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2023-06-30-accounts

1

Annual report

2022/23

Charity No. 1184386 Trustees' Report and Unaudited Accounts 30 June 2023 Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Contents

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Trustees annual report

Reference and administrative details

Charity No. 1184386

The trustees, present their report with the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the year ended 30 June 2023.

Principal Office

Accountant

Office 4 Magic Bean Counters Limited 1-3 Gloucester Road Unit 7, The Old Co-op Bishopston 38 Chelsea Road Bristol Bristol BS7 8AA BS5 6AF

Registered Office

Bankers

1-3 Gloucester Road CAF Bank Limited Bishopston 25 Kings Hill Avenue Bristol Kings Hill BS7 8AA West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ

Directors and Trustees

The Co-operative Bank p.l.c. P.O. Box 101 1 Balloon Street Manchester M60 4EP

The Directors of the charitable company are its P.O. Box 101 Trustees for the purposes of charity law. The 1 Balloon Street following Directors and Trustees served during the Manchester year: M60 4EP C.L. Bedford Monmouthshire Building Society T. Blanchard John Frost Square T. Castle (Resigned 29 November 2022) Newport A. Chester Gwent J. Chew NP20 1PX M. Funnell S. Hales N.J.A. Murry Solicitors A.G. Spittlehouse Thrings Solicitors 2 Queen Square Key Management Personnel Bath BA1 2HQ Chair M. Funnell CEO D. Wood

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Trustees annual report

Welcome

Message from the Chair

After four years operating in one of the country’s most tree-depleted regions, Avon Needs Trees (ANT) has marked a step change in woodland creation over the last year.

Founded in 2019, we have gone from one small site in Wiltshire to completing three woodland schemes last year, as well as starting the charity’s most ambitious project yet – the 113-acre Great Avon Wood five miles south of Bristol, jointly purchased with Forest of Avon Trust. Over the next few years, volunteers will help to plant and care for 40,000 trees supplied by the Woodland Trust.

Our mission is to create permanent woodland in the Bristol-Avon river catchment to address both the causes and impacts of the climate emergency, as well create more space for nature to recover. Our charity is set on making the biggest contribution possible, doing so hand-in-hand with local communities.

Volunteers planted 6,500 trees in just seven weeks at Great Avon Wood earlier in this reporting period. In the next reporting period ANT is aiming to plant more than double that in the fields just outside Pensford, as well as at kicking off woodland creation projects at further sites. To achieve these ambitious targets we are doubling our number of trained volunteer leaders to around 25.

People want to see solutions to these massive challenges, they want to get involved, and they want to pass on a legacy of a more wooded landscape to future generations. That drive and enthusiasm has been inspirational.

Introduction from the Chief Executive

As a charity we are focussed on impact. Impact for nature and climate by woodland creation at scale. Impact for people through opportunities for volunteering, education, skills development, health and wellbeing.

ANT’s achievements wouldn’t have been possible without huge support from the public, incredible staff, funding bodies and our wide range of partners in the region and nationally.

Donations from local people, as well as funds from Government, West of England Combined Authority and National Lottery Heritage Fund have unlocked these schemes, and we’ve enjoyed unprecedented support from all sorts of businesses too. But none of it could happen without our hundreds of volunteers planting thousands of trees in the winter months and then taking care of them throughout the summer. In total they’ve put in 5,695 hours of time, with a total value £113,900.

Our charity created layered benefits by using our woodland creation sites to host dozens of free-to-access public events at sites across the reporting period to support natural heritage education. Events range from forest schools to bat walks, butterfly counts to wellbeing days, with groups as diverse as children’s forest schools, refugee charities and charities promoting inclusive access.

Great Avon Wood is a game changer for the region. Over the next 50 years it is projected to lock up over 25,000 tonnes of carbon and it will slow the flow of torrential rainfall into local rivers like the Chew, reducing flood risk. And we are confident this is just the start.

We have begun to explore how we might join schemes up across the wider landscape, creating new corridors for wildlife and mosaics of nature-rich habitat. Increasing our impact for nature and people by working at a landscape will be a key focus of the next reporting period.

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2
Original photo credit: Daisy
Brasington (Edited image) Avon Needs Trees
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Annual report - 2023

Trustees annual report

Our objectives

Our purpose is to double woodland cover in our area by 2050

Our mission is to tackle the climate and nature emergency by buying land to create new, permanent woodland throughout the Bristol-Avon catchment area.

Our charitable objectives are:

i) The conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment for public benefit by the establishment and maintenance of trees, woodland and complementary habitats in such areas within the Bristol-Avon catchment area as the trustees shall determine.

Our short- to medium-term strategic aim is to transform our ownership and funding model to build a resilient and sustainable ANT that delivers maximum possible outcomes for nature, climate and people. Our activities that deliver this aim includes:

  1. Fundraising to buy land to create new woodlands and complementary habitats and to meet our charitable objectives through the long-term conservation, protection and improvement of those habitats. ANT is evolving its model to make a greater impact by also creating woodland on land it does not own where legal mechanisms for permanence can be achieved, working in partnership with others. Fundraising activities will contribute to our objectives by facilitating long-term delivery, maintenance and protection of woodlands and complementary habitats.

ii) To advance the education of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment including by promoting woodlands as a means for the public to learn about wider environmental issues such as: sustainability, climate change, ecology and the mitigating need for trees.

