Trustees' Annual Report for the period
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Period start date Period end date 01 01 2024 31 12 2024
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Section A
Reference and administration details
Charity name Other names charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) 1185056
FRIENDS OF THE ULLSWATER WAY
Charity's principal address 5 GRASSTHWAITE HOWE
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GLENRIDDING
Postcode CA11 0PY
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Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
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Dates acted if not for whole Name of person (or body) entitled
Trustee name Office (if any)
year to appoint trustee (if any)
1 Gordon Lightburn Chair
2 Joseph Ball Treasurer Commenced: 29 [th] Feb 24
3 Miles MacInnes
4 Timothy Clarke
5 Anne Clarke
6 Jane Firth
7 Patricia Palmer
8 Cecilia McCabe Former Treasurer Ended: 29 [th] Feb 24
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Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)
Name Dates acted if not for whole year
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| Names and addresses of | advisers (Optional information) | advisers (Optional information) |
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Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Section B Structure, governance and management
Description of the charity’s trusts
CONSTITUTION Type of governing document (eg. trust deed, constitution) CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION How the charity is constituted (eg. trust, association, company) ELECTED BY OTHER TRUSTEES Trustee selection methods
- (eg. appointed by, elected by)
Additional governance issues (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:
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�� policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
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�� the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
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�� relationship with any related parties;
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�� trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
Section C Objectives and activities
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Advancing education of the cultural history, art and heritage of the Ullswater Valley.
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Providing or assisting in the provision of facilities and
Summary of the objects of the incentives for all to walk and explore the Ullswater Valley. charity set out in its 3. Advancing the establishment of community heritage centres in governing document the Ullswater Valley.
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Advancing the establishment of community heritage centres in the Ullswater Valley.
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Promoting activities that inspire the use of natural and cultural heritage as inspiration in artistic work.
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Activities undertaken have been consistent with our objectives. 2024 has principally been a year of consolidation of previous projects, together with the planning and preparation for projects to be completed or undertaken in 2025 :
The WORDSWORTH WAY FOOTPATH. A new branded footpath linking the Ullswater Way Footpath at Glenridding, to Ambleside, via Grasmere. The path celebrates and acknowledges the contribution to English Literature of the romantic poet William Wordsworth. FOUW is working with the local parishes, Wordsworth Grasmere and the University of Cumbria. In addition to branding and signage, a walking guide book is being produced and funded by FOUW to accompany the new footpath. The footpath will formally launch in April 2025.
The VIRTUAL ART GALLERY – Launched in 2023, a novel concept that unites the availability of the Ullswaterheritage.com with location markers on the Ullswater Way footpath that facilitates the virtual access of ‘Old Masters’ landscape paintings from the very spot where these paintings were created. Work is ongoing to extend the gallery into future years.
Summary of the main activities undertaken for the public benefit in relation to these objects (include within this section the statutory declaration that trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit)
To complement the Virtual Gallery, FOUW hosted an EXHIBITION OF LANDSCAPE ART, in the ‘Studio at the Royal Hotel’ Dockray, in late October. Showcasing paintings created solely by local Artists. The exhibition was well received and included two excellent talks by artists Tim Watson and Colin Hindle.
The Continuation of the MATTERDALE HABITAT SURVEY - across significant portions of land and SSSIs (Site of Special Scientific Interest) including Great Mell Fell. The team of survey volunteers (who were professionally trained by Lois Mansfield of Cumbria Universities and the National Trust Conservation Adviser John Hoosan), continue to monitor and record the biodiversity throughout the Matterdale Valley and extend their activity to parcels of land still to be surveyed.
A presentation was given at the Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre (CBDC) annual recorders conference by Paddy Palmer and Jane Newport summarising the Habitat survey which was well received. From this, good contacts were made with the Cumbria Flora group who joined surveys over a weekend. A major step forward was the digitisation of maps and survey results facilitated by Carla Pont. How the information will be stored is still to be confirmed but we are working closely with the CBDC. Looking to 2025 there will be some opportunities for further ecological skills training from a project being run by the CBDC, in collaboration with 2 other groups within Cumbria
The ULLSWATER HERITAGE KNOWLEDGE BANK. A foundation stone of FOUW, work has continued in the evolution of this historical, heritage and cultural virtual resource, by adding further information as it becomes available. Drone footage now includes the Dalemain loop extension to the Ullswater Way.
SOCIAL MEDIA. Jane Firth and Anne Clarke have engaged with social media platforms to promote the work undertaken by FOUW and to draw attention to the plethora of heritage and cultural information available on the website. In addition website activity is now being monitored and the data gathered will help guide our future work.
