**Trustees' Annual Report for the period:**
**From**
Period start date Period end date 1 December 2024 30 November 2025
**To**
Section A Reference and administration details
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Midlands Parks Forum
1186863
186 Alcester Road South
Kings Heath
Birmingham
Postcode B14 6DE
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**Charity name**
**Other names charity is known by**
> **Registered charity number (if any)** 1186863
**Charity's principal address** 186 Alcester Road South
## **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 Liz Stuffins Existing Trustees
2 James Dymond Chairperson “
3 Sam Village “
4 Ishrat Karimi Fini “
5 Angela Lewis “
6 Richard Hunt Treasurer “
7 James Cairncross Vice Chairperson “
8 Fliss Hogg “
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
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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)**
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Type of adviser Name Address
Independent examination Yinka Tomori The Old Rectory, Springhead Road, Northfleet, DA11 8HN
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## **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)**
Alison Bate, Partnership Manager
## **Section B Structure, governance and management**
## **Description of the charity’s trusts**
Constitution Type of governing document (e.g. trust deed, constitution)) Charitable Incorporated Organisation How the charity is constituted (e.g. trust, association, company) The appointment of founding trustees was made following an invitation to Trustee selection methods Midlands Parks Forum subscribers. Other trustees have since joined the (e.g. appointed by, elected by) organisation. There has been no trustee recruitment during the period of this report.
- Type of governing document (e.g. trust deed, constitution))
How the charity is constituted (e.g. trust, association, company)
## **Additional governance issues (Optional information)**
You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant, about:
- policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
- the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
- relationship with any related parties;
- trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.
The organisation continues to develop partnerships with green space organisations and values the support of non-voting volunteers from the green space sector. The trustees have continued to undertake an annual Risk Management Assessment, to ensure that risks are minimised and mitigated or closed where possible. The risks include: Financial Management, Payroll, Income and Reserves Policy, Budgeting Policy and Controls, Accounting and Audit.
A Business Continuity Plan has been developed to mitigate any risks associated with the daily management of the organisation, including any data breach. The organisation ensures that online protection and security software is in place.
## **Section C Objectives and activities**
**Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document**
1. To provide and enhance, and / or assist in the provision and enhancement of, the physical and natural environment for the use and enjoyment of the public in the area of benefit including, (but without limitation) the provision and maintenance of facilities and equipment, and the promotion of biodiversity and shall include (but is not limited to) public parks, gardens, landscaped areas, woodland, playing fields, playgrounds, nature reserves and recreational spaces; 2. To advance the education of the public in the area of benefit including
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(but without limitation) with regards to the horticulture, arboriculture, ecology, geology, archaeology, sustainability, heritage and local history; and
3. To provide or assist in the provision of facilities, for recreation and other leisure time occupation in the interests of social welfare, with the object of improving the conditions of life of the public by the improvement of parks and green open spaces in the area of benefit. In furtherance of these, the charity will provide an umbrella group for other interested organisations. In these objects, the area of benefit means the local authority areas within the East and West Midlands.
All our trustees have completed a statutory declaration that they are eligible to stand as trustees.
Our charity’s public benefit is:
What:
- General Charitable Purposes
- Education and training
- Environment, conservation and heritage
- Recreation
- Other charitable purposes
## Who
- Other charities or voluntary bodies
- Other defined groups
- The general public/mankind
## How
- Provide services
**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)**
- Provide advocacy, advice and information
- Act as an umbrella or resource body
Where
Operates in England
A range of learning and training activities have taken place to facilitate the enhancement of the environment for the public. Three online webinars and 7 in person events took place throughout the year which were free for members. In addition, an annual conference encouraged wide participation from the sector with 104 paid delegates attending.
The charity continues to frame its learning events around the Skills and Competencies Framework which was commissioned to focus on the 60 skills and competencies required to manage green space. The organisation focuses on delivering learning opportunities within the framework, to ensure the best outcomes for parks and green spaces and the communities they serve.
## **Webinars/online**
Webinars featured a wide range of topics relevant to parks management. Topics included:
- Allotment legislation and management
- Green space management plan training
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- Informal coffee and chat discussing best practice in parks.
