## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From: 1[st] October 2024 To: 30[th] September 2025** ## **Charity name: The Society of Brownfield Risk Assessment (SoBRA) Charity registration number: 1180875** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||**SORP**
**reference**|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|1. To support technical excellence in the
assessment, estimation & evaluation of
risks and associated uncertainties from land
affected by contaminants;
2. To encourage best practice in the practical
applications of risk assessment to
support decisions regarding the appropriate
management of land contamination;
3. To facilitate and widen access to the
dissemination of knowledge regarding risk
assessment which will benefit members
and the wider public;
4. To form relationships and work in a
constructive manner with other
organisations and professional bodies
involved in land contamination and
remediation, as well as the environmental
sciences in general;
5. To assist in the development of future
guidance, either through coordinated
responses to consultation documents or by
providing direct input to guidance;
6. To identify areas of future research that
would benefit the assessment of land
contamination; and
7. To co-ordinate and encourage such
research and where appropriate identify
funding/funding partnerships to support it.| |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|•
Early Careers webinar series
•
Summer Workshop on advanced DQRA
(July)
•
Winter conference (December) joint with
Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) (hybrid
event – in person and online to improve
accessibility to members)
•
Collaboration on National Quality Mark
Scheme (NQMS) Steering Group
•
Collaboration and National Brownfield
Forum (NBF)| Confidential |||•
Part of the Soil and Groundwater
Technology Association (SAGTA) Category
4 Screening Level (C4SL) Phase 2 Steering
Group
•
Two SoBRA Accreditation Scheme
windows and ratification of newly accredited
members
•
Continued work within the SoBRA NAPL,
ground gases and radon, and controlled
waters & climate change subgroups, and
associated publications throughout the
year.
•
Commenced a new sub-group on vapour
intrusion and risk assessment.
•
Collaboration with Geological Society, IES
and RemSoc to support a joint Early
Careers networking event (June).| |---|---|---| |Statement confirming whether
the trustees have had regard to
the guidance issued by the
Charity Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|Yes. the trustees have had regard to the
guidance issued by the Charity Commission on
public benefit.| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||**SORP**
**reference**|| |---|---|---| |Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|The eligibility criteria, application process and
prioritisation criteria for bursaries, scholarships
and research grants are laid out on the
SoBRA.org.uk website.| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|There is no mechanism currently available for
social investment, other than through trustee
discussions and formal amendment to the
society financial procedures.| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|The society is run entirely by volunteers whose
activities include executive committee meetings
and conference calls, conference organisation
and subgroup work/support. The subgroups are
also comprised of society member volunteers.
Without volunteers, SoBRA would cease to
exist.| |Other||N/A| Confidential ## **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|One of SoBRA’s objectives is to form
relationships and work in a collaborative
manner with other organisations and
professional bodies.
The trustees confirmed SoBRA would support
groups where SoBRA was part of the Steering
Group (NQMS, Phase 2 C4SLs, NBF) and the
trustees have attended meetings and
contributed to them.
The trustees are actively looking for and are
open to supporting other forums where
appropriate. Being part of these groups has a
positive impact and a benefit to public and
society as a whole. The trustees and SoBRA
members have been building and maintaining
these relationships for several years, creating
trust and collaborative working.| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||**SORP**
**reference**|| |---|---|---| |Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|The trustees set a number of specific objectives
this year, including the annual summer and
winter conferences, early careers webinar
series, and support of the various working
groups. These have all been achieved.| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives set|Para 1.41|Funds are generated through membership fees
and conference fees. SoBRA has a carefully
considered bursary, scholarship, and research
grant system with which to utilise surplus funds
and are working towards building a sufficient
sum for this to be meaningful.
Two research grants were awarded in August
2025. No payments were made during this
reporting period.
The society did not run at a loss during the
period and was therefore a successful year.| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|Not relevant.| |Other||N/A| Confidential ## **Financial Review** ||**SORP**
**reference**|| |---|---|---| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end of
the period|Para 1.21|The charity is in a positive financial position.| |Statement explaining the policy
for holding reserves stating
why they are held|Para 1.22|One of SoBRA’s purposes is to lead/arrange
conferences/workshops, support learning and
development in brownfield risk assessment and
the trustees have an objective to ensure the
society has money to do so.
Funds are required to pay for upfront costs
associated with the conferences/ workshops/
events/ support the accreditation scheme and
cover the costs of events that do not break
even.
