2025-08-31-accounts - The Friends Of Sun Rising

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date Period end date 01 09 2024 31 08 2025

From

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name The Friends of Sun Rising The Friends of Sun Rising Natural Burial Ground Other names charity is known by and Nature Reserve, The Friends Registered charity number (if any) 1181570 Charity's principal address 8 Welchman Place Tysoe Warwick Postcode CV35 0SU

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

----- Start of picture text -----
Dates acted if not for Name of person (or body) entitled
Trustee name Office (if any)
whole year to appoint trustee (if any)
1 Belou Fox-Furniss
2 Bruce Chatterton Chair
3 David Orr Membership Secretary
4 Emma Restall Orr Treasurer
5 Dawn Short
6 Jane Townsend Secretary
7 Martin Head From 28/04/2025
8
9
10
----- End of picture text -----

Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

Name Dates acted if not for whole year

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser Name Address

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

March 2012

TAR

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document

(eg. trust deed, constitution)

[Constitution, adopted 15 January 2019 ]

How the charity is constituted

(eg. trust, association, company)

[Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) ]

Trustee selection methods

(eg. appointed by, elected by)

[Trustees are appointed by existing trustees ]

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;

The Friends of Sun Rising works closely with Nature Reserve Burial Grounds Ltd (NRBG), who owns the land.

Trustees Emma Restall Orr and David Orr are owners and directors of Nature Reserve Burial Grounds Ltd.

the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
relationship with any related parties;
trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.

March 2012

TAR

Section C Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)	1. To provide and maintain, or assist in the provision and maintenance, of a natural burial ground at Sun Rising Natural Burial Ground and Nature Reserve for the public benefit. 2. To promote for the benefit of the public the conservation protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment at Sun Rising Natural Burial Ground and Nature Reserve, in particular by promoting biological diversity.
	In planning activities for the year, the trustees have considered the Commission’s guidance on public benefit. A key focus of many activities is fundraising, because growing a capital fund is central to achieving the charity’s objects in the long term. Main activities undertaken: 1. Management of membershipsubscriptions and donations, which make a significant contribution to fundraising. 2. Organisation and support ofeventsto do one or more of the following:  raise funds.  support family and friends of those buried or remembered at Sun Rising.  develop the site as a nature reserve.  promote interest in the site as a developing nature reserve. 3. Maintenance and development of fundraisingprojects. This includes merchandise, some of which is created by trustees and funded by the charity, for sale to the public. Other products are donated, at no cost to the charity, to be sold in aid of the charity. 4. Support forvolunteer-led initiativesto further the objects of The Friends.

Summary of the objects of the
charity set out in its
governing document
Summary of the main
activities undertaken for the
public benefit in relation to
these objects (include within
this section the statutory
declaration that trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit)

1. To provide and maintain, or assist in the provision and maintenance,
of a natural burial ground at Sun Rising Natural Burial Ground and
Nature Reserve for the public benefit.
2. To promote for the benefit of the public the conservation protection
and improvement of the physical and natural environment at Sun
Rising Natural Burial Ground and Nature Reserve, in particular by
promoting biological diversity.

In planning activities for the year, the trustees have considered the
Commission’s guidance on public benefit.
A key focus of many activities is fundraising, because growing a capital
fund is central to achieving the charity’s objects in the long term.
Main activities undertaken:
1. Management of membershipsubscriptions and donations, which
make a significant contribution to fundraising.
2. Organisation and support ofeventsto do one or more of the
following:

raise funds.

support family and friends of those buried or remembered at
Sun Rising.

develop the site as a nature reserve.

promote interest in the site as a developing nature reserve.
3. Maintenance and development of fundraisingprojects. This includes
merchandise, some of which is created by trustees and funded by the
charity, for sale to the public. Other products are donated, at no cost
to the charity, to be sold in aid of the charity.
4. Support forvolunteer-led initiativesto further the objects of The
Friends.

Support for volunteer-led initiatives to further the objects of The Friends. Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

You may choose to include We are lucky to have a strong community of volunteers, whose desire to further statements, where get involved is fuelled by their connection to the site, it being the final relevant, about: resting place of loved family and friends.  policy on grantmaking; Other volunteers are enthused by the creation, development and  policy programme related successes of the growing nature reserve. investment; Volunteers get involved to help maintain and develop the burial ground  contribution made by and nature reserve, to help raise funds for the long-term care of the site, volunteers. and to share support and company with others who have experienced loss or are moving through grief.

Over the year, volunteers contributed about 480 hours in total, through the volunteer group of 20 members who come once a month, through the volunteer mailing list of 82 individuals, and the general mailing list.

