2022-12-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From January 2022 To December 2022

Charity name: The Northumbria Gardens Trust

Charity registration number: 1187196

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	1) To promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of Northumbria. 2) To advance the education of the public on matters concerned with the heritage, protection, conservation and enhancement of historic parks, gardens and other designated landscapes of Northumbria.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	The programme of visits to historic gardens was successfully held and the annual lecture in November went ahead. A small group of the trustees continued to respond to the weekly planning lists circulated by The Gardens Trust, which were scanned and applications likely to have adverse impact on historic designed landscapes in the Northumbria region assessed and responded to via TGT as appropriate. Requests for information and support received via the website concerning historic designed landscapes in Northumbria have been responded to.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	The trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38	No grants were made
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	The trustees continue to invest a considerable amount of time as volunteers to run the administration of The Northumbria Gardens Trust; organise a programme of events; and support The Gardens Trust as the statutory consultees for all planning applications affecting registered designed landscapes in Northumbria region.
Other

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	The AGM, at Ushaw College; the planned visits for the year and the Annual Lecture at the Lit. & Phil. in November, went ahead. These are the principal benefits to the membership and attending non members. The trustees continued to run the administration of The Northumbria Gardens Trust and to plan for a programme of events in 2023; The trustees continued to support The Gardens Trust as statutory consultees for all planning applications affecting registered designed landscapes in Northumbria region; scanning the weekly lists, assessing applications and providing local knowledge to The Gardens Trust Conservation Team as appropriate. This activity is of benefit to society as a whole in helping to conserve the region’s designed landscapes. We have also been able to continue to respond to enquiries from the public about the conservation of designed landscapes in Northumbria.

	Additional information (optional)	Additional information (optional)
	You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
			A full events programme, annual lecture
			and AGM was achieved and we were able to
	Achievements against	Para 1.41	continue with the important conservation role
	objectives set		of supporting The Gardens Trust in its role
			as statutory consultee and to respond to
			enquiries from the public about the
			conservation of designed landscapes in
			Northumbria.
			No fundraising activities were undertaken.
	Performance of fundraising
	activities against objectives	Para 1.41
	set
			Not applicable
	Investment performance	Para 1.41
	against objectives
	Other

Financial Review

Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	The funds in the Northumbria Gardens Trust Community Account increased during the period. The two main items of expenditure were the Annual subscription and insurance payments to The Gardens Trust and the cost of Room Hire for the annual lecture. The bank now charges for all transactions on the account. Membership subscriptions improved considerably due to the diligence of the Membership Secretary.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	The Northumbria Gardens Trust Community Account maintains a modest balance which serves as a reserve against forthcoming expenditure.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	£3032
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	n/a
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	n/a
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	With no expenditure on a_Journal_in this period the increase in funds held during the period was modest but may require a review of the membership subscriptions (which we have always tried to keep as low as possible) and/or a drive for additional members. A review of the calculation of the annual headage payment for subscriptions to The Gardens Trust was made and the appropriate insurance cover was undertaken. The cost of producing and distributing the occasional_Journal_will also require review. The bank’s decision to charge for all transactions on the account has resulted in an additional draw on funds but it continues to be felt that attempting to change banks would involve a lot of additional administration which we do not have the capacity to manage and could result in loss of member’s subscriptions as existing Standing Orders may not be transferred.

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Membership subscriptions The charity’s principal sources of funds (including Para 1.47 any fundraising) n/a

	Investment policy and objectives including any	Para 1.46
	social investment policy
	adopted
			The principal risk facing the charity continues
			to be the difficulty of getting new
	A description of the principal	Para 1.46	trustees/supporters to take up the
	risks facing the charity		administration and governance of TNGT in
			the future.
	Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Constitution
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	CIO
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	Nomination at AGM and election to post by members present

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	Close working links with, and support from,The Gardens Trust nationally and regular liaison with the Yorkshire Gardens Trust, including some joint events.
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	The Northumbria Gardens Trust
Other name the charity uses
Registered charity number	1187196

	Charity’s principal address	Margery Flatts Farm
		Lanchester
		Co. Durham
		DH7 0RS

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year Nam e of pers on (or bod y) entit led to app oint trust ee (if any)
	HarryBeamish	Chair
	Fiona Green	Secretary
	Martin Roberts	MembershipSec.
	Nick Owen	Contact for TGT/other CGTs
	Vacant	Journal Editor
	Vacant	Events
	Vacant	Treasurer
	Moira Jocelyn
	Tom Yellowley
	TonySmith
	Jane Armstrong
	Michael Rudd	(Resigned June 2021)	Jan to June 2021
	John Fitzpatrick	(Died October 2021)	Jan to October 2021

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved Director name n/a

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name	Dates acted if not for whole year
n/a

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets held in this capacity	n/a
Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects
Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of Name Address adviser Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

Other optional information

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s)

Full name(s) Henry John Hosford Beamish

Position (eg Secretary, Chair Chair, etc)

Date 10 August 2023

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