- Developing, managing and maintaining a community orchard
## **Learning Visits:**
- Birmingham City – Welcome to Birmingham’s 641 parks and green spaces.
- Birmingham City – Helping Local Authorities to maximise value from parks.
- Birmingham City – Community taking action in Birmingham’s Green Spaces.
- Birmingham City – The Roundhouse – conservation through partnership and enterprise.
- Malvern Hills – Welcome to the Malvern Hills & Priory Park
- Malvern Hills – Presentation from Malvern Hills Trust, Walk and Talk.
- Rosliston Forestry Centre – Rosliston Forestry Centre at 30
- Rosliston Forestry Centre – Local Government Re-organisation – what will it mean to parks services?
- Rosliston Forestry Centre – the National Forest – Planting Hope Parts 1 and 2.
- Greenwood Community Forest – Presentations from Director and Lead officers
- Greenwood Community Forest – Rushcliffe Council and Biodiversity Net Gain
- Greenwood Community Forest – Demetia Friendly Parks and Greenspaces
- Charnwood Geopark Towards an UNESCO Global Geopark;
- Charnwood Geopark – A Partnership Approach
- Charnwood Geopark – A Learning Landscape, Engaging schools with the Geopark
- Charnwood Geopark – Geoconservation challenges and opportunities.
## **Conference:**
## **Climate Action through Greenspaces, The role of parks in a changing climate**
The conference explored the problems caused by our changing climate, whether it’s more frequent heatwaves causing issues for people’s health, or heavier rain threatening increasing numbers of buildings. How can our parks and green spaces be part of the solution?
We know the green spaces make a valuable contribution to many agendas, but it’s vital that they adapt in response to the challenge posed by climate change. Whether that’s about which trees and plants will thrive in the future, how to design the build environment more sympathetically, or how to make effective changes in how parks are managed, our conference had it covered.
The information gained from these learning opportunities has enabled participants to transfer the knowledge, skills and learning from the topics covered into their parks and green spaces.
It has enabled members to acknowledge the challenges and hear from colleagues in the sector how innovation can lead to solutions when managing green space. Workshops provided practical ways in which
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organisations can begin to understand and react to local challenges through data assessment, and best practice.
A range of learning topics has been provided to enable members to better manage the land in their locality for nature.
All the presentations and recordings from the above are freely available to download from the web site, which received 14407 unique visitors, up by 18% on the previous year, and 73010 page views during this period, up by 37% on the previous year.
The organisation issued 12 monthly newsletters and weekly bulletins to our members which included funding information, policy, guidance, best practice and green space vacancies. A LinkedIn account is used to share information, and help raise skills, knowledge and network in green spaces.
Sponsorship
A new format for sponsorship was adopted for our annual conference, which offered ‘market place’ trade stands at a more accessible price point for commercial organisations, rather than the traditional sponsorship package. This boosted income for our organisation. In kind support was offered by all speakers at or annual conference, none of whom requested a fee.
## **Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)**
You **may choose** to include further statements, where relevant, about:
- policy on grantmaking;
- policy programme related investment;
- contribution made by volunteers.
The contribution made by volunteers during the year has been a vital part of our fifth year as a charity, through sharing expertise, hosting learning events, and contributing towards the learning of peers.
Volunteering from Trustees and non-trustees totalled 763 hours, up by over 23% on the previous year, - which generated over £38250.00 of inkind support.
The investment policy continues to guide the charity to ensure there is sufficient daily funds for our regular activities with reserves invested to support delivery of our charity’s purpose over time. The investments are under regular review.
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Section D Achievements and performance
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## Section D Achievements and performance
**Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year**
The organisation continues to sustain a blended income from the following: Earned income: membership and conference income Sponsorship Grants Our success has enabled us to continue to retain some savings/reserves to provide an additional income. This assists our business plan as a considerable amount of hospitality fees for the learning events must now be paid by ourselves instead of members. We provide a service to all members, including Monthly Newsletters and weekly bulletins Webinars (The highest webinar attendance was 32). We also provide a service to the wider green space community, with all presentations and recordings free to access on our web site, which aids learning in the wider sector. Evaluating our work All of our in-person learning events, webinars and conferences are evaluated to enable us to continually tailor learning to meet the needs of our members.
