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2024-04-05-accounts

Bee Sanctuary Movement Fourth Year Report 2023 - 2024

Contents

Opening Remarks

Report of Helen Troup: Chair

Report of Brian McGill: Treasurer

Report of Sheila Standard: Coordinator

Report of Kel Degnen Trustee

Statement of thanks and tribute to outgoing Trustees

Receipts and Payments Account

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

Opening Remarks

In the fourth year of our Charity we have created a volunteer partnership with Booking.com, that has allowed us to expand our horizons. We won “Outstanding ” again from NWRHS In Your Neighborhood, and decided to start working with MCC on “Levenshulme in Bloom” , creating green routes for bees, and cheering everyone up. We have kept the “Steering Group” going for Highfield and we are working closely with the MCC parks development team to ensure that the 106 money is spent wisely. We will be closely involved in the roll out of Highfield improvements, and are designing our own entrances, as well as advising on the whole park. Working with Ricky Martin the new Ranger we have addressed issues of Health and Safety and are currently advising on the Park Management Plan. We have also started a project to grow wild flowers for seed on Marbury Farm, but the wet weather has delayed progress on this. Our campaigning for saving the green and blue spaces, the Bullrush area, and Secret lake continues, and has brought us to a decision to employ an Ecologist to progress our work in this area, as well as expand our active research.

Green Projects all around us.

“Levenshulme in Bloom 2024” gives all of us the opportunity to work together across Levenshulme and its environ. Thanks toTudor Baker(MCC Climate Change Officer), we have the beginnings of a Green Project map, plus the organisation to help each other. BSM will hold monies for “Levenshulme in Bloom”, MCC monies for sharing, and our own funding with which we will share out and extend the project to new participants. BSM is targeting traders along the A6, and we have specifically applied for funding to do this.

The links with Marbury Farm grow ever stronger, as we can share tools and help each other out, especially when there are large groups of corporate volunteers when we need to find enough jobs to make them feel a sense of contributing, and satisfaction in a job well done. I

At this stage with the Bee Sanctuary half way through it’s fourth year we are all able to relax a bit and join together because the foundations, organisation, and network are established. It feels like we are a mature river rather then a bubbling stream.

The Future

This coming year we will a new have green roof on our Volunteer Centre with, water collection, planters outside the vehicle entrance, and a field where we grow annual wild

flowers for sale. The entrances will be improved and the Bee Sanctuary formally signed. We will be ever more closely linked with other green projects and have sponsored traders, through “Levenshulme in Bloom”. Hopefully we will also have our own Ecologist to advocate for our Movement.

Bee Sanctuary Movement Fourth Year Report Chair Report Helen Troup

Chair

Since being the Chair of the Bee Sanctuary Movement there have been many changes, firstly the Movement has now been recognised as a Movement, this can bee seen by various organisations wanting to come along to meet us and ask what we are doing and how they can set up and do it for themselves, they have passed on what we are doing and have done to a wider audience via their social media.

Organisations have been I Love Manchester, who have featured us in their monthly online news paper They have also visited the Bee Sanctuary and completed a lovely video that is on their Instagram Page, we have added it to our Website. Their newspaper is read widely across Greater Manchester and has a large demographic audience.

Avanti have still been involved with us and have The Bee Sanctuary Movement as their chosen charity for 2 years running.

They held an event “Wine Cheese and BEES” at the Bee Sanctuary for the local community, what a fantastic evening it was with walks around the sanctuary informing the general public what we are about. Wine Cheese and music were provided by Avanti, The event was very well attended by our sterling volunteers and members of the local community. We would love to hold this event annually.

Avanti also promotes the Bee Sanctuary at Stockport Station, selling greeting cards, keyrings and artwork, wildflower seeds, all of these are promoting the Sanctuary, any money received from the merchandise go towards the sanctuary enabling us to buy materials that are needed.

