## **FRIENDS OF COTTERIDGE PARK**
## **ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS 2025**
Friends of Cotteridge Park is a registered charity in England and Wales - 1181644
## **TABLE OF CONTENTS**
|**Introduction, Objectives & Activities**|PAGE 3|
|---|---|
|**Chair’s Report**|PAGE 4|
|**Achievements & Performance**|PAGE 5|
|Volunteering in Cotteridge Park||
|Partnerships||
|Impact - Young People||
|Impact - Over 50s||
|**Financial Review**|PAGE 9|
|**Future Plans**|PAGE 10|
|**Structure and Governance**|PAGE 11|
|**Reference & Administrative Details**|PAGE 11|
|**Independent Examiners’ Report**|PAGE 13|
|**Statement of Financial Activities**|PAGE 14|
|**Balance Sheet**|PAGE 15|
|**Notes to the Financial Statements**|PAGE 16|
|**Principal Accounting Policies**|PAGE 16|
**Friends of Cotteridge Park Report 2025**
**3**
## **INTRODUCTION**
**The trustees are pleased to present their Annual Report and Accounts for the year ending 31 December 2025**
## **OBJECTIVES & ACTIVITIES**
The charity’s public benefit objectives, following guidance from the Charity Commission, are contained in its Constitution and are:
For the benefit of the inhabitants of the surrounding area of Cotteridge Park and visitors to the area (“the beneficiaries”)
The promotion of the provision of facilities for the education, recreation and other leisure time occupation in the interests of social welfare with the object of improving the conditions of life for the beneficiaries without the distinction of sex or of political, religious or other opinions in particular but not exclusively by:
a.The promotion, support and improvement of Cotteridge Park
b.Organising programmes of physical, educational, creative and other activities in the interests of social welfare, primarily in and around the park.
In 2025 these activities have included opportunities for physical activity, art and craft, social, musical, science and performances; so that our community can thrive.
**Friends of Cotteridge Park Annual Report 2025**
**4**
## **CHAIR’S REPORT**
## **Making a difference to people’s lives**
Welcome to our Annual Report for the year ending 31 December 2025. We hope it gives you a real sense of what makes Cotteridge Park so special and why so many people give their time, energy and support to help it thrive.
At its heart, Friends of Cotteridge Park is about people. Whether it's neighbours meeting for a coffee at The Shed, young people discovering new skills at our youth club, or dedicated volunteers tending the gardens whatever the weather. The park is a place where genuine connections are made and community spirit flourishes.
This year has been one to be proud of. Volunteering has grown, new partnerships have blossomed, and long-planned improvements to the park are finally coming to life. None of this would be possible without the extraordinary generosity of our funders, partners and volunteers — to whom we are deeply grateful.
We hope this report reflects not just what we've achieved, but the warmth and dedication of everyone involved. Cotteridge Park belongs to its community, and it is that community — people just like you — that makes it the wonderful place it is. We're so glad you're part of it.
“You guys helped me through tough times when I thought I was alone in the world and gave me hope when I didn’t think there was hope” Young Shed volunteer
“My son started volunteering as part of his Duke of Edinburgh award and he enjoyed it so much he’s going to keep gardening. It’s great to see him outdoors and mixing with people of all ages.” Parent of a young volunteer
CoCoMAD 2025
**Friends of Cotteridge Park Annual Report 2025**
## **ACHIEVEMENTS & PERFORMANCE**
## **Volunteering Commitment Grows**
We are very pleased to report that the number of people willing to give their time to make Cotteridge Park the heart of the community continues to grow. There has been a 7% increase in the number of volunteer hours recorded from 2024 to 2025.
**£114,285**
Value of Volunteer Time January - December 2025*
**8497**
Number of Volunteer Hours Recorded January - December 2025
- Gardening, conservation and grounds maintenance
- Running The Shed - from making and serving drinks to marketing and pricing
- Supporting school visits
- Fundraising - volunteers are instrumental in gathering donations, writing funding bids and recruiting sponsors
- Managing the charity - governance, strategy, policies and finances
- Events - from planning CoCoMAD to being in the band for the Wassail
“Giving and taking in equal part and never feeling as if you’ve let anyone down, you can’t beat it” Mary, Gardening and CoCoMAD volunteer
**5**
**Friends of Cotteridge Park Annual Report 2025**
*Calculated using RealLiving Wage 2025
**6**
## **PARTNERSHIPS**
In 2025 we have continued to develop new projects with local community organisations.