  1. Meeting ANT’s education objective through public engagement in woodland creation, conservation activities, heritage, ecology and climate change through volunteering opportunities, free-to-access education events, outreach and green skills programmes, as well as participating in research activities.

Our long-term strategic aim is to create a financially self-sustaining ANT that works in partnership with communities to create woodlands and complementary habitats at an increasingly impactful, landscape scale across our catchment area. Fundraising for a growing and stronger ANT operating across a wider geography will maximise impact now and into the long term.

Our organisational values guide our work and inform our organisational behaviours. Our organisational values are:

Ambitious: Our people are nimble and take opportunities, take urgent action to tackle the climate and nature emergencies, be bold in our ambition and scale

Reasoned: We are thoughtful, ethical and reasoned in how we deliver our ambitions

Positive: We are optimistic about the future and our ability to shape it, meeting our mission and challenges with positivity

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Trustees annual report

Woodland creation

2023 has been a substantial year of growth for the charity, with the number of acres of land managed for nature and woodland creation increasing from 46ac across two sites, to 169ac across four sites.

Our new woodlands this year:

In February 2023 we completed purchase of 113 acres at Publow, just south of Bristol, of what will become Great Avon Wood. The site is jointly owned by ANT and our partners at Forest of Avon Trust and is the biggest woodland creation project on record in the West of England. The first 6,000 of 40,000 trees were planted in spring 2023.

We experimented with new models for woodland creation in our second woodland creation project of 2023 – Ed Woods – where over 4,000 trees were planted across 10 acres in our first ‘land partnership’ project. Whilst on private land this new woodland will be managed by ANT and protected by a Conservation Covenant, a new legal mechanism that ensures legal permanence of the woodland without ownership.

Our existing woodlands:

On our existing sites volunteers planted the final 1,719 trees at Hazeland completing the final phase of planting at this 10,000 tree new woodland that links with ancient woodland we maintain on site.

The penultimate phase of planting at Pudding Brook Wood saw volunteers plant a further 2,780 trees. The final phase of planting at this 10,000 tree new woodland will take place in winter 2024.

Maximising ecological and climate

impact:

Delivering multi-layered benefits is central to maximising impact for climate and ecology. Woodland creation can deliver a range of benefits to biodiversity, wildlife and natural flood management and climate resilience. These factors were considered strongly during site selection and design this year when purchasing Great Avon Wood and in researching our next site acquisition. This was achieved through considering Nature Recovery Networks when selecting sites, taking advice from the Environment Agency on the natural flood management potential of each site, commissioning independent ecologists to input into site design, as well as assessing site design against outcomes for climate resilience (especially soil improvement in open space land use) and food security.

Plans for the future:

We are preparing the case for a new, larger woodland creation project for 2023/24. The scale of this project has the potential for alternative land use within the site, and landscape-scale working in and beyond the site.

Complementary land uses and habitats within the potential site will allow further multi-layered benefits to be identified and delivered, including climate resilience, food production and soil enhancement.

A landscape scale project would allow for woodland connectivity and complementary habitats and land uses in a much larger area, guided by ecological processes for maximising layered benefits.

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Trustees annual report

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2023 Land - a year of growth Purchase of 113 acres near Publow, south of Bristol and the resulting creation of Great Avon Wood saw huge growth in ANT’s collective estate. 2020/2021 2021/2022 2022/2023 Purchased Hazeland Purchased Pudding Purchased Brook Wood Great Avon Wood 34 acres 12 acres + Partnership at Ed Woods 123 acres

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Trustees annual report

Trees planted in 2023

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Two new sites and keeping
existing sites well stocked
1,719
meant plenty to keep us and
our trusted volunteers busy. at Hazeland
nr Calne
2,780
at Pudding Brook Wood
nr Chippenham
6,157
at Great Avon Woodnr Bristol 4,000
at Ed Woods
nr Shepton Mallet
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Avon Needs Trees
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Annual report - 2023

Image credit: Rob Carnier

Trustees annual report

Impact for people

ANT’s objectives of woodland creation and conservation, and education about climate and nature, brings multi-layered benefits to individual people and the wider public.

Volunteering:

Over 1,000 volunteers helped meet our charitable objectives, mostly through planting trees and conservation, providing and aftercare. Specialist volunteers and trustees are heavily involved in planning woodland creation, public engagement and outreach. We monitor skills, knowledge and wellbeing outcomes to maximise our impact.

Events:

We ran dozens of free-to-access public events at our sites across the year to deliver, monitor and evaluate natural heritage and ecological education, knowledge and wellbeing outcomes. Events range from forest schools to bat walks, butterfly counts to wellbeing days.