Our learning events during this period achieved the highest score of 5/5 (with 5 being excellent and 4 being very good), with an overall average of 4.67/5 Our annual conference scored highly, with the majority of delegates believing that the presenters and venue were either excellent or very good. During this period, our charity had two steering groups derived from our trustees, which led to an increase in voluntary hours from trustees. One steering group supported the annual conference, and the other steering group supported the Partnership Manager to develop a funding application to National Lottery Heritage Fund. We were informed during September 2025 that we had a successful application and recruited for a new Partnership Manager during this period. The funding and impact of a new training programme will form part of our 2025/26 annual report.
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## **Section E Financial review**
**Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves**
The charity’s reserves policy requires unrestricted funding to cover more than six months of costs, which the charity holds. The policy allows the board to consider suitable investment opportunities for the reserves.
**Details of any funds materially in deficit**
None
## **Further financial review details (Optional information)**
You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant about:
- the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising);
- how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity;
- investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted.
The principal sources of funding have been through earned income (membership subscriptions, conference fees), donations and sponsorship:
During this period, our membership remained at 80 organisations. This number was the result of losing 11 organisations and gaining11 new organisations. Those we lost were unable to source a suitable budget for their subscription fees, rather than as a result of dissatisfaction with the service they receive.
Earned Income derived from:
- Annual membership fees
- Conference Fees
All expenditure during 2024/5 has been targeted towards improving the skills and competencies required by members, to enable them to better manage and develop their green spaces for public benefit, and towards the green space sector as a whole – with biodiversity and green heritage a key focus.
The key priorities of learning identified are heritage, biodiversity/climate change, community and volunteering and identifying sources of income/commercial opportunities. In addition, sharing information on inequality of provision, and campaigning for increased resources for parks.
Gaining skills and knowledge in these areas enables green space practitioners to replicate learning from peers enabling them to improve parks and green space facilities within their local area.
Having a supportive learning network of green space sector practitioners enables costs to be kept at a minimum.
The charity retains banking with an ethical banking organisation, which supports community activities. With reserves also placed into an interest earning account to support the charity’s sustainability.
The charity directly employs a part time member of staff, and a small amount of additional administration is procured through a zero-contract arrangement to manage annual membership and conference processes. - The employee is home working which reduces all overheads.
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**Section F Other optional information**
## **Section G Declaration**
**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.**
**Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees**
**Signature(s) Full name(s)** James Dymond **Position (eg Secretary, Chair,** Chair **etc) Date** 26th April 2026
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## **MIDLANDS PARKS FORUM**
**TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND ACCOUNTS YEAR ENDED 30 NOVEMBER 2025**
**Charity Number: 1186863**
## **MIDLANDS PARKS FORUM**
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
## **YEAR ENDED 30 NOVEMBER 2025**
## **STATUS**
The Midlands Parks Forum was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on 10 December 2019.
**REGISTERED NAME** Midlands Parks Forum
|**CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER**|1186863|
|---|---|
|**TRUSTEES**|James Dymond (Chair of Trustees – from 23 June 2025)|
||James Cairncross (Vice Chair – from 23 June 2025)|
||Liz Stuffins|
||Ishrat Karimi Fini|
||Felicity Claire Hogg|
||Richard Hunt (Treasurer – from 23 June 2025)|
||Angela Lewis|
||Samantha Rae Village|
|**PRINCIPAL ADDRESS**|186 Alchester Road South|
||Kings Heath|
||Birmingham|
||B14 6DE|
|**NAMED CORRESPONDENT**|Alison Bate|
|**PROFESSIONAL ADVISERS:**||
|**Bankers**|The Co-operative Bank|
||P O Box 250,|
||Skelmersdale,|
||WN8 6WT|
||Redwood Bank|
||The Nexus Building|
||Broadway, Letchworth Garden City|
||Hertfordshire|
||SG6 3TA|
|**Independent Examiner**|Olayinka Tomori ACA, DChA|
||Longmeade Consult Ltd|
||The Old Rectory|
||Springhead Road|
||Northfleet, DA11 8HN|
1
## **MIDLANDS PARKS FORUM**
## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT**
## **YEAR ENDED 30 NOVEMBER 2025**
## **STRUCTURE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
The charity is led by a board of 8 trustees, including a Chair, Vice Chair and Treasurer. The day-to-day management of the charity is delegated to the Partnership Manager. The Partnership Manager leads in preparing all policies and procedures which are approved by the board in the monthly board meetings. There are 2 sub-committees who lead on the development of the Green Heritage Future Leaders Training Programme, and the curation of the annual conference to best meet the needs of our members.