SoBRA also has a bursary, scholarship and
research grant system to ensure that funds are
spent on areas which would advance and
promote the society purpose/objectives. Holding
funds so that they can be utilised in this way is
in accordance with the SoBRA financial
procedures governing document.| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|£77k with £50k committed spend on research
grants for 2025/2026.| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|NA| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|NA| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the charity
continuing as a going concern|Para 1.23|NA| **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||**SORP**
**reference**|| |---|---|---| |The charity’s principal sources
of funds (including any
fundraising)|Para 1.47|Funds are generated through membership
contributions, the accreditation scheme and
conference/workshop profit.| |Investment policy and
objectives including any social
investment policy adopted|Para 1.46|There is no investment.| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|If the membership drops below a critical level,
then the society will be unable to meet its
objective and will naturally fold.
Likewise, if there are insufficient volunteers to
deliver the required objectives, the society will
fold. This is actively monitored by the executive
committee at committee meetings.
Financial risks are considered and actions to
mitigate risks are decided during the quarterly
meetings, or during meetings/calls convened for
that purpose.| |Other||N/A| Confidential ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |**Description of charity’s**
**trusts:**||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|Constitution (association model)| |How is the charity constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|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|New trustees are invited to nominate
themselves on an annual basis – the number of
new trustees depends on the number of gaps
on the board of trustees (in accordance with the
constitution).
Applicants must be seconded by another
member and must provide a short biography
explaining who they are and why they would be
an excellent trustee. Where there are more
applicants than spaces, the whole society
membership is invited to vote (a simple majority
vote).
New trustees are elected prior to, and
confirmed at, the December AGM.| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**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|As detailed in the constitution. Relevant matters
are discussed in the first executive committee
(trustee) meeting following the AGM.| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the charity
works|Para 1.51|Whilst SoBRA networks with other
organisations to meet our objectives, SoBRA is
an independent organisation to others.| |Relationship with any related
parties|Para 1.51|SoBRA works alongside other charitable
organisations on occasions in the spirit of
collaborative working. Should it be necessary,
SoBRA will form a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to clearly define roles and
responsibilities for the delivery of the objective
(e.g. conference, workshop).| |Other||N/A| ## **Reference and Administrative details** |**Charity name**|Society of Brownfield Risk Assessment| |---|---| |**Other name the charity uses**|SoBRA| |**Registered charity number**|1180875| |**Charity’s principal address**|c/o Soilfix, 10 St Martin's Industrial Park, Avonmouth BS11 0RS| Confidential **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity Oct 24-Sept 25** |**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not**
**for whole year**|**Name of person (or body)**
**entitled to appoint trustee**
**(ifany)**| |---|---|---|---| |Kate Baker|Chair(2025)||| |Jo Wilding|Chair (2024)
Out-goingChair(2025)||| |Rachel Dewhurst|Treasurer||| |Melinda Evans|Secretary||| |Tim Rolfe|Data Protection Officer||| |Fiona Townley|Membership and
Website Co-Ordinator||| |Lawrence Bowden||Until 31stDecember
2024|| |GregGibson|||| |Sarah Bannon|IncomingSecretary||| |Melanie Lyons|||| |Sarah Harris neé
Poulton||From 1stJanuary
2025|| ||||| ||||| ||||| – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name** None Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity |**Trustee name**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|| |---|---|---| |None||| |||| |||| |||| |||| |||| Confidential ## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** Description of the assets held None in this capacity Name and objects of the charity None on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for None 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**||| |**None**||| |||| |||| |||| **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details N/A ## **Other optional information** N/A Confidential **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)**|Kate Baker|Sarah Bannon|| |**Position**|Chair|Incoming Secretary|| ||30thJanuary 2025||| |**Date**|30thJanuary 2025||| Confidential ## **Date** from 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025 |2024-2025