Jobs and skills:

This year another three ANT volunteers used this experience to switch sectors and gain employment in the green economy. In addition to the skills delivered through volunteering, this year we secured funding for a pilot Woodland Skills Programme to run in the coming year. The programme will be a structured ‘taster’ to different skills and possible careers paths in the green economy.

Outreach:

This year we ran an organised presence at a range of community events to ensure ANT’s opportunities are available to a wider audience. Many of these were stalls at very localised general community events or town-wide climate-focused events. Larger events included a tent at the Festival of Nature, South Gloucestershire Show and the Sustainable Agriculture Conference.

Others were bespoke like a landowner event with the Forestry Commission encouraging landowners to engage in woodland creation.

Equity and inclusion:

Inclusion is central to our cross-cutting theme of multilayered benefit delivery. National and local government statistics concur that marginalised communities are both less likely to access high quality green space or engage with opportunities, and more likely to benefit from taking these steps.

We monitor internal equalities information to establish how representative our direct beneficiaries are of the general population and take action to redress lack of representation. The following communities are less likely to get involved in our activities without proactive steps: disabled people, children, older people and ethnical minorities.

Our marketing, use of imagery and design of events has a focus on children and ethnic monitories, with most of our on-site events designed for one or both communities.

A number of steps so far have been taken to address inclusion of disabled people and older people. Online equivalents of on-site events are more inclusive to people with mobility issues and this year we have run some of our forest schools for SEND schoolchildren at the familiar environment of their school. We are planning further steps including an accessibility review and events targeted at older people.

Co-design with communities:

We embrace the principles of co-design and this year we have been working towards good practice. This year we held a community drop-in event as a very early stage of the woodland creation process, several months before we completed on the land purchase, to directly engage local people in the design of our new woodlands. We also met with local farmers and landowners to hear their priorities and challenges with managing land for nature and used this as a starting point for landscape-scale work in future years.

We attempt to discuss new projects of any kinds widely amongst potential beneficiaries, people who face barriers to involvement, local communities and regional stakeholders.

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Future plans:

For the coming reporting period we are preparing for potential projects that have strong potential for continued development of impacts and benefits to people.

Potential woodland creation projects includes creation of woodland open green space for 95% percentile EDI deprived community in south Bristol. There are strong potential outcomes for local green space, wellbeing and skills outcomes by working in depth, over time with this community.

A potential public engagement project in the next reporting period would expand impact for people by expanding the range of volunteering opportunities available, alongside other direct actions to benefit nature and climate.

A potential landscape scale project would offer transformational opportunities to further the education and engagement of the public in nature and climate. In 2023/24 an assessment of this potential and making plans to harness it will be a substantial project.

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

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9
We ran 137 volunteer days,
planting and caring for our
trees
1,139 people volunteered
5,695 volunteer hours
Valuing
£113,900
Image credit: Ecosulis
Avon Needs Trees
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Annual report - 2023

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Trustees annual report
Our volunteers
13%
define themselves
as disabled
13.3%
are from minority
ethnic groups
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41%
under the age
of 40
95%
said they were very
likely to volunteer
again
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93%
reported learning
57% new skills or
of volunteers knowledge
were female 95%
reported an
improvement in
health and
wellbeing
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Our impact - 2023 Avon Needs Trees
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Trustees annual report

Outreach

29 Events

run, online and outdoors, which nearly 700 people signed up to.

2,086

subscribed to our Newsletter.

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Image credit: Alex Carl Turner
Avon Needs Trees
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Annual report - 2023

Trustees annual report

Financial review

This year was the start of a period of substantial growth and change for the charity with the acquisition of Great Avon Wood at Publow. Purchase, establishment and other activities were secured through grants of over £2m from DEFRA, West of England Combined Authority, National Lottery Heritage Fund and non-cash contributions from the Woodland Trust. Most of these grants are phased over several years with fundraising for the year totalling £764,363 (2022: £219,714) as a combination of proportion of grant funds received, corporate and individual donations. Corporate giving increased slightly to £41,022 (2022: £28,216) and individual donations dipped slightly to £28,224 (2022: £46,618). In 2022 donations were secured in an intensive land purchase campaign and longer-term costs were covered by a DEFRA grant, whereas in 2023 a DEFRA grant secured the purchase and individual and corporate giving will pay for longer-term costs. This shift in the charity’s fundraising model shifted from substantial donations to secure land purchase to longer-term individual giving to support longterm establishment goals stretched individual giving targets over three years rather than three months.

Great Avon Wood being a substantial land acquisition of 113 acres (2022: 14 acres) ANT’s personnel grew to reflect increased volunteer co-ordination (volunteer numbers doubled from 500 to over 1,000), communications, administration, finance, outreach, project management and operational management.

Project staff were funded by WECA until the end of the establishment period at March 2025, as were a portion of core costs and core staff to support the project. This recovery of core costs was supplemented by other grants, full cost recovery from other projects and unrestricted income to meet the charity’s core costs.

During the period additional management capacity was created, by employing an Operations Manager, to increase fundraising activities. This investment has meant further grants were secured after this reporting period, and development work on other fundraising streams (including environmental credit sale, regular giving, corporate giving and individual giving) took place this year, with the delivery phase in the coming year.