## **BIRMINGHAM BIKE POLO**
Birmingham Hard Court Bike Polo first made their home in Cotteridge Park in 2020.
The club members were instrumental in helping to plan the refurbishment of the hard courts - kindly donating landscape architect time so that the courts met the needs of the wide variety of users.
In January 2025 they held Cotteridge Park’s inaugural Bike Polo tournament with 40 players from across the UK. July 2025 saw a visit from the European Bike Polo tour for a 2 day tournament with 14 teams with players from UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Czech Republic and Poland (plus a player from Mexico)
The Cotteridge Park volunteer team were on hand to provide early morning breakfasts.
For local players there are weekly open sessions on Wednesdays and Sunday as well as beginners courses.
**Friends of Cotteridge Park Report 2025**
**HOW COTTERIDGE PARK MAKES A DIFFERENCE**
## **IMPACT**
## **COTTERIDGE PARK YOUTH CLUB**
Youth clubs across the country are under threat. Since 2010 1,243 youth clubs closed across England and Wales and Birmingham's recent financial difficulties have made the situation worse.
It is a priority, for the volunteers that look after the park, that we provide safe, inclusive activities for the next generation of park volunteers and users.
Our free youth club for 10-13 year olds is now well established. Here are the results from the monitoring.
All the credit for the success of the youth club goes to our partners at Inuity
## **Engagement & Enjoyment**
- 100% of participants said they: enjoy coming feel welcome and safe would recommend to friends
## **Youth Voice & Agency**
100% of participants said their ideas and opinions are listened to
## **Motivation & Aspiration**
- 89% said the sessions make them want to do their best
- 100% are motivated to come back
- 67% said they’ve thought more about what they’d like to do in the future
## **SEMH & Wellbeing**
## **Skills & Confidence**
89% feel they’ve learned new skills, are confident to try new things
## **Social and Emotional Development**
- 78% said they’ve made new friends and work well as a team 67% said they handle disagreements better now
- 100% said coming to the sessions makes them feel happier or calmer
- 89% said they can talk to staff if they are upset or worried
- 100% said they feel supported by staff
## **Inclusion & Belonging**
100% feel they belong at the session
## **What Participants Enjoy About Cotteridge Park Youth Club**
Seeing Friends - Meeting New People - Chatting - Sports (especially in the Summer) - Board Games - Art Activities - Having Fun - Socialising - Spending Time With Staff
## **What Participants Think Could Make Cotteridge Park Youth Club Better**
A bit quieter - Go on for longer - More in depth craft activities eg crochet - “It’s perfect the way it is”
**7**
**Friends of Cotteridge Park Report 2025**
## **IMPACT**
## **GETTING ON AT THE SHED - MEET THE GOATS**
The “GOATS” are a group of over-50s who have been meeting at the Shed since early 2020. During the lockdown we started meeting online but it wasn’t long before long we were meeting outside the half-constructed shed. Many people attended initially because they were intrigued by our poster which stated we were “meeting to plot world domination (weather permitting)”.
## **Why Getting on at The Shed?**
“Getting on” has multiple meanings for us:
- Getting on in years
- Getting on with activities; as retired and semi-retired people we still want to have busy lives and getting on with people - making new friends
We didn’t have a fixed idea about what we were going to do but ideas and activities have arisen over the last five years. Here are some examples of the things we’ve done;
Elan Valley **:** Early in the history of the GOATS, we developed an interest in Birmingham’s water and its journey from the Elan Valley in Wales. This resulted in a collaboration with a folk singer, a concert of songs and culminated in a GOATS weekend in the Elan Valley. Click here to see the video from the Elan Valley adventure.
