The carbon community , 202112022. A Growing Community ## **Index** **----- Start of picture text -----**
3
Cover Letter from the Trustees
4
Trees
8
Science
11
People
15
Financial Section
**----- End of picture text -----**
**2** ## **Cover Letter from the Trustees** Welcome to our Annual Report for 2021 / 2022, A Growing Community. This has been another big year for The Carbon Community. In particular our unique formula of connecting trees, science and people has allowed us to accelerate research into carbon sequestration significantly. Our community of volunteers, who give their time to gather critical scientific data, are essential to this mission, and without their support we could not succeed. Our mission is to accelerate climate science by taking techniques proven in the lab, and running robust, at scale, field trials. Many great environmental research projects get stuck when it comes to field trials – they are complex to run, people intensive and take time and money. Yet without robust field trials these promising new techniques won’t get scaled up and deployed as part of the fight against the climate crisis. Field trials are a long-term commitment, and the longer they run the more valuable they become. Environmental science is frequently underpinned by the dedicated work of volunteers, who over many years, record the world around them measuring diligently the changes taking place. This year, our volunteers measured 1,400 trees, thus helping to complete the first season of measurements on the 6,400 individually bar-coded trees in our carbon study. This important data is a critical component of the unique partnership between charity, community and environmental scientists. It helps to explain the differences that our scientific team find between the treatments from the many soil, water, leaf and root samples taken across our carbon sequestration study. The study is designed and run in partnership with leading scientists from ETH Zürich Crowther Lab; Leverhulme Centre for Climate Change Mitigation at the University of Sheffield; The Grantham Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, Imperial College London; and The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The project uniquely assesses the combined effects of soil microbiome inoculation and the deployment of enhanced rock weathering, and their ability to accelerate and enhance forest carbon sequestration in conifer monoculture and mixed broadleaf forests. Visitors to our study site frequently remark on the significant scale of the site. Two forest types are being tested side by side with four treatments and a control giving a total of 9 different test cells, which are replicated eight times, giving a total of 72 different test cells. In time this will become an invaluable facility for the next generation of environmental scientists to build upon. None of this would be possible without our volunteers, our scientific advisory board, our forestry partner, the planting crews and our supporters. Thank you to everyone for your questions, challenges, time and energy and being a part of The Carbon Community. Thank you! Diolch! Charles, Heather and Jane 4• ' ## **Glandwr, a flourishing Forest.** Walking through Glandwr Forest this past year, you can see and feel a difference. The trees are becoming more established, leaves rustle in the breeze and we are noticing more songbirds and butterflies. The forest has also been growing in size this year with 5,500 more trees added in Winter 2022, 500 from individual donations and 5,000 from company donations. One of the new woodland areas that was created together with our volunteers was a site for autumn colour including Red Oak, Beech and Sweet Chestnut. Another addition was the planting of 40 Black Poplar cuttings which were gifted from a nearby estate. Volunteers carefully planted these in two areas of Glandwr Forest in April 2022 as part of trying to conserve this dwindling species. As the community grows, so does our need for improved facilities and this year has seen exciting improvements to be able to welcome scientists, volunteers and walkers along the public footpath. ## **In 2021/2022:** 5,500 new trees added New spaces created for Autumn Colour Woods and to conserve Black Poplars Access improvements across the site and the opening of our ‘new-to-us’ second-hand ‘barn’ or field station. **5** The Carbon Community **December 2021:** Sunset on the footpath **March 2022:** Volunteers plant trees in the autumn colour wood **June 2022:** Black Poplar (Populus nigra) springing to life **July 2022:** Trees flourishing in the autumn colour wood **June 2022:** Sessile Oak (Quercus petraea) **September 2022:** Two types of forests involved in our carbon study **6** ## **Winter 2022 The ‘barn’ or field station** Improving our facilities to support the work of scientists, community science volunteers and forest workers at Glandwr is important to recognise the significant contributions of everyone involved. In 2022, we were delighted to open our ‘new-to-us’ second hand ‘barn’ or field station. Made possible by a legacy donation received in 2020/21 the frame had been sourced and was waiting flat-pack style for assembly. Work began in October 2021, by March 2022 everyone was able to enjoy shelter, toilets, electricity, and most importantly coffee, tea and flapjacks. ## **Winter 2022** ## **Access Improvements** Thanks to a Woodland Investment Grant (TWIG) from Welsh Government, we were able to make a number of access improvements across the site in Winter 2022 including improved public footpaths, interpretive signs, finger posts and a bench along the footpath with a fabulous view. The education panel installed as part of the grant is now an important training tool for visitors and volunteers and the improved footpath is important to access the areas of the site where they are working. **7** The Carbon Community ## **Science: A thriving research facility.