Quarterly financial reports are prepared by the Partnership Manager, reviewed and approved by the Treasurer. A Financial Risk Register is updated regularly, and all current and savings accounts are regularly reviewed.
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
The charitable objects are “To provide and enhance, and / or assist in the provision and enhancement of, the physical and natural environment for the use and enjoyment of the public in the area of benefit (including, but without limitation, the provision and maintenance of facilities and equipment, and the promotion of biodiversity) and shall include but is not limited to public parks, gardens, landscaped areas, woodland, playing fields…”
Midlands Parks Forum operates as an umbrella organisation in the East and West Midlands, to help improve green spaces. We help to raise standards and share good practice through conferences, workshops and educational forums, to share and learn with green space practitioners from local authorities; agencies such as Natural England and LANTRA; charities, and corporate partners.
## **PUBLIC BENEFIT**
The trustees have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and believe the charity’s activities during the year provided clear benefit to its beneficiaries and the wider community.
## **REVIEW OF THE YEAR**
A range of learning and training activities have taken place to facilitate the enhancement of the environment for the public. Three online webinars and seven in-person events took place throughout the year which were free for members. In addition, an annual conference encouraged wide participation from the sector with 104 paid delegates attending.
The charity continues to frame its learning events around the Skills and Competencies Framework which was commissioned to focus on the 60 skills and competencies required to manage green space. The organisation focuses on delivering learning opportunities within the framework, to ensure the best outcomes for parks and green spaces and the communities they serve.
In addition the charity has prepared a large training programme which will be funded and delivered in the subsequent financial year.
2
## **MIDLANDS PARKS FORUM**
**TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)**
## **YEAR ENDED 30 NOVEMBER 2025**
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
The charity’s income for the year was £46,610 (2024: £36,813) and expenditure of £47,983 (2024: £42,751) for the year, resulting in an excess of payments over receipts of £1,373 (2024: £5,938 excess of payments over receipts).
The trustees have reviewed the charity’s financial position and consider it appropriate to the charity’s stage of development, while recognising the need to secure sustainable funding for future periods.
## **RESERVES POLICY**
The trustees aim to maintain free reserves sufficient to cover short-term operational risks and essential running costs. Trustees estimate a target of £50,000 will be sufficient to fulfil this aim. The trustees will review the reserves position regularly, taking account of forecast income, committed expenditure and identified risks.
## **STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES**
The Charities Act 2011 requires the Trustees to prepare for each financial year financial statements which give a true and fair view of the charity’s financial activities during the year and of its financial position at the year end. In preparing the financial statements the Trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charity Commission guidelines for the preparation of accounts using the Receipts and Payments basis
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and
- adopt the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue on that basis.
The Trustees are responsible for ensuring proper accounting records are kept which disclose, with reasonable accuracy at any time, the financial position of the Charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Trust Deed and the disclosure regulations. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of error, fraud and other irregularities.
Signed on behalf of the Trustees on 9[th] July 2026.
**……………………… James Dymond Trustee**
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## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF**
## **MIDLANDS PARKS FORUM**
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Midlands Parks Forum (the Trust) for the year ended 30 November 2025.
## **RESPONSIBILITIES AND BASIS OF THE REPORT**
As the charity Trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (“the 2011 Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that **no** material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the 2011 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and 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 accounts to be reached.