UNDERSTANDING ULLSWATER talks programme remains a key activity, allowing speakers to present their specialised knowledge to local residents and wider audiences via Zoom. The talks also make an important contribution to our fund raising – in 2024 the Talks raised over
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£1,900, facilitating donations of £1,244 to local charities. The 2024 programme is at Annex 2
DAFFODIL PLANTING AT AIRA FORCE. The trustees donated £1,421 of the new funding from ‘Another Way’ to aid the National Trust at Aira Force in planting more indigenous daffodil bulbs.
Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)
Most of the work of the charity is done by volunteers. FOUW has no paid staff nor staffing commitments.
You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:
In addition to the trustees, over 200 individuals and organisations within the valley have written material for our Ullswater Heritage Knowledge Bank. Local volunteers also assisted in the Habitat Survey, maintenance of the Virtual Art Gallery QR codes and in the development of forthcoming initiatives and projects.
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�� policy on grantmaking;
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Achievements and performance
Section D
2024 was principally a year of consolidation of existing projects and the Summary of the main preparation for new projects in 2025. achievements of the charity during the year Completing detailed, preparation, planning and branding of a new heritage footpath – ‘The Wordsworth Way’ to be formally opened in April 2025 Hosting an Art Exhibition featuring the works of local landscape artists, in oil, watercolour, pencil, print, felt and sculpted mediums. Supporting the National Trust in the planting of The UNDERSTANDING ULLSWATER talks programme gives FOUW a monthly forum presenting interesting topics to our many supporters. It has been successful also in projecting the profile of the organisation to a wider audience as well as raising funds through donations. The mailing list now extends to over 850 people. The development of plans and allocation of resources toward new 2025 Projects which include:Upgrading the camera and audio recording equipment used for the UU Talks programme Streamline the FOUW supporters email system (over 850 persons on the FOUW Address list). Piloting an Ullswater Lake ecology study, to include water monitoring. An oral history recording project in Matterdale. Direct support to SITU (Sustainable Integrated Transport for Ullswater) for the continuation of the ‘Ullswater Hopper Bus’ – which facilitates people access whilst reducing car usage in the valley. Direct a feasibility study to create a pedestrian walkway to take walkers off the narrow highway at Stybarrow Crag (on the Ullswater Way). Restoration and repair of the Ullswater Way Heritage Trail and Virtual Art Gallery.
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Section E
Financial review
Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves
FOUW now holds substantial funds in excess of £32,500. However, the trustees believe that when considering future expenditure, the holding of a minimum reserve of £250 is sufficient, as there are no contractual financial obligations on the organisation beyond specific expenditure agreed by the trustees from funds already in hand. In the event of funds becoming completely depleted the charity would be wound up.
Details of any funds materially in deficit
N/A
Further financial review details (Optional information)
You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:
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�� the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
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�� how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
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�� investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
The Charity’s principal sources of funds are:
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Donations from the general public, mostly received at the Talks. In 2024, £643 was received in net total.
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Grants from Trusts and Funds, not public bodies.
In 2024 FOUW received a grant of £500 from Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services.
- A further substantial donation of £861.79 was received from local charity: Another Way - raised from additional income of the ‘Ten Thousand Daffodils’ exhibit at Lowther Castle in Spring 2023. £1,000 was received from ‘Inspired by Lakeland’ - publishers of the Ullswater Way Guide book series.
There are ongoing discussion about how best to spend the funds within the charity’s objectives. Expenditure is always in keeping with the four objectives of the Charity. 2024 significant expenditures: £369 for maintenance of the Eamont Way £1,005 for Artistic and writing services toward the establishment of the Wordsworth Way The donations from the talks are added up; and after deducting the costs of the evening, 50% of these funds are donated to a charity of the speaker’s choice. In 2024 FOUW gave donations to: Patterdale Mountain Rescue, Penrith Mountain Rescue, Patterdale School, BEEP Doctors, Sunbeams Music Trust, Lakeland Housing Trust, Practical Action and Steps. Other expenditure during the year, using general funds, was on the continuation of the Ullswater Heritage Knowledge Bank website, subscriptions and insurance.
Section F
Other optional information
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Annex 1: Financial Report Annex 2: Understanding Ullswater Talks Programme
Section G Declaration
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees Signature(s) G Lightburn Full name(s) Gordon Lightburn Position (eg Secretary, Chair, Chair etc) Date 13/03/2025
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SIGNED
Joseph Ball Treasurer Friends of the Ullswater Way