** As our carbon study entered its second year, work continued on researching the impact of enhanced rock weathering and soil microbiome inoculation on two types of forest, native broadleaf and conifer. During the year, teams from Imperial College London, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Crowther Lab from ETH Zürich all visited Glandwr Forest as part of this research. Samples gathered included: - Sampling soil pore water from the 36 lysimeters installed across the site to assess carbon content and other nutrients - Soil cores to assess soil carbon content and bulk density to help assess net changes in the whole-ecosystem carbon stock as the forest matures - Soil cores to compare the mycorrhizal communities between the different treatments applied to the study plots In addition to our main study we welcomed a Geography Master’s student from Swansea University and an MSc Forestry student from Bangor University to conduct their Master’s research at our facility. ## **Our Carbon Study:** - Our Carbon Study entered its second year, with £73,066 spent on scientific research, including grants to The Grantham Institute at Imperial College London and The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. - Visits from Imperial College London, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Crowther Lab from ETH Zürich Growing community science volunteering program ## **Additional research conducted at Glandwr Forest:** Geography Master’s student from Swansea University Forestry MSc student from Bangor University **9** The Carbon Community **December 2021:** Dr. Laura M Suz, Charles Nicholls, Professor Martin Bidartondo **June 2022:** Laura M Suz and Oliver Lindsay from The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew **July 2022:** Laura Gobelius from Crowther Lab and Lena Lancastle and Gregory Jones from Imperial College London gathering soil cores **January 2022:** Lena Lancastle from Imperial College London gathering lysimeter samples **September 2022:** A lysimeter helps to collect soil pore water samples at root depth **September 2022:** One of 6,400 individually tagged trees in our carbon study **10** The Carbon Community Peo li ## **People: Expanding our community science volunteering program** ## **October - December 2021** The arrival of October 2021 brought Master’s students from Swansea University’s Geography Department for a cracking day of sunshine, flapjacks and tree measurement. This incredible team identified, measured and catalogued data for 1,200 trees in one day, bringing us within touching distance of our final goal. Before our first set of tree measurements could be considered final, all the measurements were checked for outliers and missing recordings. Our final measurements and checks were completed on October 17th 2021 and volunteers celebrated the completion of the first year of tree measurement for the 6,400 trees in our carbon study. Pausing to celebrate, we set ourselves two goals for next year: improve the volunteer experience and measure ALL the trees within a two-week time frame. A date was set for the following October for the Big Tree Measure 2022! ## **2021 / 2022 Volunteering Highlights** 101 Volunteers, up 26% versus prior year 137 Volunteering Days, up 37% versus prior year 52% Female volunteering days - 1400 trees measured completing our first season of tree measurement Tree planting, post painting, stile building, fencing, plot maintenance, barn painting, shrub planting, collecting soil cores and more! **12** The Carbon Community ## **People: Expanding our community science volunteering program** ## **January - March 2022** While the trees were dormant over the winter, our volunteers were busy with activities on site including a building a stile, fencing lysimeters and removing metres and metres of string from the fields that had been used to mark the original layout of the carbon study. ## **April to June 2022** A time of rejuvenation, spring brought new leaves, fresh paint, habitat creation, conservation and wildflowers. Volunteers helped reclaim ‘the island’ a small area of land where we found old waste (fencing and string) buried under a sea of nettles. Volunteers flexed their muscles and helped clean up and transform the area with 190 new plants and shrubs. In June 2022, we welcomed volunteers and people from the local community as we officially opened our ‘barn’ of field station. To celebrate we invited people to join us for wildflower walks led by a local expert. Visitors were delighted to visit our orchid meadow and discover that Glandwr Forest is more than trees. ## **July to September 2022** Soaring temperatures brought challenges for our July activities where volunteers joined us to help Crowther Lab collect soil cores in July. Plans needed to be adjusted to accommodate the heat. The soil microbiome from a total of 1,400 trees were sampled to help better understand the processes of soil inoculation for forest growth. In August, volunteers helped install an additional 900 tree tags for our dose control study. This study was started by a MSc Forestry student from Bangor University in 2021 and will now become part of our ongoing measurements. As our Community Science Volunteering year drew to a close we we were busy preparing for our Big Tree Measure program in October, updating measurement protocols, tree identification guidelines and equipment. ## **A huge thank you to everyone who joined us as a Community Science Volunteer!** **13** The Carbon Community **October 2021:** Student briefing at our neighbour’s shelter **January 2022:** Removing string from the fields **April 2022:** Restoring ‘the island’ **July 2022:** Sampling soil cores **October 2021:** Volunteers celebrate the first year of tree measurement **February 2022:** Building a stile **June 2022:** Wildflower walk **September 2022:** Testing equipment ahead of the Big Tree Measure **14** The Carbon Community Company registration number: 12273280 Charity registration number: 1187231 ## **The Carbon Community** (A company limited by guarantee) **Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2022** UHY Ross Brooke 31a Charnham Street Hungerford Berkshire RG17 OEJ **15** ## **Contents** **17-25** **Trustees’ Report** **26** **Independent Examiner’s Report** **27 Statement of Financial Activities** **28 Balance Sheet** **29-38** **Notes to the Financial Statements** **16** The Carbon Community ## **Trustees’ Report** The trustees, who are directors for the purposes of company law, present the annual report together with the financial statements of the charitable company for the year ended 30 September 2022. ## **Trustees** C M Nicholls H B Allen J K Nicholls ## **Objectives and activities** ## _**Objects and aims**_ The Carbon Community is a charity dedicated to accelerating forest carbon removal from the atmosphere, with breakthrough science. Focused on natural solutions, we started with a question. ‘How do you maximise carbon capture in a forest?’ This led to many conversations that helped shape our mission: to accelerate carbon sequestration in trees and soil, with breakthrough science. _Our founding objects set out in our governing document are as follows:_ “to conserve, improve and protect the physical and natural environment for the public benefit by: - The creation, promotion and sustainable management of new community forests specifically optimised for maximum carbon sequestration in trees & soil; - Providing individuals, communities and businesses and other organisations with opportunities to participate in sustainable carbon sequestration projects; and - to advance the education of the public in the protection, enhancement and rehabilitation of the environment, in particular but not exclusively in relation to reforestation as a means of carbon sequestration, and to promote study and research in such subjects and dissemination of the results of such research and study to the public.” ## _**Our Mission:**_ Accelerate carbon sequestration in trees & soil with breakthrough science. ## _**Our guiding principles:**_ In parallel with our mission, all of our work is grounded within the following guiding principles: **Action** Plant trees in ways that accelerate carbon capture sequestration in trees and soil. **Research** Enable scientists, funding primary research and providing a research facility for masters and PhD students. **Education** Share our findings, learnings and insights with our community scientists, students and the global community. **Advocacy** Advance planting techniques for trees everywhere. **Community** Create a community of people working to address the climate and biodiversity crises both local to our projects and in locations where our research can help local projects accelerate carbon sequestration. **17** The Carbon Community ## **Trustees’ Report** ## **Fundraising disclosures** ## _**Public Fundraising:**_ The Carbon Community’s aim is to raise funds in a respectful way that is aligned with our values. The charity is registered with The Fundraising Regulator. In all of our fundraising we work diligently to comply with the Code of Fundraising Practise and uphold the standards it promotes. ## **Public benefit** The public benefits that shape our annual activity are environmental protection and climate restoration. In shaping our objectives for the year and planning our activities, the trustees have given consideration to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit (PB2). The trustees confirm that they have complied with the requirements of section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. ## _Data Protection_ The Carbon Community places great importance on the security of support and volunteer data and personal information. For information on how the charity uses and protects personal data, please see **-** our privacy policy. **https://www.carboncommunity.org/privacy policy** **18** The Carbon Community **Achievements and performance** ## _**2021 / 2022 Our Third Year in Review**_ **Action:** This year The Carbon Community: - Planted c.500 trees in Glandwr Forest with the support of individual and company donations. - Planted 40 black poplar cuttings which were gifted to us to help conserve this species - Replaced c.5,000 trees from our 2021 planting season with the ongoing support of our Glastir Woodland Creation Grant. We’ve also made significant enhancements to the site: - Access improvements were made thanks to a TWIG Grant (The Woodland Improvement Grant) from Welsh Government. This included an improved public footpath, the addition of finger posts, discovery signs, a bench at a viewpoint on the footpath, an education panel for visitors and grass cutting for improved volunteer access. - Our new-to-us second-hand ‘barn’ or field station was officially opened in June 2022 providing a space for visiting scientists, students and volunteers together with toilet facilities for forest workers. - • Across the site we continued to work on biodiversity enhancement, including our grazing program for our wildflower meadow. ## **Research:** Our carbon study aiming to accelerate and enhance the sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in trees and soil entered its second year with research grants made to The Grantham Institute at Imperial College London and The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The study is designed and run in partnership with leading scientists from ETH Zürich Crowther Lab; Leverhulme Centre for Climate Change Mitigation at the University of Sheffield; The Grantham Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, Imperial College London; and The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. In addition to our main study we welcomed a Geography Master’s student from Swansea University and an MSc Forestry student from Bangor University to conduct their Master’s research at our facility. ## **Education:** In October 2022, The Carbon Community was delighted to welcome twenty Master’s students from the Swansea University Geography Department to help us complete our first year of tree measurement. This was our first large event on the site for a student group. The students had a chance to gain hands-on field work experience and made a significant contribution to our carbon study. **Advocacy:** We continue to share and discuss our techniques as widely as possible, in 2021/2022 we participated in: - “Trees for the Future – Diversity and complexity for resilience and carbon storage” hosted by BIFOR at the University of Birmingham. - “Accelerating Woodland Creation & Management” online conference from the Ecosystems Knowledge Network - “The UK GGR Event: Current Innovation & Future Directions” hosted by CO2RE **Community:** We were delighted this year to be able to improve our volunteer experience and in March 2022 we were able to host our first volunteers in our barn where they had access to toilets, coffee, tea and shelter from the rain. By June 2022 the barn was fully operational including a working area, a welcome area, outdoor seating, toilets, and a small kitchen. To celebrate we hosted a Wildflower Walk day for volunteers and the local community. Over the course of 2021/2022 101 volunteers joined us for our community science days contributing 137 volunteering days. They learned more about carbon sequestration and the techniques that they we are studying, and many came back again and again. 