We’ve had workshops and sessions on bicycle maintenance, blacksmithing, scything, energy conservation, internet safety, pottery and woodcraft.
Inevitably for an over 50s group there are disabilities and illnesses so we’ve developed a support network. It’s involved hospital and home visits, shopping and meal deliveries.
The group now has around 50 members in total and our Monday morning get togethers are attended by 10-20 people most weeks. Many of the GOATS meet in smaller groups at other times in the week and lasting friendships have formed.
We haven’t got round to “world domination” yet, but in our defence, the weather hasn’t been great.
The GOATS are great cure for the Monday morning blues and provides company, friendship and support
**8**
**Friends of Cotteridge Park Report 2025**
**9**
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
Income and expenditure for 2025 was in line with budgets.
We were successful in obtaining grants which enabled FoCP to continue to provide activities for free for the benefit of the local community.
Our accounting software, careful attention by trustees, and the support of Matt Perry from GiraffeHR ensure our accounts and finances are managed effectively and in line with our donor restrictions.
## **Reserves Policy**
Trustees consider that the charity should aim to hold an unrestricted reserve equivalent to:
- a minimum of 3 months running costs for park activities and general running costs (£12,442), plus;
- 6 months of the Shed Manager costs (£15,360), and;
- An additional £20,000 in reserves specifically for the CoCoMAD festival.
Unrestricted cash funds at the end of 2025 stand at £102K which trustees
consider to be in line with the above intent and give headroom for future repairs and planned projects. A further £20.8k is held in restricted funds for projects to continue in 2026.
There is always a need for grants and donations to fund activities that will benefit the local community and our trustees continue give attention to this, both in-house and with external support.
The Shed provides a popular offer of refreshment and rest in the park, but also generates surplus income which is used to support activities in the park.
This year’s budget has been drawn up to enable trustees to monitor spend against our plans. This takes into account additional financial responsibilities in running a building.
**Friends of Cotteridge Park Report 2025**
**10**
## **FUTURE PLANS**
**2025 saw the achievement of a number of long cherished plans. The hard courts were completely refurbished and new seating added. The remedial works on the stream have led to huge improvements in water management leading to fewer floods, better habitat for flora and fauna and better access so that local people can engage with nature more easily.**
## **Celebrating 30 years of volunteering**
**1**
In 2027 Friends of Cotteridge Park will celebrate 30 years of care and commitment to our park and the wider community. Celebrations are being planned.
## **Improvements to the play park**
**2**
Our play area has been sorely in need of a new surface. Following Birmingham Council’s bankruptcy all repairs were put on hold but we understand some funding may be available for 2026/7.
**3**
## **Develop sustainability for the charity**
We are delighted that more people are volunteering to join the trustees. Our aim is to ensure continuity and sustainability as the charity nears its 30th birthday
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Friends of Cotteridge Park Report 2025
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## **STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE**
The Friends of Cotteridge Park CIO is a membership organisation; for those who enjoy and use Cotteridge Park and was registered as a charity on 21 January 2019. It began its activities on 1 June 2019 following the transfer of funds from the old charity.
The Trustees were appointed on registration, represent the members, and manage the business of the charity on their behalf. The charity has 1 full time and 1 part-time employee and is led by volunteers.
The charity holds quarterly Trustee meetings, open for observers to attend. The charity has multiple platforms for members and the community to be informed about the work of the charity and for the public and members to request information and have queries answered.