We have kept in contact with our local authority Manchester and have got very good relationships with them. A Steering group has been set up to discuss how 106 money is to be spent on Highfield Country Park, this is where the Bee Sanctuary is based. We have attended meetings with the local authority and members of the public given our suggestions on improvements all of which have been greatly valued and have been taken up by the local authority, we are expecting work to start some time in October 2024. We have also developed good realtonship’s with the local Neighbourhood team. Booking.com

Emmerson

Leo Wood cutter a local ….. Provides us with free wood chippings, without him we would have to pay for wood chip so saving us an enormous amount of money, we have a good relationship with Leo and and he deliveries wood chip when he is in the area

Kell who is one of our new trustees, Kell has a specific interest in wild field mushrooms , she has taken members of the public around the park on mushroom walks advising and educating people about fungi. The walks have been well attended by the public, they have been able to discover the wide variety of fungi growing within the park. Kell has cleared away and set up an area within the wooded area for mushrooms to grow and thrive.

An event was set up by the trustees Jacqui and Kell “Holly and Ivy” Wreath making they who got funding from Forever Manchester, a musician came along and played carols, we had a small fire and ate mince pies, every went away with a beautiful hand made wreath made for the greenery foraged on the park.

Jackie and family who are new volunteers who live locally asked to put on the park a memorial bench in Forget me not wood,, their daughter who passed away used to play on the fields when a child so it has a strong connection for the family. The family have been volunteering every Sunday and have improved the Forget me not area hugely with a memorial bench for their late daughter and cleared up the brambles, added wood chip to improve the paths making it a really relaxing place to sit, it is well used by the general public now.

Planters out side Antique village in Levenshulme We were granted some money via a grant to put 2 large planters outside of the Antique Village in Levenshulme, the planters are wonderful really substantial, they have been planted up with bulbs and are looking wonderful this spring.

Levenshulme in Bloom, has now been started from this initiative, thanks to our pioneer Shelia who has started the Levenshulme in Bloom initiative. This has been taken up by MCCC who have provided some money for local residents to get involved and update all the old planters and make new planters to make Levenshulme a more desirable place to live and work. The Bee Sanctuary Movement will work in partnership with the local residents living and working in Levenshulme.

Volunteer Cabin has been a huge success, it has provided us with a base to meet at and a fantastic storage for all our equipment. Our equipment has grown thanks to Avanti and Booking.com who have provided us with items that are used on the volunteer sessions. The green toilet has provided us with a great addition and has made volunteering days much more professional and easier for volunteers to stay for longer. We are about to install a green roof on the volunteer centre and put up some more nesting boxes

Footfall: The Bee Sanctuary has seen a much larger foot fall over the last year, this has been seen by more people being able to access the park due to the improvements in paths that have been maintained by volunteers, clearing away rubbish on a regular basis etc.,

We have been lucky enough to be able to have next to the Bee Sanctuary Marbury Road Farm this is an new project set up that is helping people to grow food. The bee Sanctuary have got involved with the farm, we have been and volunteered there and have supported

this project get it off the ground. We now have a small area that we are setting up to grow wild flowers with a view to sell on /gift and plant wildflower seed around the area.

Brian is stalwart in his role as treasure, nothing is too much trouble for Brian and he is very knowledgeable about his role, he is alway ready to help other people who are setting up projects to advise and support within the role of treasure, he also completes minutes at The Bee Sanctuary Movement monthly meetings

Robin stepped down as a trustee, but has not stopped volunteering and is there every Tuesday and Sunday with his in -depth knowledge and steadfast attitude and creative ideas.

Jackie is more confident within her role and has provided walks around the park educating people about the birds that are nesting, living and visiting the park, these walk’s have been very successful and and very well attended. People have been up at 5am in the morning to listen to the dawn chorus.

Marcus, has been busy putting up an owl house high up in the trees in the wooded area, fingers crossed we get an owl nesting there. He has also helped to design new signage for the front of the Park, identifying the Bee Sanctuary we hope to have this passed by MCC, Marcus has done a sterling job with this design. He has also designed a stencil that can be stencilled onto the planters in Levenshulme, helping to advertise the Bee Sanctuary.