ANT’s principal financial risks going forward is securing core costs in 2025/26 when grant funding for a portion of core costs comes to an

end. Plans to manage this risk includes developing a range of successor projects to contribute towards core costs, as well as developing a range of non-project based income streams including commercial income, credit sales and enhanced regular, individual and corporate giving. Trustees are committed to resource allocation that facilitates both operational function and growth of fundraising.

ANT does not currently make investments but an investment policy is programmed for the coming reporting period. ANT’s procurement policy follows the Social Value Act principles of creating secure local supply lines, climate resilience and tackling inequality. ANT is not a grantmaking body.

Reserves and assets:

ANT’s total funds in 2023 are £1,275,198 (2022: £816,362) of which £972,070 (2022: £523,000) are fixed assets in land. Funds restricted to projects in 2023 are £837,419 (2022: £380,565). General funds are

£292,225 (2022: £264,313). Designated reserves represent the value of fixed assets funded from unrestricted funds and stood at £145,554 (2022: £171,484).

ANT’s reserves policy was amended in the reporting period to reflect the large scale of new projects undertaken by the charity. This policy internally designates unrestricted reserves as funds to support capital reclaim. As major projects like Great Avon Wood require upfront capital expenditure based on quarterly or annual reclaims from funders, cashflow projections indicate a number of quarters were the capital sums expended but awaiting reclaim will exceed £200,000.

As ANT takes on new major projects in the coming year the charity will need increased working capital to run multiple projects simultaneously. Plans are in place to increase funds held to allow for this growth.

Going concern - after making appropriate enquiries, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that ANT has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they have adopted the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements.

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Income from charitable activities
2023 £765,190
2022
£219,714
200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000
(£)
Land assets
£972,070
2023
2022
£523,000
200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000
(£)
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Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Trustees annual report

Structure, governance and management

Constitution – ANT is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), formed in April 2019 and registered as a charity in July 2019. The affairs of ANT are governed by its Constitution which established the objects and powers of ANT. In the event of the charity being wound up the trustees have no liability for its debts.

Appointment of Trustees - the governance of ANT is the responsibility of the Trustees who are appointed under the terms of the Constitution. Trustees remain in post until they retire or otherwise cease under the provisions of the Charity constitution. New Trustees are elected by the Trustees then in post after an observation period of at least three meetings, as detailed in the Trustee Policy, along with an induction learning journey and training.

Organisational structure and decision-making policies – operational decisions are delegated by Trustees to the Chief Executive, in consultation with relevant lead Trustees for HR, safeguarding, health & safety, data protection, fundraising and public engagement and operational reports are reviewed a monthly meetings of Trustees. Policy decisions are made at Trustee monthly meetings with regular and ad hoc Trustee subgroups in operation to advise.

Co-ordinator, Outreach Co-ordinator and Conservation & Heritage Co-ordinator. Pay arrangements of the Chief Executive are decided by the Trustees and pay arrangements for other staff are delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Chair of Trustees.

Risk Management policy – The Trustees have identified the potential risks to ANT and ranked them according to likelihood and severity. For each risk they have identified mitigation and a responsible person, and the risk register is reviewed at every regular meeting of the Trustees.

Public Benefit - the Trustees have reviewed the Charity Commission's guidance on the requirement to report on public benefit. They are satisfied that the work of ANT, as described above, accords with its stated objects and provides tangible public benefit to an appropriate section of those who reside within ANT's area of benefit.

The charity maintains service delivery contracts with individuals, funders and partner organisations. Other collaboration with partner organisations are informal, except for a formal collaboration agreement with Forest of Avon Trust governing the joint ownership of Great Avon Wood.

The Chief Executive leads the staffing structure and delegates responsibilities to other members of staff as necessary. The Chief Executive manages the Operations Manager who in turn manages the Woodland Creation Manager, Finance Officer, Administrator, Communications Officer, Hazeland Co-ordinator, Land Acquisition Coordinator and Great Avon Wood Project Manager. The latter manages the Volunteer

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Trustees annual report

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011 and the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the income and expenditure of the charity for that period.

The above report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions set out in the Charities Act 2011 and in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102).

Signed on behalf of the board

M. Funnell Trustee 05 December 2023

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Independent Examiners Report

Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of Avon Needs Trees

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Avon Needs Trees for the year ended 30 June 2023.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’).

Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the Charity are not required to be audited under section 144 of the 2011 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's financial statements as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

As the charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of ACCA, which is one of the listed bodies.

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:

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 financial statements to be reached.

