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2024-03-31-accounts

Snowdonia Slate Trail

Annual Report For year ending 5 April 2024 (with further information up to October 2024)

Presented at the AGM held on 19 October 2024

Snowdonia Slate Trail Trust Registered Charity Number 1182188

Contents

Charity Information Aims of the Charity Details of Trustees and Advisors Structure, governance and management Financial Review Objectives and Activities Achievements and Performance Responsibilities of the Committee Secretarys Report Treasurers Report Maintenance Report Marketing Report Other reports Acknowledgements

2023-2024 Financial Statement

COMPANY INFORMATION

Registered 15 February 2019 Chair Joan Cutting Charity Number 1182188 Registered Office 1 Hen Siop Upper Llandwrog Caernarfon LL54 7RE Independent Examiner Vacant at present Bankers Bank of Scotland

Aims of the Charity

1. The advancement of education for the public benefit in the unique slate heritage and culture of Snowdonia.

2. The provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation for the public at large in the interests of social welfare by monitoring, managing and enhancing the Snowdonia Slate Trail long distance footpath.

Details of Trustees as at 5 April 2024

Joan Cutting – Chair Vivienne Oxley - Secretary Aled Owen – Treasurer Roger Greenhalgh – Warden co-ordinator Dorothy Howarth – Twitter account Mieko Yamaguchi – Route details updates

Details of Wardens and representatives as at 5 April 2024

Graham Fitch representing The Ramblers Dan Goodwin representing Snowdonia Society David Jones – Senior Warden Vacancy for Senior Warden (covering Beddgelert to Ogwen)

Structure, governance and management

The governing document of the Snowdonia Slate Trail Trust is the Constitution of the Snowdonia Slate Trail Trust, a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, (Foundation Structure) as amended on 7 February 2019. Copies of this document can be inspected on request.

The Snowdonia Slate Trail Trust is managed by the Board of Trustees. At present, there are 8 Trustees. Other people who wish to assist with the Trust do so as Wardens or volunteers.

----- Start of picture text -----
Lead Trustee
Roger
Greenhalgh
Senior Warden Senior Warden
David Jones Vacant
Bangor to Ogwen to Beddgelert to
Beddgelert Bethesda Ogwen
34 miles 5 miles 45 miles
Wardens
Wardens
Warden Peter Skelton
Richard Parry
Richard Parry Roger Greenhalgh
Matt Sharpe
Malcolm Halsall
Nia Thomas
Kate Retallick
Ken Latham
David Roberts
Martin King-Sheard
Kate Whitehead
----- End of picture text -----

The Board of Trustees generally meets once a year, and occasionally at other times as necessary, and meetings are open to wardens and interested parties to attend. Otherwise, communication is via email or the WhatsApp group.

Induction and Training

New Trustees are given the Charities Commission “How to be a Trustee” document. Trustees are encouraged to keep up to date with charity law by private learning. This year, there have been no training events.

Risk Management

The Trustees carry out a continuous and ongoing review of policies designed to identify, manage and avert risk, both financial and operational. The Treasurer aims to report regularly on the state of the finances and reviews past performance and future needs. The Trustees act accordingly.

Financial Review

The Trust maintains a healthy bank balance and continues to monitor expenditure such that it remains sustainable. The 2023-24 account was audited, and no issues were highlighted. A full Treasurer`s report is included below.

Policy on Reserves

The Snowdonia Slate Trail Trust needs reserves for the following reasons: -

Treasurer’s Report

The financial report to be submitted to the Charities Commission is appended to this document covers the financial year 2023-24. The full account spreadsheet can be made available to anyone who requests it.

In that year, we raised a £11,140 grant for the project to carry out a survey of the route to identify what might be needed to bring it up to National Trail standard. A further £860 will be claimed on completion of the report. Book sales raised £2702. Minor donations and sales of medal and badges raised £622, over twice the previous year. A Gift Aid application was not made in this financial year but the application in 23-24 brought in about £800.

Main expenditure was on insurance (£164), website maintenance (£295), maintenance (£219), postage (£116), passport stamps (£101), benches (£1902), Rhosydd gate (£923) and the survey (£2400). This brought our available funds to £1,6918, of which £5,939 was unrestricted, while the rest was allocated to the further improvements and the survey.

Since the end of the last financial year and as at 20 August 2024, about £13,900 has been received, of which £3,200 is for the schools’ project and £9,400 for a temporary worker to research into walker and business needs to increase the benefit of the Trail. The recent major expenditure has been £1,150 on the schools’ project, £8,400 on the survey and £2,828 on the worker project.