## **REFERENCE & ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
Friends of Cotteridge Park
c/o The Old Post Office, 1533 Pershore Road, B30 2JH Registered Charity Number 1181644
## **Bankers**
Unity Trust Bank, PO Box 7193, Planetary Road, Willenhall, WV1 9DG
## **Independent Examiner**
Shruti Soni FCCA FCIE, 117A St Johns Hill, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 3PE
## **Trustees**
Laura Brooks, Chair (re-elected June 2025) Stephanie Little, Vice Chair (re-elected June 2025)
Max Woolf, Treasurer (re-elected June 2025) Claire Richardson, Secretary Ian Billups – (stood down Sept 2025)
Jason Willets Ian Mather Cathal Lynch Emma Woolf MBE Alka Shah - elected June 2025 Deborah Wallis Harriet Lloyd Carola Lange (stood down June 2025) Declan Vaughan (co-opted Sept. 2025)
Signed, by the Chair, on behalf of the Board of Trustees
Signature:
Print name: Laura Brooks Date: 1 April 2026
**11**
**Friends of Cotteridge Park Report 2025**
## **THANK YOU**
**Friends of Cotteridge Park is a team endeavour - nothing happens without the volunteers, and they can’t do what they do without lots of support.**
## **A huge thank you to the trusts and organisations who provide funding to enable many of our activities to take place:**
- Garfield Weston Foundation
- Warm Welcome
- The Grimmit Trust
- The Saintbury Trust Selly Oak NNS Rowlands Trust
- Eveson Charitable Trust Edward and Dorothy Cadbury Trust
- Sport England
- The National Lottery Community Fund Sir John Middlemore Charitable Trust 29 May 1961 CharitableTrust
- IM Properties Community Fund The Grocers’ Charity Martin Wills Wildlife Maintenance Trust
## **Thank you to the organisations that provide FoCP with the support that enables the volunteers to do their best**
Birmingham City Council Parks and Ranger Service, Birmingham Open Spaces Forum, Birmingham Community Matters and Giraffe HR
Thank you to OPUS Outdoor Places Unusual Spaces and Avion for their help with our events.
And a special “thank you” to Todd Jennings; our wonderful Community Co-ordinator who enables everyone to contribute.
And welcome to Alice Piekarz, our new Relief Shed Manager who joined us at the end of 2025
Both Todd and Alice started as volunteers in the park when they were school students
**12**
**Friends of Cotteridge Park Report 2025**
## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Friends of Cotteridge Park CIO.**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Friends of Cotteridge Park CIO (‘the Charity’) for the year ended 31 December 2025 which are set out on pages 14 to 25.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’).
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 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
I have completed my examination. I can confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1) 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 accord with those records; or
3) the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning 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.
4) the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
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 of the accounts to be reached.
## Shruti Soni
Date: 01 April 2026
Shruti Soni FCCA FCIE, 117A St Johns Hill, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 3PE
**13**
**Friends of Cotteridge Park Report 2025**
## **Friends of Cotteridge Park**
## **Statement of financial activities (incorporating an income and expenditure account)**
## **For the year ended 31 December 2025**
|**Note**
£
**Income from:**
Donations & legacies
2
32,318
Charitable activities
3
27,108
Other Trading activities
4
66,162
Investment Income
2,134
**Total income:**
127,722
**Expenditure on:**
5
Raising funds
41,428
Charitable activities
73,937
**Total expenditure:**
115,365
**Net income/(expenditure)**
12,357
**Net movement in funds**
12,357
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
255,736
**Total funds carried forward**
268,093
Unrestricted
fund|**Note**
£
**Income from:**
Donations & legacies
2
32,318
Charitable activities
3
27,108
Other Trading activities
4
66,162
Investment Income
2,134
**Total income:**
127,722
**Expenditure on:**
5
Raising funds
41,428
Charitable activities
73,937
**Total expenditure:**
115,365
**Net income/(expenditure)**
12,357
**Net movement in funds**
12,357
**Reconciliation of funds:**
Total funds brought forward
255,736
**Total funds carried forward**
268,093
Unrestricted
fund|Restricted
fund
£
43,540
-
-
-
43,540
1,365
54,576
55,941
(12,401)
(12,401)
33,226
20,825|**2025**
**Total**
**fund**
**£**
75,858
27,108
66,162
2,134
171,262
42,793
128,513
171,306
(44)
(44)
288,962
288,918|£
22,821
23,074
50,841
1,733
Unrestricted
fund|2024
**Total**
**fund**
£
£
80,375
103,196
-
23,074
-
50,841
-
1,733
80,375
178,844
3,047
36,654
60,911
127,248
63,958
163,902
16,417
14,942
16,417
14,942
16,809
274,020
33,226
288,962
Restricted
fund|2024
**Total**
**fund**
£
£
80,375
103,196
-
23,074
-
50,841
-
1,733
80,375
178,844
3,047
36,654
60,911
127,248
63,958
163,902
16,417
14,942
16,417
14,942
16,809
274,020
33,226
288,962
Restricted
fund|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||127,722|||98,469|80,375|178,844|
||41,428
73,937|||33,607
66,337|3,047
60,911|36,654
127,248|
||115,365|||99,944|63,958|163,902|
||12,357|||(1,475)|16,417|14,942|
||12,357
255,736|||(1,475)
257,211|16,417
16,809|14,942
274,020|
||268,093|||255,736|33,226|288,962|
All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds are disclosed in Note 10 to the financial statements.