52% of our volunteer days were contributed by women. **19** The Carbon Community ## **Trustees’ Report** ## **Financial review** All of this takes funding and we are grateful to all donors and supporters. ## _**Glastir Woodland Creation Grant:**_ In November 2021 we received £175,275.88 from our Glastir Woodland Creation Grant from Natural Resources Wales which funded the planting and fencing work for almost 100,000 trees completed in the prior year. This grant provides ongoing maintenance support for the trees until 2034. ## _**The Woodland Improvement Grant (TWIG):**_ In November 2021 we received a contract for a TWIG Grant (The Woodland Improvement Grant) from Welsh Government of £31,749. The work was completed by March 2022 and included improved public footpaths, the addition of finger posts, discovery signs, a bench on the public footpath, as well as an education panel for visitors and grass-cutting for improved volunteer access. In total, we received: £196,249 in unrestricted donations, £63,186 towards tree planting and £61,351 towards scientific research. We are delighted that more organisations are showing interest in supporting scientific research and are grateful for the support from SAP, the Pure Good Foundation and Kilburn & Strode to support research that will advance tree-planting techniques in our own projects and beyond. As mentioned above total income into the charity during the year was £320,786. Total expenditure on charitable activities was £91,283. - £73,066 spent on Scientific research, - £1,828 spent on Trees - £16,389 on unrestricted charitable activities. ## _**The funds held at the end of the year were as follows:**_ Unrestricted £407,034 Designated unrestricted £644,542 Tree planting £63,830 Scientific research £Nil **Total £1,115,406** We wish to say thank you to all the supporters of The Carbon Community. To everyone who has volunteered, donated or helped spread the word, thank you for a fantastic year! **20** The Carbon Community ## **Trustees’ Report** ## _**Policy on reserves**_ In the current stage of TCC’s evolution, the Trustee’s have approved a reserves policy to hold a minimum of three months of reserves and a maximum of nine months of reserves to cover our operating costs. These reserves will be separate to ensure that we have funds to cover our forward contracts. They will also be separate to ensure that we have sufficient working capital for tree maintenance due to the time lag in receiving funds from our contract with NRW (Natural Resources Wales). The Trustees will review this Reserves Policy a minimum of once per year. The current level of reserves will be reviewed at each Trustee meeting. In reviewing our current level of reserves versus our reserves policy, the Trustees have reviewed the forward commitments to our scientific program including the research grant, our citizen science program and ongoing maintenance for the research project. The Trustees have also taken into account our ongoing mortgage commitments. At the end of the year 2021/2022, the Trustees considered they had sufficient reserves to make an instalment towards the mortgage repayment of £50,000. ## _**Investment policy and objectives**_ ## Investment Policy The Charity does not have any investments. The Trustees are committed to developing an investment policy when we reach an appropriate stage in our evolution. ## **Plans for future periods** ## _**Aims and key objectives for future periods**_ At the Carbon Community, our goal is not just to plant trees, rather, through scientific research, to discover how to plant trees that sequester more carbon. Through this research, we will enable all tree planting, everywhere, to become more effective. The study will enhance our fundamental understanding of carbon dynamics in forest ecosystems, identifying techniques to enhance forest CO2 uptake. 2022/2023 will be a critical year as the research on our carbon study continues. Our scientific advisory board is reviewing the data gathered to date and we anticipate continuing the study for an additional three years to quantify the individual and combined effects of two leading carbon dioxide (CO2) removal (CDR) approaches, reforestation and enhanced rock weathering, at the critical five-year mark. In 2022/2023 we will begin fundraising to support this activity. Connecting trees, science and people is a thread that runs through our guiding principles: - In 2022/2023 we will launch our Big Tree Measure program where we will invite volunteers to join us to measure the 6,400 individually tagged trees in our carbon study. The ambition will be to complete the measurement over a two-week time period in October. This program gives people a unique opportunity to contribute personally to the scientific research into carbon sequestration in trees and soil. - We will also continue to expand research at our facility to include more organisations. In 2022/2023 we will also continue to seek funding from individuals and organisations to support our community science program, our support for young scientists, and our facilities and organisation. People who want to make an impact connecting trees, science and people. **21** The Carbon Community ## **Trustees’ Report** ## **Structure, governance and management** ## _**Recruitment and appointment of trustees**_ The subscribers to the Memorandum are the first Trustees of the Charity, who shall hold office for such a term of office as they determine. Any person who is willing to act as a Trustee of the Charity and is permitted to be so appointed by law and the articles, may be appointed to be a Trustee by a resolution of the Trustees. A Trustee shall serve a four year term of office (unless the Trustees resolve that he or she should be appointed for a shorter period) and may be reappointed with no limit on the number of consecutive terms of office a Trustee may hold. ## _**Organisational structure**_ The Carbon Community was officially registered at Companies House on 21st October 2019 and by the Charity Commission on 6th January 2020. The charity was constituted as a company limited by guarantee and is governed by Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 21 October 2019. The Trustees are directors for the purpose of company law. In the event of the company being wound down members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1. ## **The charity’s trustees are:** C