Ryan Corkery ACCA

Magic Bean Counters Limited Unit 7, The Old Co-op 38 Chelsea Road Bristol BS5 6AF

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Avon Needs Trees

Statement of Financial Ac�vi�es

for the year ended 30 June 2023

Notes
Income and endowments
from:
Dona�ons and legacies
3
Charitable ac�vi�es
4
Investments
5
Total
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
6
Charitable ac�vi�es
7
Other
8
Total
Net gains on investments
Net income
Transfers between funds
Net income before other
gains/(losses)
Other gains and losses
Net movement in funds
Reconcilia�on of funds:
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward		 Unrestricted
funds
2023
£
58,326
-
827		 Restricted
funds
2023
£
706,037
-
-		 Total funds
2023
£
764,363
-
827		 Total funds
2022
£
169,194
50,000
520
59,153
109
3,133
40,260		 706,037
-
97,423
165,429		 765,190
109
100,556
205,689		 219,714
1,480
68,345
99,738
43,502
-		 262,852
-		 306,354
-		 169,563
-
15,651
(13,669)		 443,185
13,669		 458,836
-		 50,151
-
1,982 456,854 458,836 50,151
1,982
435,797		 456,854
380,565		 458,836
816,362		 50,151
766,211
437,779 837,419 1,275,198 816,362

Avon Needs Trees

Summary Income and Expenditure Account

for the year ended 30 June 2023

Income
Interest and investment income
Gross income for the year
Expenditure
Interest payable
Deprecia�on and charges for
impairment of fxed assets
Total expenditure for the year
Net income before tax for the year
Net income for the year		 2023
£
764,363
827
765,190
311,260
36
(4,942)
306,354
458,836
458,836		 2022
£
219,194
520
219,714
169,563
-
-
169,563
50,151
50,151

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Avon Needs Trees Balance Sheet

Avon Needs Trees

Balance Sheet

at 30 June 2023

Notes
2023
£
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
11
972,070
972,070
Current assets
Debtors
12
207,256
Cash at bank and in hand
108,800
316,056
Creditors:Amount falling due within one year
13
(12,928)
Net current assets
303,128
Total assets less current liabili�es
1,275,198
Net assets excluding pension asset or liability
1,275,198
Total net assets
1,275,198
The funds of the charity
Restricted funds
14
Restricted income funds
837,419
837,419
Unrestricted funds
14
General funds
292,225
Designated funds
145,554
437,779
Reserves
14
Total funds
1,275,198		 2022
£
523,000
523,000
35,343
269,804
305,147
(11,785)
293,362
816,362
816,362
816,362
380,565
380,565
264,313
171,484
435,797
816,362

Approved by the board on 27 November 2023 And signed on its behalf by:

M. Funnell Trustee 27 November 2023

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Avon Needs Trees

Avon Needs Trees

for the year ended 30 June 2023

Components of cash and cash equivalents

Cash fows from opera�ng ac�vi�es
Net income per Statement of Financial Ac�vi�es
Adjustments for:
Proft on disposal of tangible fxed assets
Dividends, interest and rents from investments
Other gains/losses
(Increase)/Decrease in trade and other receivables
Increase in trade and other payables
Net cash provided by opera�ng ac�vi�es
Cash fows from inves�ng ac�vi�es
Proceeds from sales of property, plant and equipment
Payments for property, plant and equipment
Dividends, interest and rents from investments
Net cash used in inves�ng ac�vi�es
Net cash from fnancing ac�vi�es
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year		 2023
£
458,836
(4,942)
(827)
-
(171,913)
1,143
282,297
30,872
(475,000)
827
(443,301)
-
(161,004)
269,804
108,800		 2022
£
50,151
-
(520)
-
12,677
2,098
64,406
-
(198,000)
520
(197,480)
-
(133,074)
402,878
269,804
mponents of cash and cash equivalents
Cash and bank balances 108,800
108,800		 269,804
269,804

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Avon Needs Trees

Notes to the Accounts

for the year ended 30 June 2023

Basis of prepara�on

Statement of Recommended Prac�ce applicable to chari�es preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Repor�ng Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effec�ve 1 January 2015) - (Chari�es SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Repor�ng Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Chari�es Act 2011.

Change in basis of accoun�ng or to previous accounts

There has been no change to the accoun�ng policies (valua�on rules and method of accoun�ng) since last year and no changes have been made to accounts for previous years.

Fund accoun�ng

Unrestricted funds These are available for use at the discre�on of the trustees in furtherance of the general objects of the charity.

Designated funds These are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for par�cular purposes. Revalua�on funds These are unrestricted funds which include a revalua�on reserve represen�ng the restatement of investment assets at their market values.

Restricted funds These are available for use subject to restric�ons imposed by the donor or through terms of an appeal.

Avon Needs Trees Notes to the Accounts

Income

Recogni�on of Income is included in the Statement of Financial Ac�vi�es (SoFA) when the charity income becomes en�tled to, and virtually certain to receive, the income and the amount of the income can be measured with sufficient reliability.

Dona�ons and Voluntary income received by way of grants, dona�ons and gi�s is included in the legacies the SoFA when receivable and only when the Charity has uncondi�onal en�tlement to the income. Tax reclaims on Income from tax reclaims is included in the SoFA at the same �me as the dona�ons and gi�s gi�/dona�on to which it relates. Donated services These are only included in income (with an equivalent amount in expenditure) and facili�es where the benefit to the Charity is reasonably quan�fiable, measurable and material. Volunteer help The value of any volunteer help received is not included in the accounts. Investment income This is included in the accounts when receivable. Gains/(losses) on This includes any gain or loss resul�ng from revaluing investments to market value revalua�on of fixed at the end of the year.

assets

Gains/(losses) on This includes any gain or loss on the sale of investments. investment assets

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Avon Needs Trees

Notes to the Accounts

Expenditure

Other expenditure These are support costs not allocated to a par�cular ac�vity.