Olayinka Tomori ACA, DChA Chartered Accountant
Longmeade Consult Ltd The Old Rectory Springhead Road Northfleet DA11 8HN
13[th] July 2026
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## **MIDLANDS PARKS FORUM**
## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 NOVEMBER 2025**
||||**Unrestricted**||
|---|---|---|---|---|
||||**General Funds**||
|||**2025**||**2024**|
||**Notes**|**£**||**£**|
|**RECEIPTS**|||||
|Memberships||27,590||24,419|
|Training/Conference Income||15,831||8,985|
|Sponsorships||-||250|
|Other income||-||25|
|||-----------------||-----------------|
|||43,421||33,679|
|Interest received||3,189||3,134|
|||-----------------||-----------------|
|**Total Receipts**||**46,610**||**36,813**|
|||-----------------||-----------------|
|**PAYMENTS**|||||
|**Charitable Activities**|3|47,983||42,751|
|||---------------||---------------|
|**Total Payments**||47,983||42,751|
|||----------------||----------------|
|Excess of Receipts/(Payments)||(1,373)||(5,938)|
|Cash at Bank & In Hand|||||
|At start of year||86,622||92,560|
|||-----------------||----------------|
|**Cash at Bank & In Hand**|||||
|**At end of year**||85,249||86,622|
|||========||========|
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## **MIDLANDS PARKS FORUM**
## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES**
## **AS AT 30 NOVEMBER 2025**
|**NET CURRENT ASSETS**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|**CASH AT BANK & IN HAND**|||
|Current Accounts|895|1,155|
|Redwood bank Deposit Account|39,178|38,105|
|Redwood bank Short Term Bond Account|44,958|47,028|
|Paypal Account|218|334|
||---------------|----------------|
||85,249|86,622|
|**OTHER CURRENT ASSETS**|||
|Accrued income|-|-|
||----------------|----------------|
|**CURRENT ASSETS**|85,249|86,622|
|**CURRENT LIABILITIES**|||
|Accrued expenses – Independent Examination|(780)|(390)|
||----------------|----------------|
|**NET CURRENT ASSETS**|84,469|86,232|
||========|=======|
Approved by the Trustees on 9[th] July 2026
**……………………… James Dymond Trustee**
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**MIDLANDS PARKS FORUM**
**NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **YEAR ENDED 30 NOVEMBER 2025**
## **1. STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **Basis of accounting**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 and Charity Commission guidelines for the preparation of accounts using the Receipts and Payments basis.
## **2. RELATED PARTIES AND TRUSTEES’ BENEFITS**
Angela Lewis - trustee, provided professional and administrative support to the charity's 2025 conference through her business, King Sport & Leisure, for which the business was paid £4,740. Angela Lewis was not involved in making the decision. No other trustee received any remuneration in the year, either for their work as trustees or for providing other services (2024: none).
## **3.**
## **4.**
|**DETAILS OF EXPENDITURE**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Staff Costs|26,646|27,550|
|Travelling Expenses|1,664|891|
|Insurance|331|317|
|Training, Mentoring, Conference Fees|15,227|11,122|
|Printing, Stationery and Advertising|986|564|
|Telephone, IT and website|2,288|274|
|Repairs and Renewals|-|1,331|
|Professional Fees|694|390|
|Paypal Fees|147|147|
|Sundries|-|165|
||----------------|----------------|
||**47,983**|**42,751**|
||========|========|
|**INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S FEE**|||
The independent examiner’s fee for the year ended 30 November 2025:
||**2025**|**2024**|
|---|---|---|
||**£**|**£**|
|Independent Examination|600|390|
|Accountancy support|180|-|
||========|========|
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## **MIDLANDS PARKS FORUM**
**TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND ACCOUNTS YEAR ENDED 30 NOVEMBER 2025**
**Charity Number: 1186863**
## **MIDLANDS PARKS FORUM**
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS**
## **YEAR ENDED 30 NOVEMBER 2025**
## **STATUS**
The Midlands Parks Forum was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) on 10 December 2019.