M Nicholls (Chair) J K Nicholls H B Allen **22** The Carbon Community ## **Trustees’ Report** ## **Major risks and management of those risks** Annually the Trustees are required to review our risks. Through the course of 2021/2022, the Trustees have looked at five areas of risk for The Carbon Community – land management, science project implementation, financial resilience, volunteers and reputational risk. ## _**Land Management:**_ Forest management is being handled by Tilhill Forestry who manage day to day forestry operations including ground preparation, tree planting, fencing, site maintenance and site access. A TWIG grant was received in March 2022 which has enabled significant improvements to the public footpaths, onsite signage and volunteer access to the fields. These were carried out in winter 2022. The Trustees agreed to invest additional funds on fencing to enable more of our grassland to be grazed in line with the recommendations from the biodiversity assessment completed in 2021. We have also agreed to invest in improving access to volunteers ahead of our annual tree measurement in 2022. Third party liability insurance is in place and as the trees planted this season grow larger, the Trustees plan to investigate additional insurance to protect against pest, disease and fire risk. The Trustees are keeping a close eye on deer that have been spotted in the area due to the summer weather conditions, this may require additional fencing. ## _**Science Project Implementation:**_ Our science project was launched successfully on May 27, 2021. Measurements of results are ongoing and there is a project team which regularly reviews and manages risk. ## _**Financial Resilience:**_ The process of registering The Glandwr Forest with The Woodland Carbon Code is underway, which paves the way to raising funds from the sale of carbon credits should this be required. The repayment mortgage terms for the interest free mortgage are in line with our expected revenue flows, supplemented by carbon credits if necessary, the initial repayment has been made ahead of schedule in September 2022. During the past year, The Carbon Community secured donations from Welsh Government (TWIG) and a number of companies interested to support carbon science. Our science project is now fully funded for the first two years. To address our long-term financial resilience and to extend our scientific research the Trustees continue to look at additional sources of funding the long term success of the charity. ## _**Volunteers:**_ Throughout 2021/2022, The Carbon Community has continued our community science volunteer program. Risk assessments and safety briefings are in place. ## _**Reputational risk:**_ The trustees have also discussed which kind of companies the charity should partner with and accept donations from. For each corporate donation, the trustees ensure that they are satisfied, and able to show, that it is in the best interests of the charity to accept the donation. This involves a careful consideration, based on evidence, of the risks of accepting the donation against its benefit. **23** The Carbon Community ## **Trustees’ Report** ## **Reference and Administrative Details** ## _**Trustees and officers**_ The trustees and officers serving during the year and since the year end were as follows: **----- Start of picture text -----**
C M Nicholls
Trustees H B Allen
J K Nicholls
40 Alma Road
Principal Office Windsor
Berks
SL4 3HJ
Company Registration Number 12273280
Charity Registration Number 1187231
**----- End of picture text -----**
The charity is incorporated in England and Wales. **----- Start of picture text -----**
UHY Ross Brooke
31a Charnham Street
Independent Examiner Hungerford
Berkshire
RG17 OEJ
IBB Solicitors Capital Court
30 Windsor Street
Uxbridge
Middlesex
UB8 1AB
Solicitors
AgriAdvisor
Henllan
Pumsaint
Llanwrda
SA19 8AX
Starling Bank Limited
3rd Floor
Bankers 2 Finsbury Avenue
London
EC2M 2PP
**----- End of picture text -----**
**24** The Carbon Community ## **Trustees’ Report** ## **Statement of trustees’ responsibilities** The trustees (who are also the directors of The Carbon Community for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees’ report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), including FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland”. Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law the trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to: - select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently; - observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; - state whether applicable accounting standards, comprising FRS 102 have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that can disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. ## **Small companies provision statement** This report has been prepared in accordance with the small companies regime under the Companies Act 2006. The annual report was approved by the trustees of the charity on 26/06/2023 and signed on its behalf by: ## _Signed by Charles Nicholls_ ......................................... C M Nicholls Chairman of the board of Trustees **25** The Carbon Community ## **Independent Examiner’s Report to the trustees of The Carbon Community (‘the Company’)** I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 30 September 2022. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’). Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts 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** Since The Carbon Community’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 confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe: 1. accounting records were not kept in respect of The Carbon Community as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or 3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act 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; or 4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)]. 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 accounts to be reached. ## _Signed by Kerry Hawkins_ ...................................... Kerry Hawkins, FCCA, UHY Ross Brooke 31a Charnham Street Hungerford, Berkshire RG17 OEJ Date: 26/06/2023 **26** The Carbon Community ## **Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 30 September 2022** **(Including Income and Expenditure Account and Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses)** |**Note**
**Income and Endowments from:**
Donations and legacies