Easyfundraising.com brought in £38. Everyone is greatly encouraged to use Easyfundraising. If all trustees and wardens did use it, it is estimated that this would raise about £500 per year for the Trail. Gift Aid has brought in about £800.

Sale of goods is slow. We have ample supplies of metal and sew-on badges, as well as medals, and would not recommend expanding our range of items for sale at present. We have, however, purchased car stickers at £95 which are given out with sales etc to advertise the Trail.

Aled Owen Treasurer

Maintenance Report

David Jones (Senior Warden)

Here is mainly what I got up to as a volunteer warden for the SST since our last AGM.

During various visits, I collected trail data between Llan Ffestiniog & Rhiw-Bach quarry where some minor maintenance was also carried out. Reports of all visits have been circulated.

I also undertook a reconnaissance of a possible alternative route to the one currently going through the scrap yard in Tanygrisiau.

I have also continued with the upkeep of the passport map for the website.

Ken Latham (Warden)

Rhyd Ddu to Beddgelert section

This section continues to be very popular and having walked it several times this year it always had other walkers on it, which was great to see, we spoke with several people who were walking the whole trail, more this year than last it seemed, despite us having the wettest summer since Noah was a boy!!

Once more this year the 'Sherpa' bus service has proved to be a real bonus and as regular users ourselves we have seen and talked to a lot of passengers who were doing sections of the SST and returning to their cars.

A lot of the roundels were showing signs of age and had lost their colouring or were missing. We replaced a lot of these, one of which we had put on the gate post at Parc y Gader only to find it had been 'pinched' a couple of days later, possibly taken as a SST trophy, it has since been replaced.

The bridges on this section are also showing signs of wear and a few cross-members are broken, the main bridge crossing the Afon Gwyrfai had a rotted cross-member. This has been temporarily repaired by SNPA. The bridge crossing the small stream in the 'parc' itself is still in need of repair as is the one as you drop down to Beddgelert to Cwm Cloch Farm.

Quite a few of the walkers we talked to asked if and when it would become a National Trail and if this gets the go ahead then I think it would become a very popular trail and put it among some of the best long-distance walks in the UK.

Matt Sharpe (Warden)

December 23 – Llanberis-Waunfawr and back. No problems, one roundel replaced on gate toward top of road after ruined cottage

March 24 – Rhyd Ddu-Betws Garmon. Some worn bridge footings but nothing considerable to report. Trail in good condition despite recent heavy rain

September 24 – Betws Garmon-Beddgelert. Two roundels replaced. Several bridges worn, already reported. Path in good shape, all roundels and posts in place.

I have not been out as often as I would have liked this year but have been pleased to see this section appears to be minimal maintenance, the only exception being the bridges of which you are already aware.

Kate Whitehead (Warden)

Betws y Coed to Ogwen Cottage:

Gates and stiles are all in good working order and the forestry work above Capel Curig has finished for now, however, there are numerous big, deep muddy patches that are coming impossible to avoid. Llyn Ogwen path is very wet.

Tanygrisiau to Llan Festiniog:

There are 0ngoing issues with the scrap yard as already mentioned. Bracken is covering the path up to and above head height during summer months. The worst part is along the wall and over the hill just past the scrap yard.

New signs have been placed on a new pole at Waterloo Hotel, Betws y Coed.

Roger Greenhalgh (Warden Co-ordinator)

WARDENING OF TRAIL SECTIONS

Warden report for Tanygrisau-Croesor trail section

This section of the trail gets walked regularly – probably at about 4 to 6 week intervals in part, either Cwmorthin – Rhosydd and back or Croesor-Rhosydd and back. Less often as a through walk as it involves co-ordination of lifts between the ends.

The route is still well waymarked and all the waymarks are in good condition. In response to the (early draft of the) recent Birchill Access trail condition survey, a couple of additional roundels were put in place adjacent to Oriel Caffi Croesor.

There has been a slow ongoing dialogue with Gwyn Lloyd Evans concerning the soggy ground through the replacement gate at the top of Rhosydd – Caru Eryri are keen to assist us with volunteers in order to dig out a drainage channel and possibly place some of the adjacent chunks of slate there to give firmer footing, but need written/emailed confirmation of landowner permission, which Gwyn was going to obtain. Still beinhg chased for a response. Once that’s confirmed Caru Eryri have agreed on the same occasion to help to install a waymark right up at the top where the route crosses over to Cwm Croesor – in accordance with the suggestion in the Birchill Access trail condition survey.

It's also been noted that the Eryri National Park have recently removed the large information board from the Croesor car park. I’m of the understanding that this is part of a wider information board refreshment/replacement scheme underway throughout the National Park.