14
## **Friends of Cotteridge Park**
## **Balance sheet**
## **As at 31 December 2025**
|Note
**Fixed assets:**
6
**Current assets:**
7
**Liabilities:**
8
9
10
Total unrestricted funds
Restricted income funds
Unrestricted income funds:
Designated funds
**The funds of the charity:**
General funds
**Total charity funds**
**Total net assets / (liabilities)**
Debtors
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
**Total assets less current liabilities**
Tangible assets|**£**
**7,934**
**121,287**|**2025**
**£**
**165,719**
**165,719**
**123,199**
**288,918**
**288,918**
**20,825**
**268,093**
**288,918**|£
1,268
116,347|2024
£
174,441|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||174,441
114,521|
||**129,221**
**6,022**||117,615
3,094||
||**165,719**
**102,374**||174,441
81,295||
|||||288,962|
|||||288,962|
|||||33,226
255,736|
||||||
|||||288,962|
The accompanying accounting policies and notes form part of these financial statements.
These financial statements, were approved by the Board on ..................... and signed on its behalf by:1.4.26
Trustee
Name: Laura Brooks Date: 1.4.26
15
## **Friends of Cotteridge Park**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **1 Accounting policies**
## **a) Basis of preparation**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) - (Charities SORP FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy or note.
The financial statements have been prepared to give a ‘true and fair’ view and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a ‘true and fair view’. This departure has involved following the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014 rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn.
## **b) Public benefit entity**
The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.
## **c) Going concern**
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis which assumes that the Charity will continue to operate. The validity of this assumption is
dependent upon the continuance of support from the Charity’s key funders and stakeholders and in response to the progress made by the Charity in pursuing a viable budget including the obtaining of further grants and donations.
The Charity’s business plan shows that the Charity will be able to operate in the foreseeable future. Based on this understanding the Trustees believe that it remains appropriate to prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis. The financial statements do not include any adjustments, which would result from the basis of preparation being inappropriate.
There are no key judgements that the charity has made which have a significant effect on the accounts.
The trustees do not consider that there are any sources of estimation uncertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next reporting period.
16
## **Friends of Cotteridge Park**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **1 Accounting policies (continued)**
## **d) Income**
Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and that the amount can be measured reliably.
Income relating to future periods, as a result of donor imposed conditions specifying the time period, has been treated as deferred income.
Income dependent on certain conditions, amounting to more than mere administrative requirements, is recognised when the conditions have been fulfilled
Income from government and other grants, whether ‘capital’ grants or ‘revenue’ grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.
## **Donations of gifts, services and facilities**
Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item or received the service, any conditions associated with the donation have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), volunteer time is not recognised so refer to the trustees’ annual report for more information about their contribution.
On receipt, donated gifts, professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.
## **e) Interest receivable**
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.
## **e) Fund accounting**
Restricted funds are to be used for specific purposes as laid down by the donor. Expenditure which meets these criteria is charged to the fund.
Unrestricted funds are donations and other incoming resources received or generated for the charitable purposes.
Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular purposes.
17
**For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **Friends of Cotteridge Park**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **1 Accounting policies (continued)**
## **f) Expenditure**
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:
- Costs of raising funds relate to the costs incurred by the charity in inducing third parties to make voluntary contributions to it, as well as the cost of any activities with a fundraising purpose Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs of activties undertaken to further the
- purposes of the charity and their associated support costs
- Support costs include the cost of overall direction and administration of the charity's activities,
- comprising the overhead costs of the central function.