March 2012

TAR

Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

Overview

Below follows an abridged version of the Trustees’ Annual Report, presented to the AGM on Saturday 13 September 2025. It covers the charity’s main achievements and activities during the year.

A PDF copy of the full, illustrated report can be viewed at https://sunrising.co.uk/friends-of-sun-rising/agm-2025/.

Any small variations in figures from those presented at the AGM or from previous year’s annual return are due to ongoing improvement in the accuracy of analysis and reporting.

The Fund

Cash Fund: at the end of the year, the cash fund stood at £197k, compared with £148k the previous year. Net total income for the year was £49.6k, compared with £35.4k the previous year. Investment Porfolio : at the end of the year, the reported value of investments was £103.4k, showing an average growth of 4.6% pa.

Subscriptions: The number of individuals who subscribe as Friends remains healthy. At the end of the year, the total number of subscribing Friends stood at 386, compared with 371 the previous year.

Fundraising Regulator : The Friends renewed its membership of the Fundraising Regulator.

General Events

Events, led by trustees and volunteers, were all well received. These included:

Planting Weekend , October 2024: for planting bulbs and perennials. There was good trade on the Friends’ stall, including wildflower seed packs. The Memory Tree , in the Longhouse throughout December 2024: raised £575 Christmas in the Longhouse, December 2024: raised £588 from the refreshments, tombola and donations. Through all December’s events, the Friends’ stall made £2,806 profit. Funeral Workshops, March 2025: raised £140 in donations. Open Day , May 2025: raised £296 on refreshments and donations, and the Friends’ stall made £308 profit. Tysoe Parish Assembly , May 2025: the Friends’ stall made £45 profit. Roll of Remembrance , June 2025: raised £317 on refreshments and donations, and the Friends’ stall made £268 profit. Watercolour Painting Day , July 2025: raised £315. An Evening with Anton Lesser , July 2025: raised £1,189. Tysoe Flower Show , August 2025: the Friends’ stall made £118 profit. Nature Events are paid for by donation, with half the donations going to the charity. The other half goes to the burial company, ringfenced for ecological development of the nature reserve. Events this past year raised £248 for the charity and included:

March 2012

TAR

Section D Achievements and performance Fungi Walk , October 2024 Winter Birds , January 2025 Making Insect Hotels , April 2025 Spring at Sun Rising , April 2025 Spring Birdsong , May 2025 Moth Night , May 2025 Flora Walk and Survey , June 2025 Insect Week and Spider Survey , June 2025 Butterfly Walk , July 2025. Externally organised events : A trustee gave a talk given to the Banbury Cross Players , October 2024, with £170 paid to the charity. A schedule of events will be established for next year.

Product Sales and Projects Below is a summary of funds raised from current projects, with additional notes about progress or scope. Donated Products: Candles: £833 raised since 2023. Birdboxes: £166 raised since 2023. Jams, Jellies and Chutneys : £6,424 raised since 2018. Hare Purses : £1,148 raised since 2018. Sun Rising Perennial Calendar: £2,812 raised since 2020. Homemade Marmalade : £40 raised this year. Adderstone Necklaces : £54 raised this year. Traded Products, where totals are affected by direct costs: Sun Rising Honey: £4,661 raised since 2012. Summer Tea Towel : £1,256 raised since 2018 Children’s Book : £354 since 2019. Sun Rising Jute Bags £118 since 2022, with stock just bought in. Hare Key Rings: £107 raised since 2019, with stock just bought in. Hare Lapel Pins : £980 since 2015, with stock just bought in. Sun Rising Cards : £6,161 since 2012. Wildflower Seed Packs : £130 raised since 2023.

Section E Financial review

Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves

The Friends’ current policy on reserves: (a) keep a balance of around £5,000 in unrestricted funds in the current account. (b) transfer amounts over £5,000 into an easy access deposit account in order to earn some interest. (c) once the amount in the deposit account reaches an appropriate sum, invest safely in a financial product such as a fixed term bond in order to earn higher interest. (d) ensure that funds are always held with financial organisations that are covered by the FSCS, and that funds held with any one organisation does not exceed the FSCS limit of £85,000. The purpose is to grow a capital fund to ensure an income for the management of the site as a nature reserve once it is no longer generating an income as a burial ground.

March 2012

TAR

This fund must be sufficient to provide protection for the site, continuing to develop and maintain it as an ecologically valuable nature reserve, and a place which continues to honour those who have been laid to rest there.

Details of any funds materially in deficit

Not applicable

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);

Investment Policy :

The Friends has a policy of investing only in organisations with an explicit ethical policy. At this point, safe investments are favoured, even at the expense of higher interest.

how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.