3
Total income
**Expenditure on:**
Charitable activities
4
Total expenditure
Net income
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
**Reconciliation of funds**
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
17
**Note**
**Income and Endowments from:**
Donations and legacies
3
Total income
**Expenditure on:**
Charitable activities
4
Total expenditure
Net income
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
**Reconciliation of funds**
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
17|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**£**
196,249
196,249
(16,389)
(16,389)
179,860
(11,715)
168,145
883,431
1,051,576
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**£**
285,622
285,622
(25,027)
(25,027)
260,595
(158)
260,437
622,994
883,431|**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
124,537
124,537
(74,894)
(74,894)
49,643
11,715
61,358
2,472
63,830
**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
27,924
27,924
(25,610)
(25,610)
2,314
158
2,472
-
2,472|**Total**
**2022**
**£**
320,786| |---|---|---|---| ||||320,786| ||||(91,283)| ||||(91,283)| ||||229,503
-| ||||229,503
885,903| ||||1,115,406| ||||**Total**
**2021**
**£**
313,546| ||||313,546| ||||(50,637)| ||||(50,637)| ||||262,909
-| ||||262,909
622,994| ||||885,903| All of the charity’s activities derive from continuing operations during the above two periods. The funds breakdown for 2021 is shown in note 17. The notes on pages 29 to 38 form an integral part of these financial statements. **27** The Carbon Community ## **The Carbon Community (Registration number: 12273280) Balance Sheet as at 30 September 2022** |**Note**
**Fixed assets**
Tangible assets
8
Investments
9
**Current assets**
Debtors
10
Cash at bank and in hand
11
**Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year**
12
**Net current assets**
**Total assets less current liabilities**
**Creditors: Amounts falling due after more than one year**
13
**Net assets**
**Funds of the charity:**
**Restricted income funds**
Restricted funds
17
**Unrestricted income funds**
Unrestricted funds
**Total funds**
17|**2022**
**£**
656,430
1
656,431
450,154
162,251
612,405
(63,430)
548,975
1,205,406
(90,000)
1,115,406
63,830
1,051,576
1,115,406|**2021**
**£**
619,254
1| |---|---|---| |||619,255| |||432,604
51,780| |||484,384
(17,736)| |||466,648| |||1,085,903
(200,000)
885,903| |||2,472
883,431| |||885,903| For the financial year ending 30 September 2022 the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. Directors’ responsibilities: - The members have not required the charity to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476; and - The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts. The financial statements on pages 27 to 38 were approved by the trustees, and authorised for issue on 26/06/2023 and signed on their behalf by: ## _Signed by Charles Nicholls_ ......................................... C M Nicholls ## Chairman of the board of Trustees The notes on pages 29 to 38 form an integral part of these financial statements. **28** The Carbon Community ## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2022** ## **1. Charity status** The charity is limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales, and consequently does not have share capital. Each of the trustees is liable to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 towards the assets of the charity in the event of liquidation. The principal place of business is: 40 Alma Road Windsor Berks SL4 3HJ ## **2. Accounting policies** ## **Summary of significant accounting policies and key accounting estimates** The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated. ## **Statement of compliance** The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)) (issued in October 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006. ## **Basis of preparation** The Carbon Community meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes. ## **Going concern** The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern nor any significant areas of uncertainty that affect the carrying value of assets held by the charity. ## **Group accounts not prepared** The Carbon Community is exempt from preparing group accounts as it is a small group. ## **Income and endowments** All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of the income receivable can be measured reliably. ## **Donations and legacies** Donations are recognised when the charity has been notified in writing of both the amount and settlement date. In the event that a donation is subject to conditions that require a level of performance by the charity before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charity and it is probable that these conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period. **29** The Carbon Community ## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2022** ## **Grants receivable** Grants are recognised when the charity has an entitlement to the funds and any conditions linked to the grants have been met. Where performance conditions are attached to the grant and are yet to be met, the income is recognised as a liability and included on the balance sheet as deferred income to be released. ## **Expenditure** All expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure, it is probable settlement is required and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure heading that aggregate similar costs to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources, with central staff costs allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use. Other support costs are allocated based on the spread of staff costs. ## **Charitable activities** Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them. ## **Grant provisions** Provisions for grants are made when the intention to make a grant has been communicated to the recipient but there is uncertainty about either the timing of the grant or the amount of grant payable. ## **Support costs** Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources, for example, allocating property costs by floor areas, or per capita, staff costs by the time spent and other costs by their usage. ## **Governance costs** These include the costs attributable to the charity’s compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements, including audit, strategic management and trustees meetings and reimbursed