On each occasion of walking the route (and often on intermediate short visits), I litterpick the car parks at both ends. There is very rarely much at the Croesor end – often just a few discarded or forgotten items which get left beside the Portaloo there. Tanygrisiau gets much more, mostly in the car park and along the flat path section to the waterfall, and around the foot of the waterfall. There are sometimes

occasional deposits further up the track near to the next plunge pool, and very occasionally also in the buildings at Cwmorthin Terrace. On the rest of the route litter is not an issue.

Warden report for Croesor-Nantmor-Beddgelert trail section

My neighbour Malcolm Halsall recently volunteered to take up the wardening reins with this stretch – mainly because I often dog-walk along parts of this in his company, and also because he cycles over that way almost weekly. Essentially, I am “buddying” Malcom whilst he gets to know the patch. Again, this section gets very little litter, other than occasionally at the Nantmor car park. I happen to call in there probably about once per week whilst dog-walking, and do a quick litterpick of the car park and of the picnic area through the railway arch. It’s not a big issue.

The section of path at the foot of Garreg Bengam has been particularly wet this year, and frequently runs with continual surface run-off from the boggy terrain either side. The path base itself is mostly firm and stony, but slippery when wet. There are a few minor sumped sections where the water collects, and walkers have a tendency to skirt around it. No specific action taken as yet, other than via a slightly grumpily- responded conversation with another of my neighbours who is a close friend of the landowner there – to the effect that he’s always being blamed for poor maintenance by walkers, and expected to repair at his own expense – when in fact that section of trail is registered as an “unclassified highway” (hence the Council’s responsibility). For now, I have chosen to let the dust settle (and hopefully the weather to improve).

Oriel Caffi Croesor

The premises of the currently closed Café at Croesor have been under much local discussion by the local community in respect of seeking to find a sustainable plan for re-opening it, in whatever re-incarnation that might take. Malcolm and I have both attended various “consultative” events there, and there seems to be community interest in establishing it as some form of community hub, but plans have been vague and fluid. A certain amount of restoration of the fabric of the building has been underway in recent months, and at one point there was a plan to lease it to an interim tenant for the purpose of running an artisan cider-making business, but these plans too seem to have changed (again). There are occasional pop-up entertainment events happening there, in the meanwhile.

Warden co-ordinaton

As mentioned above, I’m happy to welcome Malcolm Halsall to the team, and am in the process of showing him the ropes!

Wardening equipment stowage : we have an ever-dwindling supply of SST roundels and a fairly healthy supply of 4x4 timber posts and metal street-signage fingerboards, The stock of these has now been relocated from Aled’s emporium at Penmachno to a space in the shed at Lancashire Mountaineering Club’s bunkhouse at Cae Ysgubor, Beddgelert LL55 4NE. The shed is accessible with a key, and the key is held in a combination-locked keybox on the nearby telegraph pole. This means that wardens in deed of this kit and any of the associated maintenance tools can get to it at anytime (so long as I tell them the keybox code)

PROJECTS

Schools Resources project

The Trust received funding from the Ashley Family Foundation to develop a small set of bi-lingual schools resources to help primary school teachers get groups of pupils out on short local field trips to local slate

heritage locations. The funding cover Phases 1 and 2 of this scheme, getting us to a working Proof-ofConcept, with a view to use that as a firm basis from which to seek additional funding to scale out these initial deliverables with more content and to more locations.

The project team consists of Roger Greenhalgh and Ceridwen Oakley. The outputs are mostly digital resources, some for suitable via mobile devices out in the field, and others for use back in the classroom. Due to circumstances beyond our control, this project is running a few weeks behind, although the core of the principal deliverables are all now in place.

The on-site deliverable is a locationenabled smartphone/tablet app which guides the pupils between specific site locations on a trail. The pupils adopt the role of “history detectives” and try to come up with their own answers to the Who, What , Where, When, Why? of the places they explore. Dogs “Billy” and “Spud” lead the way and help them to ‘discover’ various artefacts and puzzle out what these bits of evidence tell them about the heritage which

surrounds them. The app has short pieces of video footage showing what working life in the quarries was like at the actual locations they visit.

Once back in class there are more online resources to draw upon. These have been gathered together into an online archive, which they can draw upon to fulfil their own further research projects, enquiries,

role-plays and other creative work.

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE PROJECT

Running contemporarily with the schools’ resources project has been a research project delving into several key business intelligence aspects of tourism and also its influence on Welsh language and culture. This too was tackled primarily by a team of two lead researchers, Roger Greenhalgh and Tansy Rogerson, and the Welsh Culture strand of this involved coordination of input from a pre-existing team of “slate researchers” based in the communities of Blaenau Ffestiniog, Dyffryn Ogwen and Dyffryn Nantlle.