Section F Other optional information

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Emma Restall Orr Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc)[Treasurer ]

Date 30/9/2025

March 2012

TAR

----- Start of picture text -----
The Friends of Sun Rising 1181570
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period
01/09/2024 To 31/08/2025
from
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds Last year
funds funds funds
to the nearest
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
£
A1 Receipts
Donation from NRBG 9,096 - - 9,096 -
Donations 19,135 - - 19,135 -
Subscriptions 5,370 - - 5,370 -
Events 4,511 - - 4,511 -
Gift Aid 6,201 - - 6,201 -
Projects 3,598 - - 3,598 -
Interest 6,477 - - 6,477 -
- - - - -
Sub total (Gross income for
54,388 - - 54,388 -
AR)
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 54,388 - - 54,388 -
A3 Payments
Events 697 - - 697 -
Projects 2,825 - - 2,825 -
Overheads 1,141 - - 1,141 -
Bank Charges (Zettle) 89 - - 89 -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total [ 4,752 ] - - 4,752 -
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
Total payments 4,752 - - 4,752 -
Net of receipts/(payments) 49,636 - - 49,636 -
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end 147,457 285 - 147,742 -
Cash funds this year end 197,093 285 - 197,378 -
----- End of picture text -----

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

24/02/2026

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B1 Cash funds CCXX R2 accounts (SS)	Details Investment Fund 1 Investment Fund 2 Details *Total cash funds* (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Current Account 1 Current Account 2 Saving Account 1 Details Details Details Bond 1 Saving Account 2 Saving Account 3 Signature 2	Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 4,526 285 198 - 65,472 8,658 62,580 55,659 - 197,093 285 OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name David Orr	Endowment funds to nearest £ - - -
			-
			OK
			Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - Current value (optional) - - - - - - - - - When due (optional) Date of approval 24/02/2026

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGL4ND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of ChaFily Naine The Friends of Sun Rising On aGGounts for the year ended 31" August 2025 Charity no (if any} 1181570 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounls of the above charity ("the Trust.) for the year ended 3110812025. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparalion of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 I'the Act.). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust'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 145151{b) of Ihe Ad. Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examinerfs statement come to my altention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act., or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records., or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements Conrning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fair, view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding oflhe accounts to be reached. Signed: Date: 08112125 Name: Frederick William Buxton Relevant professional qualification{s) or body lif any): Institute of Chartered Accountants England & Wales Membership # 1623631 Address: 5 Granby Road, Honington Shipston-on-stour Warwickshire, CV36 SAB

Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs lo highlight material matters of Con[ (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidan¢e for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. No items to be disclosed.

CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLANO ANO WALES Th8 Friends of Sun Rising 1181570 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the perlod from 0110912024 To 3110812025 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted fund¥ Restricted fun(ts Endowmenl funds Total funds Last year to the ngarest to th• noarest£ to tho nearest£ to the ngar8st£ iothe n8aro8t £ A1 Recei Oonabon from NRBG Donabolls Subscriptions Events Gitt Aid Proie¢ts Interest 9,096 19,135 5,370 4.511 19.135 5.370 4.511 6.201 3,598 6.4TT 3.598 6,477 Sub total(Gross income for ARJ 54.3B6 A2 Asset and Snvestment sal•s. 18ee table). Sub total Total receipts $4,388 A3 Pa mènts Eveni8 Projects Overheads Bank Charges Izetllel 697 2,825 697 2,825 89 89 Sub total 4,752 4,752 A4 Asset anil Investment urchasès, see table Sub total 4.752 4,752 Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers beeen funds A6 Cash funds last year ènd Cash fvnds thls year end 49.636 49,636 147.457 197.093 285 147,742 197,378 285

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrgstrictsd funds to noare¥t £ Re8trlcted funds Endowment funds to nearest£ Categorie5 Details to nearest£ B1 Cash funds CurrentAccounl 1 526 285 Current Account 2 198 Bond 1 65,472 Saving Account 1 Saving Account 2 Saving Account 3 8,658 62.580 55,659 Total cash funds 197.093 285 Iwg balawe$wth r*1Sand paymeN5 2ccouniis}I Llnrostricted fund to rwrest£ Restricted funds to nearest£ Endowment funds to near•st£ Details B2 Other monetary assets Futhd towhich a55et belon Cost loptlonall Currentvalue onal Details Investment Fund 1 B3 Investment assets Investrnent Fund 2 Fund towhlch asset belon C¢)tst loptilinall CuNent value Details B4 Assets retalned for the charity's own uso Fund towhich r•l8¢•8 Arnount dup onal When due on81 Details B5 Liabilities Signed by one or trustses on behalf of all the Iruslees Date of rov81 Signature Print Name David Orr