**REGISTERED NAME** Midlands Parks Forum
|**CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER**|1186863|
|---|---|
|**TRUSTEES**|James Dymond (Chair of Trustees – from 23 June 2025)|
||James Cairncross (Vice Chair – from 23 June 2025)|
||Liz Stuffins|
||Ishrat Karimi Fini|
||Felicity Claire Hogg|
||Richard Hunt (Treasurer – from 23 June 2025)|
||Angela Lewis|
||Samantha Rae Village|
|**PRINCIPAL ADDRESS**|186 Alchester Road South|
||Kings Heath|
||Birmingham|
||B14 6DE|
|**NAMED CORRESPONDENT**|Alison Bate|
|**PROFESSIONAL ADVISERS:**||
|**Bankers**|The Co-operative Bank|
||P O Box 250,|
||Skelmersdale,|
||WN8 6WT|
||Redwood Bank|
||The Nexus Building|
||Broadway, Letchworth Garden City|
||Hertfordshire|
||SG6 3TA|
|**Independent Examiner**|Olayinka Tomori ACA, DChA|
||Longmeade Consult Ltd|
||The Old Rectory|
||Springhead Road|
||Northfleet, DA11 8HN|
1
## **MIDLANDS PARKS FORUM**
## **TRUSTEES’ REPORT**
## **YEAR ENDED 30 NOVEMBER 2025**
## **STRUCTURE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
The charity is led by a board of 8 trustees, including a Chair, Vice Chair and Treasurer. The day-to-day management of the charity is delegated to the Partnership Manager. The Partnership Manager leads in preparing all policies and procedures which are approved by the board in the monthly board meetings. There are 2 sub-committees who lead on the development of the Green Heritage Future Leaders Training Programme, and the curation of the annual conference to best meet the needs of our members.
Quarterly financial reports are prepared by the Partnership Manager, reviewed and approved by the Treasurer. A Financial Risk Register is updated regularly, and all current and savings accounts are regularly reviewed.
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
The charitable objects are “To provide and enhance, and / or assist in the provision and enhancement of, the physical and natural environment for the use and enjoyment of the public in the area of benefit (including, but without limitation, the provision and maintenance of facilities and equipment, and the promotion of biodiversity) and shall include but is not limited to public parks, gardens, landscaped areas, woodland, playing fields…”
Midlands Parks Forum operates as an umbrella organisation in the East and West Midlands, to help improve green spaces. We help to raise standards and share good practice through conferences, workshops and educational forums, to share and learn with green space practitioners from local authorities; agencies such as Natural England and LANTRA; charities, and corporate partners.
## **PUBLIC BENEFIT**
The trustees have had due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit and believe the charity’s activities during the year provided clear benefit to its beneficiaries and the wider community.
## **REVIEW OF THE YEAR**
A range of learning and training activities have taken place to facilitate the enhancement of the environment for the public. Three online webinars and seven in-person events took place throughout the year which were free for members. In addition, an annual conference encouraged wide participation from the sector with 104 paid delegates attending.
The charity continues to frame its learning events around the Skills and Competencies Framework which was commissioned to focus on the 60 skills and competencies required to manage green space. The organisation focuses on delivering learning opportunities within the framework, to ensure the best outcomes for parks and green spaces and the communities they serve.
In addition the charity has prepared a large training programme which will be funded and delivered in the subsequent financial year.
2
## **MIDLANDS PARKS FORUM**
**TRUSTEES’ REPORT (continued)**
## **YEAR ENDED 30 NOVEMBER 2025**
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
The charity’s income for the year was £46,610 (2024: £36,813) and expenditure of £47,983 (2024: £42,751) for the year, resulting in an excess of payments over receipts of £1,373 (2024: £5,938 excess of payments over receipts).
The trustees have reviewed the charity’s financial position and consider it appropriate to the charity’s stage of development, while recognising the need to secure sustainable funding for future periods.
## **RESERVES POLICY**
The trustees aim to maintain free reserves sufficient to cover short-term operational risks and essential running costs. Trustees estimate a target of £50,000 will be sufficient to fulfil this aim. The trustees will review the reserves position regularly, taking account of forecast income, committed expenditure and identified risks.
## **STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES**
The Charities Act 2011 requires the Trustees to prepare for each financial year financial statements which give a true and fair view of the charity’s financial activities during the year and of its financial position at the year end. In preparing the financial statements the Trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charity Commission guidelines for the preparation of accounts using the Receipts and Payments basis
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and
- adopt the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue on that basis.
The Trustees are responsible for ensuring proper accounting records are kept which disclose, with reasonable accuracy at any time, the financial position of the Charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Trust Deed and the disclosure regulations. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of error, fraud and other irregularities.