Bee Sanctuary Movement Fourth Year Report Treasurer's Report Brian McGill - Trustee

Treasurer’s Report 2023-2024

During this financial year we received £1000 from Forever Manchester to create a cornfield plot in Marbury Park. This plot was rented from Kelly’s own charity.

Another grant from Forever Manchester for £100 was used to pay for a party held in Highfield Park. Music and Food was provided. A receipt for food was not provided, but as Sheila can be trusted, I reimbursed her anyway.

A NIF fund was applied for to pay for planters outside the Antiques village. This was for £796.69, and £260.69 is still left to be used.

The NIF seed fund for Robin from the previous year was closed off during this year.

Two new trustees joined the movement this year. These were Jacqui Vigilanti and Kelly Degnen (who I have already mentioned). Both of these trustees were added as key account parties to the Co-op account. Extra information was requested from Jacqui, as she is an American citizen, but the process was eventually completed.

I have continued to act as banker for the Cringle Road Residents Association. They receive regular cheques from Electricity North West.

Sheila was given access to the PayPal Account. This is checked every now and again to see if any donations were received. Unfortunately the donations from the Charity Aid Foundation seem to have dried up this year.

At the start of the financial year, Helen was added as an account signatory to the Co-op bank account, and given the job to approve payments made by me. This did not work out as planned, and we returned to myself solely authorising payments.

A new insurance policy was purchased in February 2024. This includes cover for children, which cost an extra £30

Brian McGill 13-03-2024

Bee Sanctuary Movement Fourth Year Report Coordinators Report Sheila Standard - Trustee

This is a year where we have consolidated our work. The Bee Sanctuary is thriving, and well managed thanks to our band of volunteers and also corporate groups, and scouts who come more regularly now. Our special thanks to Booking.com who have given us many volunteering days this year, and cemented a partnership. This means that we have covered more areas and expanded our project work. None of this would be possible without the Volunteer Centre, where we can store tools and equipment, plus our wonderful composting toilet. We have a proactive group of Trustees as well as practical volunteers who are on site leading volunteer groups. We have discussions on the ground making joint decisions, which are sensitive to the wildlife all around us. Discussions are also an opportunity to share knowledge, which we also do on social media. The Bee Sanctuary gives us a space where they to discover Nature on our doorstep.

Developing work with the North West RHS

We have earned Outstanding for the 3rd year running in the NWRHS ‘InYour Neighbourhood’ Category’ . Wondering where to go next we have embarked with other groups in Levenshulme and it’s environ to work with Manchester City Council (led by our new Neighbourhood Officer, Emily Littler), and enter NWRHS “Levenshulme in Bloom” in 2024, so watch this space. This is really just a vehicle to spread the greening of Levenshulme, and

get more people involved. This is very important as the Neighbourhood calming measures are seen as dividing communities into the have and the have nots. It is vital for us to make a better relationship with Nature unconnected to this issue. We are assisted in this by Will White (MCC) who is a qualified ecologist and will guide people in biodiversity and sustainability. For example he is keen to move away from bedding plants and to invest in perennials, which will thrive with the proper care. At the first meeting called to discuss our entry 24/02/2024, I was thrilled to see that the idea for ‘Levenshulme in Bloom’ is bringing on board new people and new projects, which feels like we are no longer an outlying project but part of the future.

Working with the Council and other bodies.

Other progress to look forward to in the year ahead is the improvements to Highfields infrastructure, including paths, signage, seating etc. I am proud to say that BSM have been instrumental in following the correct 106 money procedure of ensuring consultation at each stage of the design and roll out process. We have achieved this by ensuring that the change of Park Ranger personnel did not delay the consultation through the Highfield Steering Group. The longer term Park Management Plan will be published this year, giving a blueprint along with the Biodiversity Management plan of 2022, as to where we are headed.

We have a new Park Ranger Ricky Martin, who is dedicated to getting it right working with the community, (along with his boss, Jenni). We have had fruitful discussions about various issues that I have raised, the chief one being Health and Safety, as well as Personal safety.