Taxa�on

Avon Needs Trees

Notes to the Accounts

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash at bank and on hand, demand deposits with banks and other short-term highly liquid investments with original maturi�es of three months or less and bank overdra�s. In the statement of financial posi�on, bank overdra�s are shown within borrowings or current liabili�es. In the Statement of Cash Flows, cash and cash equivalents are shown net of bank overdra�s that are repayable on demand and form an integral part of the company's cash management.

Trade and other creditors

Short term creditors are measured at the transac�on price. Other creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obliga�on resul�ng from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to se�le the obliga�on can be measured or es�mated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their se�lement amount a�er allowing for any trade discounts due.

Pension costs

pension plan under which the company pays fixed contribu�ons into a separate en�ty. Once the contribu�ons have been paid the company has no further payments obliga�ons. The contribu�ons are recognised as expenses when they fall due. Amounts not paid are shown in accruals in the balance sheet. The assets of the plan are held separately from the company in independently administered funds.

The charity is exempt from corpora�on tax on its charitable ac�vi�es.

useful life:

Freehold property 0% Held at cost

Trade and other debtors

Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Avon Needs Trees

Notes to the Accounts

2 Statement of Financial Ac�vi�es - prior year

Income and endowments from:
Dona�ons and legacies
Charitable ac�vi�es
Investments
Total
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
Charitable ac�vi�es
Other
Total
Net income
Transfers between funds
Net income before other
gains/(losses)
Other gains and losses:
Net movement in funds
Reconcilia�on of funds:
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward		 Unrestricted
funds
2022
£
45,047
50,000
520
95,567
1,480
2,415
49,049
52,944
42,623
(15,882)
26,741
26,741
409,056
435,797		 Restricted
funds
2022
£
124,147
-
-
124,147
-
65,930
50,689
116,619
7,528
15,882
23,410
23,410
357,155
380,565		 Total funds
2022
£
169,194
50,000
520
219,714
1,480
68,345
99,738
169,563
50,151
-
50,151
50,151
766,211
816,362

Avon Needs Trees

Notes to the Accounts

3 Income from dona�ons and legacies

Individual dona�ons
Corporate dona�ons
Grants
4
Income from charitable ac�vi�es
Establishment and
maintenance of woodland
5
Income from investments
Bank interest		 Unrestricted
£
19,630
21,548
17,148
58,326		 Restricted
£
8,594
19,474
677,969
706,037
Unrestricted
£
827
827		 Total
2023
£
28,224
41,022
695,117
764,363
Total
2023
£
-
-
Total
2023
£
827
827		 Total
2022
£
46,618
28,216
94,360
169,194
Total
2022
£
50,000
50,000
Total
2022
£
520
520

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Avon Needs Trees

Notes to the Accounts

6 Expenditure on raising funds

Costs of generatng voluntary
income
Individual dona�ons
Expenditure on charitable ac�vi�es
Expenditure on charitable
actvites
Establishment and
maintenance of woodland
Repair and conserva�on
work
Governance costs
Independent examiner's fees
- current year
Independent examiner's fees
- underprovided in prior year		 Unrestricted
£
1,333
-
1,800
-
3,133		 Unrestricted
£
109
109
Restricted
£
94,576
2,847
-
-
97,423		 Total
2023
£
109
109
Total
2023
£
95,909
2,847
1,800
-
100,556		 Total
2022
£
1,480
1,480
Total
2022
£
63,718
2,347
1,440
840
68,345

Avon Needs Trees Notes to the Accounts

Other expenditure
n Needs Trees
es to the Accounts
Publicity and promo�on
Event costs
Other interest payable
Employee costs
Motor and travel costs
Premises costs
Amor�sa�on, deprecia�on,
impairment, proft/loss on
disposal of fxed assets
General administra�ve costs
Legal and professional costs		 Unrestricted
£
188
57
36
37,044
732
2,186
(4,942)
4,292
667
40,260		 Restricted
£
1,354
1,979
-
129,536
3,248
5,999
-
12,549
10,764
165,429		 Total
2023
£
1,542
2,036
36
166,580
3,980
8,185
(4,942)
16,841
11,431
205,689		 Total
2022
£
8,026
2,108
-
71,162
3,021
2,700
-
5,924
6,797
99,738

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Avon Needs Trees

Notes to the Accounts

6 Expenditure on raising funds

Costs of generatng voluntary
income
Individual dona�ons
Expenditure on charitable ac�vi�es
Expenditure on charitable
actvites
Establishment and
maintenance of woodland
Repair and conserva�on
work
Governance costs
Independent examiner's fees
- current year
Independent examiner's fees
- underprovided in prior year		 Unrestricted
£
1,333
-
1,800
-
3,133		 Unrestricted
£
109
109
Restricted
£
94,576
2,847
-
-
97,423		 Total
2023
£
109
109
Total
2023
£
95,909
2,847
1,800
-
100,556		 Total
2022
£
1,480
1,480
Total
2022
£
63,718
2,347
1,440
840
68,345