expenses. ## **Government grants** Government grants are recognised based on the accrual model and are measured at the fair value of the asset received or receivable. Grants are classified as relating either to revenue or to assets. Grants relating to revenue are recognised in income over the period in which the related costs are recognised. Grants relating to assets are recognised over the expected useful life of the asset. Where part of a grant relating to an asset is deferred, it is recognised as deferred income. ## **Taxation** The charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes. ## **Tangible fixed assets** Individual fixed assets costing £250.00 or more are initially recorded at cost. **30** The Carbon Community ## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2022** ## **Depreciation and amortisation** Depreciation is provided on tangible fixed assets so as to write off the cost or valuation, less any estimated residual value, over their expected useful economic life as follows: |Asset class
Furniture and Equipment|Depreciation method and rate| |---|---| ||
5 years straight line| ## **Cash and cash equivalents** Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and call deposits, and other short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value. ## **Borrowings** Interest-bearing borrowings are initially recorded at fair value, net of transaction costs. Interest-bearing borrowings are subsequently carried at amortised cost, with the difference between the proceeds, net of transaction costs, and the amount due on redemption being recognised as a charge to the Statement of Financial Activities over the period of the relevant borrowing. Interest expense is recognised on the basis of the effective interest method and is included in interest payable and similar charges. Borrowings are classified as current liabilities unless the charity has an unconditional right to defer settlement of the liability for at least twelve months after the reporting date. ## **Fund structure** Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustees discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds set aside for specific purposes at the discretion of the trustees. Restricted income funds are those donated for use in a particular area or for specific purposes, the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose. **31** The Carbon Community ## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2022** ## **3. Income from donations and legacies** |**Unrestricted**
**funds General£**
**Restricted**
**funds £**
Site management
1,859
2,157
Independent examiners fee
3,690
-
Insurance
806
-
Website
330
-
Postage, printing and stationery
382
-
Grants paid
-
71,254
Volunteering expenses
3,566
122
Marketing
3,933
-
Software and software support costs
600
299
Research Expenses
-
1,062
Depreciation
1,233
-
**Total for 2022**
16,389
74,894
Fundraising cost
290
-
Site management
86
1,805
Independent examiners fee
3,665
-
Insurance
-
431
Website
340
-
Postage, printing and stationery
40
326
Grants paid
-
21,683
Volunteering expenses
6
428
Marketing
20,425
36
Bank Charges
-
6
Software and software support costs
175
895
**Total for 2021**
25,027
25,610
**4. Expenditure on charitable activities**
**Unrestricted**
**funds General£**
**Restricted**
**funds £**
**Total**
**2021 £**
Donations and legacies;
Donations from individuals
184,727
88,604
273,331
Gift aid reclaimed
1,528
-
1,528
Grants, including capital grants;
Government grants
9,994
35,933
45,927
196,249
124,537
320,786|**Total**
**2021 £**
273,331
1,528
45,927||**Total**
**2020 £**
104,638
18,866
190,042| |---|---|---|---| ||320,786||313,546| ||||**Total**
**funds £**
4,016
3,690
806
330
382
71,254
3,688
3,933
899
1,062
1,223
91,293
290
1,891
3,665
431
340
366
21,683
434
20,461
6
1,070
50,637| ||||| ||||| ||||| **32** The Carbon Community ## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2022** ## **5. Trustees remuneration and expenses** No trustees, nor any persons connected with them, have received any remuneration from the charity during the year. No trustees have received any reimbursed expenses or any other benefits from the charity during the year. ## **6. Independent examiner’s remuneration** |Examination of the fnancial statements|**2022 £**
3,690|**2021 £**
3,665| |---|---|---| ## **7. Taxation** The charity is a registered charity and is therefore exempt from taxation. ## **8. Tangible fixed assets** |**Cost**
At 1 October 2021
Additions
At 30 September 2022
**Depreciation**
Charge for the year
At 30 September 2022
**Net book value**
At 30 September 2022
At 30 September 2021|**Furniture and**
**equipment**
**£**
-
13,111
13,111
1,223
1,223
11,888
-|**Land**
**£**
619,254
25,288
644,542
-
-
644,542
619,254|**Total**
**£**
619,254
38,399| |---|---|---|---| ||||657,653| ||||1,223| ||||1,223| ||||656,430| ||||619,254| **33** The Carbon Community ## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2022** ## **9. Fixed asset investments** |**Shares in group undertakings and participating interests**
Shares in group undertakings and participating interests
**Cost**
Additions
At 30 September 2022
**Net book value**
At 30 September 2022|**2022 £**
**2021 £**
1
1
**Subsidiary**
**undertakings**
**£**
**Total**
**£**
1
1
1
1
1
1|**2022 £**
**2021 £**
1
1
**Subsidiary**
**undertakings**
**£**
**Total**
**£**
1
1
1
1
1
1| |---|---|---| |||1| |||1| ## **Details of undertakings** Details of the investments in which the charity holds 20% or more of the nominal value of any class of share capital are as follows: ||**Country of**||**Proportion of voting**|**Principal**| |---|---|---|---|---| |**Undertaking**|**incorporation**|**Holding**|**rights and shares held**|**activity**| ||||**2022**
**2021**|| |**Subsidiary undertakings**||||| |Carbon
Community
Trading Limited|England and
Wales|Ordinary|100%
100%|Generating
income for the
parent charity.| **34** The Carbon Community ## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2022** ## **Subsidiaries** The loss for the financial period of Carbon Community Trading Limited was £16,867 (2021 - £3,723) and the aggregate amount of capital and reserves at the end of the period was £(20,590) (2021 - £(3,723)). Carbon Community Trading Limited was incorporated on 26.10.20. Company registration number 12973020. |**10. Debtors**
Due from group undertakings
Accrued income
Debtors includes £450,154 (2021: £257,329) receivable after more than one year.
