THE BYfHAMS WOOtsLAND TRUST (Registered Charity 11826(X)) CHAIRMAN'S ANNUAL REPOAT 2023124 r om Very pleosed to introduce the twentieth Chairman's keport for the Bythams Waodlahd frust (BWT). Constitution There have no ¢lwnge$ to our ¢onstitution. We remain a re9iStered cknrity and have an up to date dnd strengthtned ¢onstitutson. Our annwl returns to the Charity Cornmission hove been submitted. Committee ¢o-options were conf irmed a* the A6M in 2023 and all of these hove made a positive contribution to the work of the Trust. The MdM9ement Committee met on fivÈ occasions. includir8 tht AGM. FwKIiNJ It on incredibly suc¢essfvl year in respect of our fund rnising- ar9￿0blY our best ever. In Jun¢. w¢ w¢re owarded £98.988 from the FCC Communities FourKlotion towords the refurbishment plons *hot had been submitted for their consideration. This o wonderful contributton with¢ut which the wrks could noi hove proceeded. The third pty Contribut￿n which is integral to the working of Ihis landf ill-tox sch¢m¢ was ge￿roUs￿ provided by Electricol Instollations. The owird olso had ¢ positive match fundin9 IM￿¢* to secure fwther fund valued at £60,OW. This awarded in September from South Kesteven District Council as part of their UKSPF levellirg up prowamme. Token tO9ether we were able to invest £159.988 in the new equipmen*. We olso rec¢iv¢d re9￿1&r fufyjs from th¢ SKDC Lott¢ry ond fundin9 from our local Parish Councils the Costle Bythom Midsummer Festivol. Refurblshment Wo Our plons for the refurbishment works hod be9un in the previo(LS yeor when we had secured plannin9 permission ond had already successfully tendered for Ployseape PILrygrounds to tfjry out the works. After contrattLnl rwtiotions, they were oble to start on October 30th It wos initially anticipated t￿0t the works would be ¢ompleted before Chrtstmas. However, the wettest winter in many yeors. olterrntin9 With 9round that were f rozen ond undi99able, meont that this target Mt met. Subsequent Completion ddtes ITh January. February and March were missed. Èecause of the continuing poor we￿her conditions where the grwnd surface tpms very much a quogmirt for weeks on end. Indeed, by the end of the firnncial yettr. thÈ fiMI site works had stsll not been completed, though pra9ress hod been a¢hiev¢d. We olso hod ntw 9Qtes f itted ond damaged fences repaired by Gilbert Elson. whik Tim Smith of Complete Moin*enonce was poised to UP9rode the moin ptsthwoy ond cor pork. IAain Sit¢ Wvks The Main focu$ of our reguhr work sessions is to mointoin th¢ site ih a good ￿nditIon to ensure a continued enioyable use by visitors. When were open, our schedule focussed on 9eneral rnaintenan¢e mowing, strimming. leof ¢learin9, tree fellin9 and gleonin9 fallen bponch¢s. coppicing general tidying, re￿IrIng play equipment. plantin9 and weedin9 the sensory 9orden by handl The Meadow is lookih9 very much like the wildflower site we have alwoys wonted and our seed plonting d¢Jring the ptst couple of years has pdid off with o wond¢pful sward of meadow f lowers in the summer with most of the ragwort pulled. We wert deli9hted to irnstoll o new noticeboord ond inforrnotion point to advise visitors of the breodth of flolro within the meadow. Special thonks must go to Elizabeth who was oble to secure f undin9 f rom the NFU to make this hdppen. We hod a for￿￿1 Si9h in d¢y tveht on September 13th Events In view of the Closure of the site. we were able to organise ony si9rtif it￿t events during the year. Pd>licity dnd Pr¢motion As th¢ sit¢ closed for neorly 6 months. pvblteity vjos kept to a minimtjm. though keeping our visitors updoted with the recurrent delays did couse disappointment. We were able to comply with the press relations required of knth our funders. 6ovin Pye regubrty updoted our W￿bsite at www. thoms inne .co.uk and t¢)ok the leod on social media. H¢ahh ar￿ Sofety This remains a key priority and a contimirg requir¢ment of our insurance orrongements. The Spinnty is o miturol wild woodland ond thtre will be an element of risk and adventure in we do. We knd our annwl kOSPA Ploy Area Sofety Inspe¢tion keport in August ond il is very pleasing to ￿te thot in all areas, there were no major is￿s. We used the report to 9￿de us with the Mil￿¢ of our refwbishment Wogromme. Future Plans Our key plon hos been to coryilete the mojor upwade ol the maj'ority of ow ploy equipment Volwrteers The 8WT is olwoys lookin9 for nK*re volunteers to help with what weart tryirg to athieve ttt The Spinney and we welcome all Offers of support. And of course, while the t)dults ore working, to en¢oura9e children to come to the site to take port in some of the most fontostit play experbences that Mture can offer- adventurous, dirty. rou9h, creative, destructiv¢. Imo9ifbltive, active, physicol, healthy- the sort of phy opportunities rnary of us probably IbJd thirty or $0 years ago but sodly do not seem so prevalent today. In a post pond¢rnic world, there remains a stron9 notional drrve to ¢ompensate for the stresses and pressures put on children ond f¢JMilies. and what IS Cdlled ihe'nttturt dtf itit, for children who may have missed eut on the wonders of the natural environment. It is pretty clear that ther¢ Is no such deficit at the Spinney. What is more.os usage of the Sprnney is free, it becomes a9ood pldee to ewoyot minimal tost something thot helps mi*i9tste the presehl cost ef Iivihg challenges. Thohks There Ire $0 mony people who deserve to be thanked for the tremendous tim¢ and effort that they have put into the Spinrw durin9 this year. All the Trustees ond Advisors use their different skills and experiences to engure that the SWT is well marn9ed to do whot needs to te dgne. We have o really solid Soturday morning maintenance crew who put in the lime V￿ek in, week out. Many thanks to Sam, 6dvin, Simon 6. Richord, Simon C. Tim. Luke, Gillidn. Jomts and Thomas. We hove lTrJd sreat support from DorvJld and James who have been our Duke of Edinburgh students. Thanks lo The Glensidt News for rt9ularly publishin9 our news ond s*ories.' Trevor Hotris who services 11 our mechanital equipment.. Tim Rosell who advises on plants and good horticulture tips,. Aqualoos who provide toilets for our events,. Gilbert Elson. who cuts the hedges and the meadow. Aside f rom the moi# f unders referenced dbovt. we ¢]re very oppreciative of the help given by the local Parish Countils, the Cttstle Bythtsm Mid-summer Festival Cotnmittee. and all those individuols who have made very kind domtions throughout th¢ ye￿. This continued support Is greatly volued. Finolly. our w