Avon Needs Trees Notes to the Accounts

Other expenditure
n Needs Trees
es to the Accounts
Publicity and promo�on
Event costs
Other interest payable
Employee costs
Motor and travel costs
Premises costs
Amor�sa�on, deprecia�on,
impairment, proft/loss on
disposal of fxed assets
General administra�ve costs
Legal and professional costs		 Unrestricted
£
188
57
36
37,044
732
2,186
(4,942)
4,292
667
40,260		 Restricted
£
1,354
1,979
-
129,536
3,248
5,999
-
12,549
10,764
165,429		 Total
2023
£
1,542
2,036
36
166,580
3,980
8,185
(4,942)
16,841
11,431
205,689		 Total
2022
£
8,026
2,108
-
71,162
3,021
2,700
-
5,924
6,797
99,738

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Avon Needs Trees

Notes to the Accounts

9 Trustee remunera�on and expenses

One of the trustees received remunera�on from the charity in the current year, J. Chew was paid a total of £1,100 to run forest school sessions at one of the sites owned by the charity. No trustees received remunera�on in the previous year.

Other
Trustee Remunera�on Pension benefts
J. Chew 1,100 - -

One or more of the trustees has been paid expenses in the current or prior periods.

One or more of the trustees has been paid expenses in the current or prior periods.
2023 2022
Number Number
Number of trustees paid expenses 2 2
The nature of the reimbursed expenses All expenses are either in respect of travel or reimbursal of
costs expensed on behalf of the charity.
£ £
Total expenses reimbursed to trustees 872 1,467

Avon Needs Trees

Notes to the Accounts

Avon Needs Trees
Notes to the Accounts
10 Staf costs
Salaries and wages
Social security costs
Pension costs		 2023
153,229
4,031
3,120
160,380		 2022
57,250
-
946
58,196

No employee received emoluments in excess of £60,000.

The average monthly number of full �me equivalent employees during the year was as follows:

Opera�ons
The charity operates a defned contribu�on pension scheme.
Tangible fxed assets
Cost or revalua�on
At 1 July 2022
Addi�ons
Disposals
At 30 June 2023
Net book values
At 30 June 2023
At 30 June 2022		 2023
Number
8
8		 £
523,000
475,000
(25,930)
972,070
972,070
523,000		 2022
Number
3
3
£
523,000
475,000
(25,930)
972,070
972,070
523,000

11

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Avon Needs Trees

Notes to the Accounts

Avon Needs Trees
Notes to the Accounts
12 Debtors
Other debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
13 Creditors:
amounts falling due within one year
Trade creditors
Other taxes and social security
Other creditors
Accruals		 2023
£
-
207,256
207,256
2023
£
3,247
6,174
965
2,542
12,928		 2022
£
2,827
32,516
35,343
2022
£
6,841
2,935
569
1,440
11,785

Avon Needs Trees

Notes to the Accounts

14 Movement in funds

14 Movement in funds
At 1 July
2022
307,515
29,049
44,001
-
-
-
380,565
264,313		 Incoming
resources
(including
other
gains/losses)
£
-
2,141
22,211
475,000
153,716
52,968
706,037
59,153		 Resources
expended
£		 Gross
transfers
£
-
-
-
-
10,450
3,219
13,669
12,261		 At 30 June
2023
£
307,515
2,305
51,968
475,000
631
-
Restricted funds:
Restricted income funds:
Hazeland - purchase
Hazeland - opera�on and
infrastructure
Pudding Brook Wood (nee
Stanley Lane) - opera�on and
infrastructure
Great Avon Woods -
purchase
Great Avon Woods -
opera�on and infrastructure
Ed Woods - tree plan�ng
Total
Unrestricted funds:
General funds
-
(28,885)
(14,244)
-
(163,536)
(56,187)
(262,852)
(43,502)
837,419
292,225
Designated funds:
General funds held in land
Total
Total funds		 171,484
171,484
816,362		 -
-
765,190		 -
-
(306,354)		 (25,930)
(25,930)
-		 145,554
145,554
1,275,198

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Avon Needs Trees

Notes to the Accounts

Avon Needs Trees

Notes to the Accounts

16 Reconcilia�on of net debt

Purposes and restric�ons in rela�on to the funds:

Restricted funds: Hazeland - purchase To purchase the site known as Hazeland Hazeland - opera�on and To establish and maintain the woodland at Hazeland infrastructure Pudding Brook Wood (nee To purchase the site known as Stanley Lane Stanley Lane) - opera�on and infrastructure Great Avon Woods - To purchase the site known as Publow purchase Great Avon Woods - To establish and maintain the woodland at Publow opera�on and infrastructure Ed Woods - tree plan�ng To establish a woodland at the site known as Bodden Designated funds: General funds held in land To represent value of unrestricted funds used in land purchase