- Other expenditure represents those items not falling into any other heading
## **k) Tangible fixed assets**
Items of assets are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £500. Depreciation costs are allocated to activities on the basis of the use of the related assets in those activities. Assets are reviewed for
impairment if circumstances indicate their carrying value may exceed their net realisable value and value in use.
Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The depreciation rates in use are as follows:
The Shed 25 years
## **h) Debtors**
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
## **i) Cash at bank and in hand**
Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account. Cash balances exclude any funds held on behalf of service users.
## **j) Creditors and provisions**
Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
## **r) Pensions**
The Charity contributes to employee’s individual personal pension plans. The employer contributions to the scheme in 2025 were £659 (2024 £642) and are charged to the statement of financial activities as incurred.
18
## **Friends of Cotteridge Park**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **2 Income from donations and legacies**
|Grants and Donations - Trusts and Foundations
Birmingham City Council
Garfield Weston Foundation
Grocer's Charity
Heart of England Community Foundation
National Lottery Community Fund
National Lottery Project Grant - CoCoMAD
Sports England - The Movement Fund
The Eveson Trust
The Rowlands Trust
Other trusts & foundations
Donations
Donations in kind|Unrestricted
£
26,868
3,950
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,500
32,318|£
-
-
6,000
8,000
5,000
-
-
-
8,540
15,000
-
1,000
Restricted|**2025**
**Total**
**£**
**26,868**
**3,950**
**6,000**
**8,000**
**5,000**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**8,540**
**15,000**
**-**
**2,500**
**75,858**|2024
Total
£
17,821
-
-
-
-
10,600
19,950
25,100
-
10,000
10,000
9,725|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||43,540||103,196|
Of the Other trusts & foundations grants in 2024, £5000 was unrestricted
Donations in kind include £1,800 towards COCOMAD delivery and £2,150 towards Park/Gardening equipment & maintenance.
## **3 Income from charitable activities**
|**Income from charitable activities**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|CoCoMAD fees
Shed Sales
Shed merchandise
Shed room bookings
Other
**Income from other trading activities**
Total income from charitable activities|Unrestricted
£
27,108
27,108
Unrestricted
£
65,832
-
75
255
66,162|£
-
Restricted|**2025**
**Total**
**£**
**27,108**
**27,108**
**2025**
**Total**
**£**
**65,832**
**-**
**75**
**255**
**66,162**|2024
Total
£
23,074|
|||-||23,074|
|||£
-
-
-
-
Restricted||2024
Total
£
48,906
802
915
218|
|||-||50,841|
## **4 Income from other trading activities**
19
## **Friends of Cotteridge Park**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **5 Analysis of Expenditure**
|**Analysis of Expenditure**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Fundraising costs
Catering Supplies
Costs of running ‘The Shed'
**Total cost of Fundraising**
CoCoMAD event costs
Cinema project
Forest School
Activity Sessions
Staff costs
Gardening/conservation costs
Volunteer costs
Park Improvements
**Total Direct Costs**
Insurance
Independent Examiners’ Fee
Administrative expenses
Depreciation
**Total support & governance costs**
Total expenditure|Unrestricted
8,438
25,793
7,197
**41,428**
27,485
-
-
4,600
17,442
3,126
14
6,327
**58,994**
2,374
1,150
2,697
8,722
**14,943**
**115,365**|-
606
759
Restricted|**2025**
**£**
**8,438**
**26,399**
**7,956**
**42,793**
**29,485**
**-**
**-**
**24,337**
**31,119**
**3,388**
**14**
**24,827**
**113,170**
**2,374**
**1,150**
**3,097**
**8,722**
**15,343**
**171,306**|2024
£
7,223
21,125
8,306|
|||**1,365**
2,000
-
-
19,737
13,677
262
-
18,500||**36,654**
53,546
1,670
3,165
20,267
28,289
3,386
417
-|
|||**54,176**
-
-
400
-||**110,740**
2,159
1,150
4,477
8,722|
|||**400**||**16,508**|
|||**55,941**||**163,902**|
## **3 Staff cost, Trustee remuneration and expenses**
Staff costs were as follows:
|Salaries and wages
Pensions|**2025**
**£**
**30,460**
**659**
**31,119**|2024
£
27,644
642|
|---|---|---|
|||28,286|
No employee earned more than £60,000 during the year (2024: nil).