We have continued to campaign for the ‘Bullrush Area’ to be protected and have been led by Richard Lund (volunteer) working with our Neighbourhood Officer, with the Health and Safety Executive, and Environment Agency on dangerous ingress into this area by nearby companies. An ongoing struggle, and frustrating struggle. We have managed to get the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit to take a closer look at this area, and it will possibly be declared a site of Biological Interest in the near future.

Enhancing and Protecting Local Green Spaces

BSM works for the future of Bees and other pollinators, trying to bring people along on our journey. We have found different ways to do this, encouraging direct practical action as the inspiration, networking and bringing people together. We have had success so far because we are all volunteers. However the protection and campaigning work has highlighted to me as Co-ordinator that it would be a progressive step to employ a trained ecologist who could progress matters and give BSM more clout, a seat at the table, and give us the ability to

work towards ever greater protections of Nature. This is a project which I will pursue in the immediate future. With the 4th year of published accounts and a successful record we are in a strong position to apply for funding for this.

Social Media

Volunteers

Massimo, Latifa, Ousama, Natalia, Ceyda, Eleanor, Ivana, JaneJoe, Katie, Kiera, Louise, Lucy, John, Lewis, Javier, Nicola, Paola, Alisha, Kirsti, Stephen, Justyna, Barry, Stephen, Hannah, Emma, Shami, Anna, Alice, Joel, Hannah, Richard, Shane, Lauren, Jack, Amy, Daniel, Tommaso, Daniel, Oded Becker, Rawan, Marta, Tahir, Sam, Giuseppe, Beata, Joshua, Jacqueline, Imran, Cara, Melisa, Sioned, Gabriel, Beth, Joseph, Michael, Joey,

Other Events

On the Bee Sanctuary

By the beginning of April 2024 the Bee Sanctuary is coming into its own after a very wet winter.

Looking back over the year

Over the spring and summer of 2023 we had a decent level of wild flowers and insect visitors, and were delighted that Yellow Rattle is spreading across our Sanctuary. We collected our own seed and sowed it on areas not yet colonised with Yellow Rattle. We collected seed from plants not yet growing on the Sanctuary, including Evening Primrose and Vipers Bugloss, both wild flowers that will bloom towards the end of the season when Bees need them most. These seeds are sown as seed balls to heighten the chance of germination. We did less mowing in 2023 and more clearing by hand, mainly because we want the insects to have overwintering places. This may not be so good for keeping the biodiversity in wild flowers, so we will see this coming year.

The most significant development this year has been our new partnership with Booking.com. It has enabled us to expand our Bee Sanctuary, into the woodland area, and out to the main field. With our partnership on a sound footing, and volunteer input from other businesses including Fitch and Emmerson, we are becoming more ambitious, taking on the two new projects:- the ‘wild flower growing for seed’ project, and ‘Levenshulme in Bloom’.

I asked Sam from booking.com to comment on their experience of the partnership.

“In 2023 booking.com relaunched the booking.com cares program, offering volunteering and donation opportunities to booking.com employees worldwide. Employees can volunteer two days a year to good causes under the headers of sustainability, wellbeing and inclusion. As a booking cares ambassador working with the Bee Sanctuary movement was a cause close

to my heart, enhancing Sustainability, and biodiversity for everyone to enjoy. Sheila and her team gave the green light and a Partnership was formed. We have enabled a total of 148* volunteer days in the last 12 months with the bee sanctuary, learnt the benefits of forest bathing, the natural healing of plants, Created Bee Hotels, made ponds, Picked up litter, discovered a hidden lake, cut back weeds and brambles, made seed bombs, and planted wild bluebells. The bee Sanctuary is a fixed feature in our Volunteering Calendar and we love to get stuck in and often dirty. Thank you for a great partnership”

*Equivalent to approximately 600 hrs volunteer time.