15 Analysis of net assets between funds

Analysis of net assets between funds
Fixed assets
Net current assets		 Unrestricted
funds
£
145,554
303,128
448,682		 Restricted
funds
£
826,516
-
826,516		 Total
£
972,070
303,128
1,275,198
Cash and cash equivalents
Net debt		 At 1 July
2022
£		 Cash fows
£		 At 30 June
2023
£
269,804 (161,004) 108,800
269,804
269,804		 (161,004)
(161,004)		 108,800
108,800
17 Commitments
Operatng lease commitments
Annual commitments under non-cancellable opera�ng leases are as follows:
2023
Land and buildings
£
Opera�ng leases with expiry date:
Pension commitments
The pension cost charge to the company
amounted to:
Unpaid contribu�ons due to the fund are
included in other creditors and amounted to:		 2023
Other
£
2023
£
3,120
965		 2022
Land and buildings
£		 2022
Other
£
2022
£
946
569

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Avon Needs Trees

Detailed Statement of Financial Ac�vi�es

for the year ended 30 June 2023

Income and endowments from:
Dona�ons and legacies
Individual dona�ons
Corporate dona�ons
Grants
Charitable ac�vi�es
Establishment and maintenance of
woodland
Investments
Bank interest
Total income and endowments
Expenditure on:
Costs of genera�ng dona�ons and
legacies
Individual dona�ons
Total of expenditure on raising
funds
Charitable ac�vi�es		 Unrestricte
d funds
2023
£
19,630
21,548
17,148
58,326
-
-
827
827
59,153
109
109
109		 Restricted
funds
2023
£
8,594
19,474
677,969
706,037
-
-
-
-
706,037
-
-
-		 Total funds
2023
£
28,224
41,022
695,117
764,363
-
-
827
827
765,190
109
109
109		 Total funds
2022
£
46,618
28,216
94,360
169,194
50,000
50,000
520
520
219,714
1,480
1,480
1,480

Avon Needs Trees

Detailed Statement of Financial Ac�vi�es

Establishment and maintenance of
woodland
Repair and conserva�on work
Governance costs
Independent examiner's fees -
current year
Independent examiner's fees -
underprovided in prior year
Total of expenditure on charitable
ac�vi�es
Other expenditure
Publicity and promo�on
Event costs
Other interest payable
Employee costs
Salaries/wages
Employer's NIC
Pension costs
Staf recruitment
Staf training
Temporary staf
Motor and travel costs
Travel and subsistence
Premises costs
Rent		 1,333
-
1,333
1,800
-
1,800
3,133
188
57
36
281
39,704
(4,213)
954
544
55
-
37,044
732
732
2,186		 94,576
2,847
97,423
-
-
-
97,423
1,354
1,979
-
3,333
113,525
8,244
2,166
1,501
-
4,100
129,536
3,248
3,248
5,999		 95,909
2,847
98,756
1,800
-
1,800
100,556
1,542
2,036
36
3,614
153,229
4,031
3,120
2,045
55
4,100
166,580
3,980
3,980
8,185		 63,718
2,347
66,065
1,440
840
2,280
68,345
8,026
2,108
-
10,134
57,250
-
946
175
266
12,525
71,162
3,021
3,021
2,700

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Avon Needs Trees

Detailed Statement of Financial Ac�vi�es

General administra�ve costs,
including deprecia�on and
amor�sa�on
Proft on disposal of tangible
fxed assets
Equipment expensed
General insurances
Postage and couriers
So�ware, IT support and related
costs
Sta�onery and prin�ng
Sundry expenses
Legal and professional costs
Audit/Independent examina�on
fees
Other legal and professional
costs
Total of expenditure of other costs
Total expenditure
Net gains on investments
Net income
Transfers between funds
Net income before other
gains/(losses)
Other Gains		 2,186
(4,942)
(10)
1,247
36
1,081
173
1,765
(650)
240
427
667
40,260
43,502
-
15,651
(13,669)
1,982
-		 5,999
-
12,370
179
-
-
-
-
12,549
-
10,764
10,764
165,429
262,852
-
443,185
13,669
456,854
-		 8,185
(4,942)
12,360
1,426
36
1,081
173
1,765
11,899
240
11,191
11,431
205,689
306,354
-
458,836
-
458,836
-		 2,700
-
2,848
700
-
-
-
2,376
5,924
-
6,797
6,797
99,738
169,563
-
50,151
-
50,151
-

Avon Needs Trees

Detailed Statement of Financial Ac�vi�es

Net movement in funds

Reconcilia�on of funds: Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward

1,982
435,797
437,779		 456,854
380,565
837,419		 458,836
816,362
1,275,198		 50,151
766,211
816,362

Annual report - 2023

Avon Needs Trees

Thank you to everyone who supported us

Avon Needs Trees is a registered charity in England and Wales.

Registration number: 1184386 1-3 Gloucester road, Bristol, BS7 8AA

Avon Needs Trees