submerged
HotSWEP
Heads of South West Local Business Groups
LDC
Land Drainage Consent
macrophyte aquatic plant that grows in or near water
PA
Planning Application
scc
Somerset County Council
SSDC
South Somerset District Council
SUDS
Sustainable Drainage Systems
YRCT
Yeovil Rivers Community Trust
YTC
Yeovil Town Council
REGISTEREDCHARITYNUMBER'.1180724
13

REGISTEREDCHARITYNUMBER'.1180724
14

Yeovll Rlvers Communlty Trust
CHARITY COMMISSION Receipts and payments accounts
FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES
.he period
from
CC16a
01-A r-24
To
31.M?r-25
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted
funds
to tho noarosl
Restrict8d
fund5
Endowment
fund5
Total fund5
Last year
to tho tho8r68t£
to tho thoar6¥t £
to Iho no¥ro8t£
A1 Recelpts
Donations
Grants
Service
1,825
1,825
74,378
7.169
121
102,577
350
74,378
7.169
Sub total(Gross
income forAR)
A2 ￿$set and
investment sales, (see
tsblel.
8,994
74,378
63,372
103,IMB
Sub total
83,372
103 048
A3Pa
ents
Insuranc8
Consutancy Fees
Data & SeNices Supply
Water samples analysis
Handlools & Protective
400
395
19,930
10,823
2SO
1,359
10,823
250
1,359
883
Websil8lmedia
Is￿lIaneOuS lexpenses
Project SI￿ Works
Staff wage￿PAYEIPe￿SiO￿s
462
462
1,ODO
9.971
37,049
62,197
1.000
9,9T1
35,22B
59.514
I,SOO
83,353
67,501
174,694
1,821
2,683
Sub total
A4 Asset and
investment pur¢ha$e$,
Isee table)
Sub total
Total payments
174 694
>f receiptsl(paymentsJ
A5 Transfers between
A6 Cash funds last year
h funds this year end
3.022
3,022
119504
7845629-2 IYRCT Aecounls 2024-2025 s￿n￿dI
0910112026
CC168 R1 acGOUnts ISSI

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Unrestrlcted
fun(Is
to n*¥ro8t£
Restrlcted
funds
to tboaro$t£
Endowment
funds
C*egories
Details
81 Cash funds
Bank Current Account
11,154
57.879
Bank Reserve Account
Cash in hand
Total cash funds
11,154
57,879
lagreE b&LgnEESWlth receipts and payrnents
accountlsll
Unrestricted
funds
to nearest£
Restricted
funds
to nearest£
Endowment
funds
lo nearest £
Details
Balance ol SCC Climate Emergency
Community FuDd £7058 (grant £22,400
+£542-£22942 (Additlonal re¢eived o
B2 Other monetary
assets
Fund to which
•ssèt bèlon
Details
Cost (op￿Onall
Current value
B3 Investment assets
Fund to which
•8¥Ot bolon
Unrestricied
Current value
Detall$
Cost lopdonall
B4 Assets retained
for tha charity's own
use
General & specialised h2nd￿OIS
Prolecbve ckithing
UDrestrict
283
Fund to whi¢h
relates
knourit
WThon
Details
B5 Llabllltles
Signed by one or two
trustees on b8half Df sll th8
trusle8s
Signature
Print Name
Date of
approval
Lorne Thomson
2011012025
Josiah Kni
hts
2011012025
7845629-2 IYRCT Aecounls 2024-2025 s￿n￿dI
0910112026
CC168 R2 acGOUnts ISSI

Yeovil Rivers Community Trust
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees
For the Year Ended 31 March 2025
Albert
Goodman
Independent examiners report to the Trustees of Yeovil Rivers Comrnunity Trust
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts for Yeovil Rivers Community Trust I'the charily'l for
the year ended 31 March 2025.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with
the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 1.the 2011 Act"l-
I report in respect of my examination of the charity's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and
in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission
under section 14515llbl of the 2011 Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come lo my attention in connection
with the examination giving me cause lo believe that in any material respect..
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the
2011 Act., or
2. the accounts do not comply with these records
I have no concerns and have come acmss no other matters in connection with the examination to which
attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be
reached.
Michelle Ferris BSC IHonsl FCA DChA
Albert Goodman LLP
Chartered Accounlanls
G(x)dwood House
Blackbrook Park Avenue
Taunton
Somerset
TA12PX
Date.. 15 January 2026