Arlington Garden Association Charity Number: 1184194
Trustees' Annual Report & Financial Statements for the Period 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023
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October 2024
Arlington Garden Association Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements for the Financial Period from 01-Jan-2023 to 31-Dec-2023
Reference & Administration Details
Charity Details:
Name(s): Arlington Garden Association Number: 1184194 Address: c/o Garden Flat, 4 Arlington Villas, Bristol, BS8 2ED
Names of the Charity Trustees who Manage the Charity
Caroline Dix Chair of Trustees Richard Barnes Trustee Keith Rodgerson Trustee Nicholas Sargent Trustee
Names of Trustees for the Charity
Nil
Names & Addresses of Advisors
Role Name Address Bank Lloyds Bank Blackheath, London Independent Nil Examiner
Names of Senior Staff with Delegated Responsibilities
Name Role Nil
Structure, Governance & Management
Description of the Charity's Trusts
Type of Governing Document:
Constitution
How the Charity is Constituted:
Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Trustee Selection Methods:
Informal Selection: volunteer trustees from the local community who have an interest in meeting the objects of the Charity. Volunteers who meet specific gaps in knowledge and expertise of existing trustees are particularly sought.
How New Trustees are Inducted and Trained:
All new Trustees will be provided with a copy of the Constitution, the most recent Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements and minutes of recent Trustees meetings.
Charity Commission Documentation will also be provided to ensure the role and responsibility of the Trustee is fully understood.
Additional Governance Issues
Nil.
Objects
Arlington Garden Association exists to promote the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of Arlington Garden for the benefit of the local community and visitors through trustee led volunteer maintenance sessions and fundraising for restoration activity.
In addition the Association seeks to provide facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation for the public benefit by providing an area for use as a community garden for individuals in Clifton East, Bristol and the surrounding area, who have need of such facilities with the object of improving the condition of life of the local community.
The Association provides opportunities for community garden volunteers to learn about horticulture in and around the community garden.
Statutory Declaration on Public Benefit
The trustees declare that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers or duties.
Executive Summary
12 formal volunteering sessions have taken place over the course of 2023, unfortunately no fundraising event was able to take place, however the garden did take part in Clifton Green Squares and Secret Gardens event. The volunteer sessions were all organised to meet the objectives of the charity; that is to improve the state of Arlington Garden as a community space for leisure and recreation of local residents and visitors.
Activities, Achievements & Performance
Objectives of the charity.
During 2023 the Association set out to continue delivering iterative improvements in the state of the Garden. in order to provide improving quality recreation and leisure space for the local community in a garden context; this is particularly important as many local residents do not have access to their own garden. The Garden had not been formally maintained for over 75 years (since WW2 through to 2016) and, although foreboding at times, it has remained accessible to the public for this period. The garden had become a spot for flytipping, recreational drug users and rough sleepers to the concern of local residents; no other organisation is currently undertaking any maintenance of the Garden.
In addition, the Association has sought to undertake fundraising events in order to increase available funding. The fundraising activity enables the Association to purchase plants and tools for use in the Garden to enable us to continue to make improvements.
Activities undertaken . The Garden improvements are undertaken through volunteer sessions held once a month on the site. Each volunteer session lasts for c. 1 hour, although many volunteers choose to give more of their time with the average volunteer staying for 90minutes.
The iterative improvements over 2023 have been reduced due to the amount of improvements made in previous years that require time to mature. We continue to seed the grassed area to help maintain and thicken the grass under the shade of the trees.
The garden took part in the Clifon Open Garden event, this raised over £250 as a share of ticket sales for the overarching event.
The small oak sapling donated in 2021 by Bristol Tree Forum continues to grow and mature in a pot to enable it to get to a size suitable for planning out in the garden.
Away from specific charitable activity we were able to offer use of the Garden to support the local Church to hold some events in the garden, including a carols by candelight event for the local residents. All Charity activity takes place on the Garden site at Arlington Villas.
Outcomes . The activity has enabled a recreation and leisure space within this densely populated residential area in the context of a garden space. The Garden is open for the public benefit at all times, although unlit in hours of darkness. The fundraising events are held over the summer months to enable maximum participation and have raised a sum of money to enable the Association to undertake further meaningful work in the next period. The garden having open space and a grassed area continues to be beneficial for the local community as most properties in the vicinity are in flats and have no outside space.
Fundraising . Participation in Clifton Green Squares and Secret Gardens was the only fundraising activity undertaken this year.
Grants Awarded . Arlington Garden Association was awarded Community Infrastructure Levy funding for path and entrance improvements in 2022 after an application was made on its behalf by the local residents’ association (Oakfield Residents’ Association). The monies for this will not be given directly to the garden within this financial year and works are due to be completed by Bristol Parks in 23/24. Any funding requirement in addition to the CIL award to deliver the works will be required to be provided by the Association.
Contributions of Volunteers . Between 2 and 4 of the trustees lead each volunteer session with usual attendance from the local community of about 4-6 additional volunteers ranging in age from 7-75, in addition to the trustees; it appears that the restrictions of the covid lockdowns have had a longer term negative implication to being able to attract volunteers. Each session is programmed for 60 minutes, although the majority of volunteers will attend for at least 90minutes, with some staying for up to 120 mins. These volunteers undertake gardening activity.
In addition the Trustees spent a cumulative 10-15 hours a month undertaking additional gardening activity in the Garden to ensure all required work is carried out. Approximately 15 hours have been spent by trustees on a voluntary basis undertaking the administration requirements of the Charity, this has been focussed around developing the paperwork to support an application for the Garden to become a Town Green. This application has been stymied due to the potential legal costs associated with it being beyond the means of the charity.