The equivalent of 1.6 full-time members of staff was employed during the year (2024: one).
Key management personnel comprise the Trustees who are not paid for their services as Trustees and received no remuneration for any services carried out for the Charity (2024: Nil).
The charity does not operate its own pension scheme but contributes towards the NEST Pension scheme. No trustee expenses were reimbursed in the year (2024: None).
20
## **Friends of Cotteridge Park**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **4 Related party transactions**
The charity trustees were not paid or received any other benefits from employment with the charity in the year (2024: £nil). No charity trustee received payment for professional or other services supplied to the charity (2024: £nil).
There was no payment or reimbursement of travel and subsistence costs to a trustees during the year (2024: nil).
No trustee or other person related to the charity had any personal interest in any contractor transaction entered into by the charity during the year (2024: nil).
The trustees take part in the day to day running and management of the Charity.
## **5 Taxation**
The charitable company is exempt from corporation tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes.
## **6 Tangible fixed assets**
|**Cost or valuation**
At the start of the year
**Cost of**
Charge for the year
At the end of the year
**Net book value**
At the end of the year
**Depreciation**
At the start of the year
**At the end of the year**
At the start of the year|**£**
218,051
218,051
43,610
8,722
52,332
165,719
174,441
**building The Shed**|**Total**
**£**
**218,051**|
|---|---|---|
|||**218,051**|
|||**43,610**
**8,722**|
|||**52,332**|
|||**165,719**|
|||174,441|
All of the above assets are used for charitable purposes.
21
## **Friends of Cotteridge Park**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **7 Debtors**
|Trade debtors
Prepayments
Accrued income|**2025**
**£**
**35**
**2,018**
**5,881**
**7,934**|2024
£
-
972
296|
|---|---|---|
|||1,268|
## **8 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**
|Other creditors
Accruals
Trade creditors
Taxation and social security|**2025**
**£**
**2,444**
**1,344**
**139**
**2,095**
**6,022**|2024
£
-
-
1,769
1,325|
|---|---|---|
|||3,094|
## **9 Analysis of net assets between funds**
|Tangible fixed assets
Net Current assets
**Net**|Restricted
Fund
**Total funds**
£
**£**
165,719
**-**
**165,719**
102,374
**20,825**
**123,199**
**268,093**
**20,825**
**288,918**
**2025**
Unrestricted
fund|Restricted
Fund
£
174,441
-
81,295
33,226
255,736
33,226
**2024**
Unrestricted
fund|**Total funds**
**£**
174,441
114,521|
|---|---|---|---|
|||255,736|288,962|
22
## **Friends of Cotteridge Park**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **10 Movements in funds**
|**Movements in funds**||||
|---|---|---|---|
|NLCF
Birmingham City Council
Sport England The Movement Fund
National Lottery – Awards for All
Eveson Charitable Trust
Rowlands Trust
Sir John Middlemore
IMI Properties Community Fund
Garfield Weston Foundation
Grocer's Charity
Other trusts & foundations
**Total restricted funds**
Asset fund for The Shed
Total designated funds
**General funds**
**Restricted funds:**
**Total unrestricted**
**Unrestricted funds:**
Designated funds:
**Total funds**|1-Jan-25
£
254
-
-
18,825
1,089
10,000
558
2,500
-
-
-|Income &
gains
Transfers
£
£
£
-
(254)
-
6,000
(3,000)
-
8,540
(6,301)
-
-
(18,825)
-
15,000
(2,433)
-
-
(10,000)
-
-
(558)
-
-
(2,500)
-
8,000
(6,070)
-
5,000
(5,000)
-
1,000
(1,000)
-
43,540
(55,941)
-
-
(8,722)
-
-
(8,722)
-
127,722
(106,643)
-
127,722
(115,365)
-
171,262
(171,306)
-
Expenditure &
losses|31-Dec-25