Due from group undertakings
**11. Cash and cash equivalents**
Cash at bank
**12. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**
Other loans
Accruals
**13. Creditors: amounts falling due after one year**
Other loans|**2022 £**
450,154
-
450,154
**2022 £**
450,154
**2022 £**
162,251
**2022 £**
60,000
3,430
63,430
**2022 £**
90,000|**2021 £**
257,329
175,275| |---|---|---| |||432,604| |||**2021 £**
257,329
**2021 £**
51,780
**2021 £**
-
17,736
17,736
**2021 £**
200,000| The loan of £150,000 (2021 - £200,000) is secured by a fixed charge over the Land at Glandwr, Cynghordy. **35** The Carbon Community ## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2022** ## **14. Analysis of net assets between funds** |Tangible fxed assets
Fixed asset investments
Current assets
Current liabilities
Creditors over 1 year
Total net assets
Tangible fxed assets
Fixed assets investments
Current assets
Current liabilities
Creditors over 1 year
Total net assets|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**General**
**£**
656,430
1
548,575
(63,430)
(90,000)
1,051,576
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**General**
**£**
619,254
1
481,912
(17,736)
(200,000)
883,431|**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
-
-
63,830
-
-
63,830
**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
-
-
2,472
-
-
2,472|**Total funds at**
**30 September**
**2022**
**£**
656,430
1
612,405
(63,430)
(90,000)| |---|---|---|---| ||||1,115,406| ||||**Total funds at**
**30 September**
**2021**
**£**
619,254
1
484,384
(17,736)
(200,000)| ||||885,903| ## **15. Trustees remuneration and expenses** Donations from the trustees and their immediate family during the year totalled £0. (2021 -£70,000). Heather Allen, a trustee, has provided an interest free secured loan of £200,000 to the charity. The first repayment of £50,000 was made in September 2022. The balance outstanding at the end of the year was £150,000 (2021 - £200,000). £60,000 of the £150,000 outstanding balance has been shown as a current liability, but there is a flexible repayment arrangement. The Charity made a further loan of £192,825 to Carbon Community Trading Limited during the year. The balance at the due to be repaid at the end of the year was £450,154 (2021 -£257,329). Carbon Community Trading Limited is a wholly owned and VAT registered trading subsidiary which runs the forest and site operations for The Carbon Community. Repayment of this loan is deferred until such time that Carbon Community Trading Limited starts to generate sufficient income to be in a position to make repayments. Due to the uncertainty surrounding the loan repayments, we have not valued the loan at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. We do not consider this to affect the true and fair view given in the accounts at the year end date. **36** The Carbon Community ## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2022** ## **16. Commitments** ## **Grant commitments** On 14th July 2020 The Carbon Community agreed to make an award of up to £174,572 over 24 months, made up of £90,008 to Kew Gardens and £84,564 to the Waring Lab, Imperial College. During the year to 30th September 2021, The Imperial College grant was extended and increased to £89,568. During the year to 30th September 2022 Imperial College made a claim of £39,859. The total amount to date claimed by Imperial College is £61,542. This is £28,026 less than the amount made available to them. Imperial College has confirmed that their work has now been completed and no more claims are expected to be made. During the year to 30th September 2022 Kew Gardens made a claim of £31,196. This is a performance-related grant and as no further services other than those already paid for in the year were provided by the recipients prior to 30th September 2022, no liability was recognised in the accounts to 30th September 2022 with regards to further grants payable. Outstanding commitments not recognised as a liability at 30th September 2022 are therefore:- Kew Gardens: £58,812. ## **17. Funds** |**Unrestricted funds**
**_General_**
Unrestricted
**_Designated_**
Land
**Total unrestricted funds**
**Restricted funds**
Scientifc research
Tree planting
**Total restricted funds**
**Total funds**
**7. Funds**|**Balance at 1**
**October**
**2021**
**£**
264,177
619,254
883,431
-
2,472
2,472
885,903|**Incoming**
**resources**
**£**
196,249
-
196,249
61,351
63,186
124,537
320,786|**Resources**
**expended**
**£**
(16,389)
-
(16,389)
(73,066)
(1,828)
(74,894)
(91,283)|**Transfers**
**£**
(37,003)
25,288
(11,715)
11,715
-
11,715
-|**Balance at**
**30**
**September**
**2022**
**£**
407,034
644,542| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||||1,051,576| ||||||-
63,830| ||||||63,830| ||||||1,115,406| **37** The Carbon Community ## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 September 2022** |**Unrestricted funds**
**_General_**
Unrestricted
**_Designated_**
Land
**Total unrestricted funds**
**Restricted funds**
Scientifc research
Tree planting
**Total restricted funds**
**Total funds**|**Balance at 1**
**October**
**2020**
**£**
622,994
-
622,994
-
-
-
622,994|**Incoming**
**resources**
**£**
285,622
-
285,622
22,744
5,180
27,924
313,546|**Resources**
**expended**
**£**
(25,027)
-
(25,027)
(22,902)
(2,708)
(25,610)
(50,637)|**Transfers**
**£**
(619,412)
619,254
(158)
158
-
158
-|**Balance at**
**30**
**September**
**2021**
**£**
264,177
619,254| |---|---|---|---|---|---| ||||||883,431| ||||||-
2,472| ||||||2,472| ||||||885,903| **38** The Carbon Community **UK Register Charity number 1187231** Formed as a private company limited by guarantee, **registration number 12273280** **@TheCarbonCom** **39** The Carbon Community