The beneficiaries of the Associations activities are all those who walk by, or chose to spend time in the Garden; in the main this will be local residents and those who are working locally, and will be of all ages. The fundraising event had a wider audience with Residents’ Associations invited, and the wider panBristol draw of the Clifton Open Gardens event.
Financial Review
Statement of the Charity's Policy on Reserves
The Association continues to operate with a no reserves policy; this will be reviewed in the next period.
Due to the nature of the charitable undertakings there are not foreseen to be any unplanned outgoings (the Association does not own the land which it maintains nor does it own or lease any buildings or employ staff); therefore contingency is not deemed necessary at this stage. All commitments (expenditure) are managed according to income received and that which has accrued from previous periods is applicable and therefore cash-flow is maintained; any surplus at the end of the period will be committed as soon as is practicable enabling future commitments. The no reserves policy should therefore not impact or force the closure of the charity.
Details of Any Funds Materially in Deficit
The Trustees declare that the charity had no funds which were materially in deficit at the date of the statement of assets & liabilities.
State of the Charity’s Finances
The Associations main income source is from annual fundraising events, and then through memberships and donations by local residents and business who support the aims.
The main areas of expenditure are on waste removal, gardening tools and plants/trees/seed used within the Garden by volunteers.
Restricted Funds
Nil.
Designated Funds
There are no designated funds. The Association notes the Community Infrastructure Levy grant that has been made by Bristol City Council, and that the monies will be held by them in order to cover the costs of the work.
Particulars of Any Outstanding Guarantee Given by the Charity
The Trustees declare that the charity has given no guarantee where potential liability is outstanding at the date of the statement of assets & liabilities.
Particulars of Any Outstanding Debt
The Trustees declare that the charity has no outstanding debts which are secured by an express charge on any of the assets of the charity at the date of the statement of assets & liabilities.
Declaration
The Trustees declare that they have approved the above report and authorised that it be signed on their behalf.
20231231_AGA_Accounts 30/10/2024 18:19
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Statement of Financial Activity, Financial Year Ended 31-Dec-23
Current Financial Year, Last Year
Unrestr'd Restricted Total Total
INCOMING RESOURCES £ £ £ £
Donations & legacies 270 270 0
Charitable activities 0 0 0 0
Other trading activities 252 252 252
Investments 0 0 0
Separate material items of interest 0 0
Other 0 0 0 0
TOTAL INCOME 522 0 522 252
RESOURCES EXPENDED
Raising funds -45 0 -45 0
Charitable activities 0 0 0 0
Support costs 0 0 0
Separate material items of interest 0 0
Other -118 0 -118 0
TOTAL EXPENDITURE -163 0 -163 0
Net income-expenditure 359 0 359 252
before gains /losses on investments
Net gains/losses on investments 0 0 0 0
NET INCOME-EXPEDITURE 359 0 359 252
Extraordinary Items 0 0 0 0
Transfers Between Funds 0 0 0 0
Other recognised gains/losses 0 0 0 0
NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS 359 0 359 252
Reconciliation of Net Funds, Financial Year To 31-Dec-23
Current Financial Year, Last Year
Unrestr'd Restricted Total Total
Net Funds Brought Forward 3,914 - 3,914 3,914
Movement After Transfers 359 0 359 0
Total Funds Carried Forward 4,274 0 4,274 3,914
Movements in Funds for the Financial Period To 31-Dec-23
Bt'Fwd at Receipts Payments Transfers Cd'Fwd at
Cash Funds 01-Jan-23 in Period in Period in Period 31-Dec-23
Cash at Bank & in Hand
Bank, Current Account 3,760 522 -250 0 4,032
Cash Account 0 0 0 0 0
PayPal Account 0 0 0 0 0
Bank, Deposit Account 0 0 0 0 0
Total Cash Funds 3,760 522 -250 0 4,032
Debtors {Unreconciled Income} 0 0
Creditors {Unreconciled Expenditure} 0 0
Net Cash Funds 3,760 4,032
Non-Cash Funds Bt'Fwd at Additions Disposals Depr/Revals Cd'Fwd at
01-Jan-19 in Period in Period in Period 31-Dec-19
Assets 154 140 -118 176
Investments 0 0 0 0 0
Total Non-Cash Funds 154 140 0 -118 176
Total Funds (Net) 3,914 4,209
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20231231_AGA_Accounts 30/10/2024 18:19
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Balance Sheet as at 31-Dec-23
Current Financial Year, Last Year
Assets Unrestr'd Restricted Total £ Total £
Tangible assets 176 0 176 154
Other assets
Stocks 0 0 0 0
Investments 0 0 0 0
Total Non-Cash Assets 176 0 176 154
Cash
Cash at bank and in hand 4,032 0 4,032 3,760
Debtors 0 0 0 0
Creditors {Due within one yr} 0 0 0 0
Net Cash 4,032 0 4,032 3,760
Total assets less current liabilities 4,209 0 4,209 3,914
Total Fixed Assets 176 0 176 154
Total Current Assets 4,032 0 4,032 3,760
Net Current Assets 4,032 0 4,032 3,760
Allocation of Funds
General Fund 4,209 3,914
Net Payments in Advance 0 0
Designated Funds
Total Unrestricted Funds 4,209 3,914
Restricted Funds
Total Restricted Funds 0 0
Total Funds 4,209 3,914
Money Owed to the Charity {Other Monetary Assets}
Gift Aid claim 0 0
Other 0 0
0 0
Money Owed by the Charity {Liabilities}
Independent Examination Fee 0 0
Other 0 0
0 0
Current Funds 4,209 3,914
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