Key features of the research methodology included the production, dissemination and analysis of a couple of surveys, one aimed at the Business community and the other at the community of trail users. There was also a strand which explores the challenge of ascertaining footfall data on the trail’s usage and

how with such data we may be better able to derive estimates of the economic value of the trail to the local economy.

The slate researchers provided some further insights into actions in their communities, too, which would foster appreciation of Welsh language and culture and be complementary to the further development and promotion of the Snowdonia Slate Trail.

The report has now been produced and at the time of writing is in the course of translation prior to publication.

In each case, the work involved in developing the schools’ resources and in dialogue with business and trail-user groups has already furnished us with considerable insight, and developed and consolidated a wide range of networking links.

MARK RICHARDS

During the last autumn we were visited by author and artist Mark Richards, a writer and illustrator of walking guides, and he accompanied some of our wardens out on a few sections of the trail. His intention has been to gather materials to illustrate some sort of publication in this area, as most of his recent work has been focused on the Lake District (as his home territory). Many of his books are listed online here: htps://www.cicerone.co.uk/authors/mark-richards (together with a short biography).

Most recently he got sidetracked into a sizeable commission on “Hadrians Trees” – walking much of Hadrian’s Wall in search of significant ancient trees and their successors. It would seem that this exercise has kept him busy and despite his best intentions to return to visit and illustrate more of the trail here, the opportunity has not yet arisen, though I do stay in touch periodically, and keep an open door.

An Autumn visit with a couple of colleagues gave opportunity to achieve this, and to embed the three new waymark posts along this section. These yellowtopped posts now successfully provide a good clear line-of-sight route between the Rhosydd Quarry buildings and the defunct reservoir dam above the Croesor Quarry.

(Incidentally, away from this section, too, I was able to join a Ca ru Eryri work party to lay a series of slate paving slabs in a similarly boggy section of the trail near Llyn Morwynion.) Also worth noting

(on the Llanffestiniog-Penmachno section) may be that the cattle grid on the track at the top of Cwm Tiegl, (between Manod and Rhiw Bach) has recently been replaced with a full-width gate with inbuilt pedestrian gate, and the old cattlegrid infilled. This has hugely improved the accessibility of this short section of track.

Although my wardening focus is officially the Tanygrisiau-Croesor section, I’m a frequent walker of several of the adjoining sections, too! I regularly walk through here to visit the Cwt y Bugail Quarry, which lies just a short distance to the north-east of the Slate Trail.

Off-trail routes to nearby artefacts

The growing public awareness of the Slate Trail has meant that I’m often asked about how best to reach some of the closely (but not directly) adjacent slate industry artefacts that have gained attention. For example:

htps://www.llechi.cymru/index.php/slateareas/gorseddau

On several occasions I’ve received feedback from such adventuring hikers that certain routes which diverge from the Slate Trail may deserve some greater prominence, and in some cases may also deserve some better waymarking. A good example would be the divergent route from Beddgelert over to

Cwm Ystraddlyn, notable for the Ynys y Pandy slate mill, the Gorseddau Quarry (and its overhanging wall), the Treforys miners’ village.

Other oft-queried locations include the Prince of Wales Quarry, beyond, in Cwm Pennant, and the defunct pumping engine in the Dorothea Quarry.

These sorts of outlying artefacts are now gaining greater attention through social media posts and the press.

htps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/31/countrydiary-a-long-abandoned-slate-quarrys-enduring-monuments

Education Report

See previous sections

Marketing Report

See previous sections

Passport Scheme

We’re into the sixth year of the Passport Scheme. Here’s how it’s looking so far:

Aug 2018 to Nov 2019 13 medals £105.50 Nov 2019 to Sep 2020 7 medals £ 72.00 May 2021 to Oct 2021 19 medals £340.50 Oct 2021 to Oct 2022 24 medals £184.00 Oct 2022 to Oct 2023 40 medals £308.10 Nov 2023 to Sep 2024 12 medals £117.00 TOTAL 112 medals £1,127.00

We now have 25 venues fully participating in the Passport Scheme - the new one is

Caffi Siabod, already in the scheme, has changed hands. It’s now run by Nadeem Abbasi, who has a passport for Londis Penmachno, but didn’t ask for a stamp for Caffi Siabod.

Aled continues to keep a tally of the number of visits stamped per venue. The following 11 of the venues have had more than 20 , compared to the five venues last year:

Two issues to discuss in the AGM:

Joan Cutting 26 September 2024

Website

The website continues to be used for downloading maps and instructions, and for sales

Aled Owen

Projects Report

Start and end features

This is now complete.