**£19,019.62**
**Paypal**
**£3,873.09**
**£40,322.94**
**Income**
2024-2025
£670.00
£10,550.00
£4,700.00
£315.00
£1,400.00
£187.50
£1,470.02
£9,149.99
Lloyds Bank Inconvience Payments
Interest on Savings Account
£1,241.31
**£29,683.82**
2024-2025
£200.00
£700.83
£5,228.00
£6,929.89
£352.99
£216.32
£1,800.00
£174.00
£50.00
**£15,652.03**
**£77,247.44**
**£34,600.93**
**£1,082.26**
**£41,564.25**
**£77,247.44**
**Savings Account**
**Opening / End of 2023/24 Year Balance (at bank close 30/9/24)**
Membership Fees (Not for Profit)
Membership Fees (Standard)
Membership Fees (Accreditated)
Membership Fees (Accreditated - NFP)
Accreditation Fees
Joint December RSC Event (direct payments)
Joint December RSC Event (50% of profit)
Summer Conference Income
**Total Income**
Committee Expenses (marketing, travel to meetings)
**Expenditure**
Refunds
Paypal Fees
Website
Summer Workshop 2025
Christmas Conference
Insurance
Scholarship/Bursary
Scrutineering Expenses
Support to Specialist Groups
**Total Expenditure**
**Current Balance**
**Cash in bank at end 30/9/25**
**Balance on paypal at end 30/9/25**
**Balance in Savings Account at end 30/9/25**|2023-2024| |---|---| ||**£47,586.77**
**£6,210.31**
2023/2024| ||£590.00
£10,690.00
£4,725.00
£280.00
£2,370.00
£75.00
£1,109.54
£50.00
£322.94
**£20,212.48**
2023/2024| ||£150.00
£727.22
£4,963.00
£327.20
£210.85
£1,838.00
£2,400.00
£177.64
**£10,793.91**
**£63,215.65**
**£19,019.62**
**£3,873.09**
**£40,322.94**
**£63,215.65**| # Confidential ## **2024-2025** ## **Year End Auditors Report** ## **1. Non-executive Auditor 2024-2025** My name is Dr Tatiana Cocerva, and I have volunteered to audit the Society of Brownfield Risk Assessment (SoBRA) accounts for the period 1st October 2024 - 30th September 2025. Currently, I work as an Environmental Consultant at WSP UK Ltd. As part of my role, I manage purchase orders, review and process invoices, and regularly scrutinise project financial records and accounts spreadsheets to ensure consistency and accuracy. ## **2. Documents submitted for audit** The following documents have been submitted by SoBRA's Treasurer, Rachel Dewhurst, for scrutiny in 2025: - Combined SoBRA income and balance sheet and PayPal balance sheets in Excel format (October 2024 - September 2025); - Payment records (scanned documents) for the period October 2024 - September 2025; and - Bank statements for the period October 2024 - September 2025 (scanned documents - Lloyds Bank Account No. 13943560). ## **3. Audit process** The audit has been carried out through the reconciliation of account spreadsheets with bank statements, invoices and other documentation as outlined above. ## **4. Audit findings** The income and balance spreadsheet presents current account entries and PayPal activity in an easyto-audit format. Documents scrutinised correlate with the balance sheets submitted for audit. The manner in which documents have been produced and managed would appear to be in accordance with the Financial Procedures of SoBRA. ## **5. Declaration** The declaration below is provided in recognition of the audited accounts for SoBRA for the year ending 30th September 2025. I confirm that the records are correct and comply with SoBRA's procedures. Please note this audit is a 'good will' informal audit, undertaken in order to verify the approximate status of SoBRA accounts. This audit is not intended to constitute a formal accounts audit for submission in relation to tax. Any such audit should be undertaken by a specialist accountancy practitioner. |Please note this audit is a 'good will' informal audit, undertaken in order to verify the approximate
status of SoBRA accounts. This audit is not intended to constitute a formal accounts audit for
submission in relation to tax. Any such audit should be undertaken by a specialist accountancy
practitioner.|Please note this audit is a 'good will' informal audit, undertaken in order to verify the approximate
status of SoBRA accounts. This audit is not intended to constitute a formal accounts audit for
submission in relation to tax. Any such audit should be undertaken by a specialist accountancy
practitioner.|Please note this audit is a 'good will' informal audit, undertaken in order to verify the approximate
status of SoBRA accounts. This audit is not intended to constitute a formal accounts audit for
submission in relation to tax. Any such audit should be undertaken by a specialist accountancy
practitioner.|Please note this audit is a 'good will' informal audit, undertaken in order to verify the approximate
status of SoBRA accounts. This audit is not intended to constitute a formal accounts audit for
submission in relation to tax. Any such audit should be undertaken by a specialist accountancy
practitioner.| |---|---|---|---| ||||| |I, the undersigned, certify that the account documentation viewed for the Society of Brownfield Risk
Assessment appears to be a correct record and complywith the Financial Procedures of SoBRA|||| |Non-executive Auditor|**Signature**|**Print Name**|**Date**| |||Dr Tatiana Cocerva|8 December 2025|