Signed on behalf of the Trustees on 9[th] July 2026.
**……………………… James Dymond Trustee**
3
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF**
## **MIDLANDS PARKS FORUM**
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Midlands Parks Forum (the Trust) for the year ended 30 November 2025.
## **RESPONSIBILITIES AND BASIS OF THE REPORT**
As the charity Trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (“the 2011 Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that **no** material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the 2011 Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
I have no concerns and 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 accounts to be reached.
Olayinka Tomori ACA, DChA Chartered Accountant
Longmeade Consult Ltd The Old Rectory Springhead Road Northfleet DA11 8HN
13[th] July 2026
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## **MIDLANDS PARKS FORUM**
## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 NOVEMBER 2025**
||||**Unrestricted**||
|---|---|---|---|---|
||||**General Funds**||
|||**2025**||**2024**|
||**Notes**|**£**||**£**|
|**RECEIPTS**|||||
|Memberships||27,590||24,419|
|Training/Conference Income||15,831||8,985|
|Sponsorships||-||250|
|Other income||-||25|
|||-----------------||-----------------|
|||43,421||33,679|
|Interest received||3,189||3,134|
|||-----------------||-----------------|
|**Total Receipts**||**46,610**||**36,813**|
|||-----------------||-----------------|
|**PAYMENTS**|||||
|**Charitable Activities**|3|47,983||42,751|
|||---------------||---------------|
|**Total Payments**||47,983||42,751|
|||----------------||----------------|
|Excess of Receipts/(Payments)||(1,373)||(5,938)|
|Cash at Bank & In Hand|||||
|At start of year||86,622||92,560|
|||-----------------||----------------|
|**Cash at Bank & In Hand**|||||
|**At end of year**||85,249||86,622|
|||========||========|
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## **MIDLANDS PARKS FORUM**
## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES**
## **AS AT 30 NOVEMBER 2025**
|**NET CURRENT ASSETS**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|**CASH AT BANK & IN HAND**|||
|Current Accounts|895|1,155|
|Redwood bank Deposit Account|39,178|38,105|
|Redwood bank Short Term Bond Account|44,958|47,028|
|Paypal Account|218|334|
||---------------|----------------|
||85,249|86,622|
|**OTHER CURRENT ASSETS**|||
|Accrued income|-|-|
||----------------|----------------|
|**CURRENT ASSETS**|85,249|86,622|
|**CURRENT LIABILITIES**|||
|Accrued expenses – Independent Examination|(780)|(390)|
||----------------|----------------|
|**NET CURRENT ASSETS**|84,469|86,232|
||========|=======|
Approved by the Trustees on 9[th] July 2026
**……………………… James Dymond Trustee**
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**MIDLANDS PARKS FORUM**
**NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS**
## **YEAR ENDED 30 NOVEMBER 2025**
## **1. STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **Basis of accounting**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 and Charity Commission guidelines for the preparation of accounts using the Receipts and Payments basis.
## **2. RELATED PARTIES AND TRUSTEES’ BENEFITS**
Angela Lewis - trustee, provided professional and administrative support to the charity's 2025 conference through her business, King Sport & Leisure, for which the business was paid £4,740. Angela Lewis was not involved in making the decision. No other trustee received any remuneration in the year, either for their work as trustees or for providing other services (2024: none).
## **3.**
## **4.**
|**DETAILS OF EXPENDITURE**|||
|---|---|---|
||**2025**|**2024**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Staff Costs|26,646|27,550|
|Travelling Expenses|1,664|891|
|Insurance|331|317|
|Training, Mentoring, Conference Fees|15,227|11,122|
|Printing, Stationery and Advertising|986|564|
|Telephone, IT and website|2,288|274|
|Repairs and Renewals|-|1,331|
|Professional Fees|694|390|
|Paypal Fees|147|147|
|Sundries|-|165|
||----------------|----------------|
||**47,983**|**42,751**|
||========|========|
|**INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S FEE**|||
The independent examiner’s fee for the year ended 30 November 2025:
||**2025**|**2024**|
|---|---|---|
||**£**|**£**|
|Independent Examination|600|390|
|Accountancy support|180|-|
||========|========|
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