Repairs to permissive path at Conwy Falls

The steps here still require repair. Despite the Permissive Path Agreement having been renewed, Conwy Council has yet to repair them. As with many of our projects, this one requires a bit of patience.

Permissive Path at Yr Ocar

The bid to categorise this as a PRoW is in the system and will take up to two years to process.

Broader Community Involvement

A consortium of community groups and social enterprises in the Bethesda, Nantlle and Ffestiniog areas see the Trail as a major opportunity for sustainable tourism. They secured funding to carry out research on opportunities and have achieved further significant funding which can be tapped into.

Trail Survey

Birchill Access Consultants have completed a survey of the route and reported on what actions are required to bring the Trail up to National Trail standard. The report also highlights other desirable actions.

Aled Owen

Other Reports

Andrew McDougall – Trustee

Although I am happy to continue as a Trustee, I recognise that I have not made much of a contribution in this past year. In this context I will stand down so my place can be taken by someone more proactive if colleagues consider this appropriate.

Acknowledgements

Heritage Lottery Fund Magnox CADW Blakemore Foundation Snowdonia National Park CAE Fund The Foyle Foundation The Garfield Weston Foundation The Oakdale Trust Community Fund in Wales HF Holidays Horizon First Dŵr Cymru The Laspen Trust Bethesda Town Council Ffestiniog Town Council Gwynedd Council Conwy County Borough Council Ashley Foundation Rehau Plastics, Blaenau Ffestiniog Red Nose Day Cambrian Railways PAVO Mantell Gwynedd One private donor Ninevah Trust Gaynor Cemlyn-Jones Trust Menter Môn, and thanks to our wardens.

All the above have contributed towards the success of our organisation.

Charity Name No (if any) Snowdonia Slate Trail Trust 1182188

Receipts and payments accounts

CC16a

For the period Period start date Period end date To from 1-Apr-23 31-Mar-24

Section A Receipts and payments

Unrestricted funds

Restricted funds

to the nearest £ to the nearest £

Endowment Total funds Last year funds to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £

A1 Receipts

A1 Receipts
Bringforward 3,626 5,065 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
164
110
191
158
-
14
-
246
-
2,702
-
-
11,140
23,743
Activities for generating funds (trading)-
medals
164 - 164 56
Activities for generating funds (trading) -
badges
110 - 110 13
Donations - medals 191 191 87
Donations - other 158 - - 158 98
Refundedpostage -
T-shirt sales 14 14 99
Gift Aid -
Amazon Smile/Easyfundraising 246 246 5
Calendar Sales - -
Donations -guidebook sales 2,702 - 2,702 73
Footpath improvementsgrants - - - 1,017
End featuregrants - - 153
SCOTO Worshop 329
Survey grants 11,140 - 11,140
Sub total(Gross income for AR) 7,538 16,205 - 23,743 1,601
Sub total(Gross income for AR) 7,538 16,205 - 23,743 1,601
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 7,538 16,205 - 23,743 1,601
A3 Payments
Insurance 165 - - 165 165
Trustee expenses - - -
Stickers 95 - 95 204
Maintenance 219 - 219
Website 295 295 250
Path improvement 923 - 923
Mantell Gwynedd sub 10 - - 10 10
Postage 116 - 116 161
End features 598 1,903 - 2,500 3,400
Stationery - - 20
Warden equipment 69
Passportproject 101 - - 101
Survey 2,400 2,400
T-shirts - - - - 161
Sub total 1,599 5,225 - 6,825 4,440
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total payments 1,599 5,225 - 6,825
Net of receipts/(payments)
A5 Transfers between funds
A6 Cash funds last year end
Cash funds this year end
5,939 10,980 -
-
-
-
16,918
- - - -
- - - -
5,939 10,980 16,918 -

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

Categories
B1 Cash funds
B2 Other monetary assets
B3 Investment assets
B5 Liabilities
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
Details
From Section A
Details
Details
Details
Details
Signature
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
to nearest £
to nearest £
5,939
10,980
-
-
5,939
10,980
OK
OK
to nearest £
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Cost (optional)
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-
-
-
-
Cost (optional)
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-
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-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Print Name
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted funds
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted funds
Fund to which asset
belongs
Fund to which asset
belongs
Fund to which
liabilityrelates
Amount due
(optional)
to nearest £
Endowment
funds
-
-
-
-
OK
to nearest £
Endowment
funds
-
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
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-
-
Current value
(optional)
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-
When due
(optional)
Date of
approval