**£**
**-**
**3,000**
**2,239**
**-**
**13,656**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**1,930**
**-**
**-**|
||33,226
174,441||**20,825**
**165,719**|
||174,441||**165,719**|
||81,295||**102,374**|
||255,736||**268,093**|
|||||
||288,962||**288,918**|
23
## **Friends of Cotteridge Park**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 December 2025**
## **10 Movements in funds (continued)**
|National Lottery – Awards for All
Eveson Charitable Trust
Heart of England Inclusive Communit
Rowlands Trust
Sir John Middlemore
IMI Properties Community Fund
**Total restricted funds**
Asset fund for The Shed
Total designated funds
General funds
BUPA Foundation
Green Hall Foundation
NLCF Million Hours
NLCF
Birmingham City
Sport England
**Restricted funds:**
Designated funds
National Lottery -
**Unrestricted funds:**
**Total unrestricted**
**Total funds**|1-Jan-24
£
1,783
2,000
4,248
1,924
5,390
1,464
-
-
-
-
-
-
-|Income &
gains
Transfers
£
£
£
225
(2,008)
-
-
(2,000)
-
-
(4,248)
-
-
(1,670)
-
-
(5,390)
-
-
(1,464)
-
25,100
(25,100)
-
19,950
(1,125)
-
10,000
(8,911)
-
10,600
(10,600)
-
10,000
-
-
2,000
(1,442)
-
2,500
-
-
80,375
(63,958)
-
-
(8,722)
-
(8,722)
-
98,469
(91,222)
-
98,469
(99,944)
-
178,844
(163,902)
-
Expenditure &
losses|31-Dec-24
**£**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**254**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**18,825**
**1,089**
**-**
**10,000**
**558**
**2,500**|
|---|---|---|---|
||16,809||**33,226**|
||183,163||**174,441**|
||183,163||**174,441**|
||74,048||**81,295**|
||257,211||**255,736**|
|||||
||274,020||**288,962**|
24
## **Friends of Cotteridge Park**
## **Notes to the financial statements**
## **For the year ended 31 December 2025**
**10 Movements in funds (continued) Purposes of restricted funds** Garfield Weston general costs of running The Shed and park wide activities. Foundation Grocer's Charity stream restoration project (completed February 2025) Other trusts & stream restoration project (completed February 2025) foundations to create community seating area in The Orchard. Funding BUPA Foundation received November 2023, project ended April 2024 Green Hall Foundation[warm hub sessions at The Shed. Funding received December] 2023, project ended April 2024 NLCF Million Hours youth work programme, funding received August 2023, project Fund ended July 2024 Community cinema project, collaboration with 3 other parks, funding received 13.7.23, NLCF project ended September 2024 Birmingham City activities for over 50s, funding received June 2023, project Counci ended July 2024 physical acticity sessions for the community, funding received Sport England April 2023, project ended April 2024 National Lottery - participatory arts activities, funding received June 2024, CoCoMAD project ended August 2024 National Lottery – Youth and community programme, funding received October 2024 - funding for 12 Awards for All months. Eveson Charitable activities for over 55s, funding received May 2024, project ended May 2025 Trust Heart of England community festival/Commonwealth Games legacy, funding Inclusive Communities received March 2024, project ended July 2024 refurbishment of the sports courts, funding received July 2024, work completed April Rowlands Trust 2025 Sir John Middlemore youth work provision, funding received September 2024, project due to end June 2025 IMI Properties stream restoration project, funding received September 2024, work completed Community Fund February 2025
## **11 Controlling Interest**
The Charity is controlled by the Trustees collectively.
25
**COTTERIDGE PARK IS A SANCTUARY FOR ALL WE REJECT HATE. WE WELCOME ALL.**
Friends of Cotteridge Park is a registered charity in England and Wales - 1181644