Kel Degnen Trustee

Throughout this year, as a Trustee at the Bee Sanctuary, my efforts have been focused on enhancing the sanctuary's ecosystem and fostering environmental sustainability.

  1. Coppicing Hazel: I dedicated time to coppicing unmanaged hazel, allowing light to reach the forest floor, promoting the growth of more diverse plant species, and supporting overall ecosystem health.

  2. Willow Stacking for Habitat Creation: I took the initiative to stack fallen willow, creating habitats and forming new glades and providing shelter and resources for various wildlife species within the park.

  3. Bulb Planting: Planting thousands of bulbs around the park has not only added beauty to the landscape but has also provided a sense of pride to the volunteers who helped us and many more opportunities for bees and other pollinators, enriching the sanctuary's biodiversity.

  4. Arts in Nature Session: Collaborating with ARC - Arts for Recovery Centre, I hosted an arts in nature session and we walked through the bee sanctuary and utilised the new woodland areas created with Booking.com, bringing creative engagement to the community and raising awareness about nature conservation and the benefits to our health, both physical and mental.

  5. Funding Application: I applied for funding from Forever Manchester to support local musicians playing at the sanctuary during Christmas, aiming to enrich community experiences and promote local talent and traditional heritage music.

  6. Fungi Surveys and Monitoring: I actively participate in fungi surveys and monitoring activities, contributing to the recording, understanding and preservation of the fungal diversity within the park.

  7. Mushroom Culture Beds: I created mushroom culture beds and shared knowledge with 54 visitors that were non bee sanctuary members, growing our membership, enhancing educational experiences and promoting sustainable practices in cultivating mushrooms.

The commitment to conservation efforts from everybody at the Bee Sanctuary this year has been instrumental in teaching me how to nurture a thriving ecosystem, fostering community engagement, and inspiring others to participate in environmental stewardship.

Email: beesanctuary@outlook.com Telephone : 07891781741 Website: beesanctuarymovement.org

The Bee Sanctuary Movement reg. charity 1187263 Receipts and Payments Account 06-04-2023 to 05-04-2024

General Fund (£) Restricted Funds (£) Total (£) Total from Last Year (£) Total from Last Year (£)
Receipts
Council Grants 0.00 1,896.69 1,896.69 1,272.00
Other Grants 0.00 1,000.00 1,000.00 0.00
Gifts 920.23 0.00 920.23 750.00
TOTAL RECEIPTS 920.23 2,896.69 3,816.92 4,250.00
Payments
Materials and Fixings 237.66 669.14 906.80 2,725.00
Hospitality 161.55 100.00 261.55 0.00
Insurance 186.04 0.00 186.04 190.00
Plot Rent 0.00 180.00 180.00 0.00
Internet Services 151.20 0.00 151.20 0.00
Seed and Plants 0.00 96.75 96.75 0.00
Plant Hire 0.00 60.00 60.00 227.00
Room Hire 37.50 0.00 37.50 0.00
DBS Checks 18.00 0.00 18.00 0.00
Tools 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,098.00
TOTAL PAYMENTS 791.95 1,105.89 1,897.84 6,554.00
NET RECEIPTS LESS PAYMENTS 128.28 1,790.80 1,919.08 -2,304.00
TRANSFERS
VCSE Seed -7.40 -7.40
-7.40 -7.40
Cash Funds from Last Year End 758.63 89.35 847.98
CASH FUNDS THIS YEAR END 879.51 1,872.75 2,767.06

The Bee Sanctuary Movement reg. charity 1187263 Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 05-04-2024
5/4/2023
(£)
Monetary Assets
Current Asset Investments 0.00
Cash at Bank and in Hand
Current Account - Co-op 2,703.32
Cash 63.74
Total Cash at Bank and in Hand 2,767.06
TOTAL MONETARY ASSETS 2,767.06
Represented by Funds
Unrestricted Funds
General Fund 879.51
Restricted Funds
Forever Manchester 760.00
Lev in Bloom 1,127.55
TOTAL FUNDS 2,767.06
Non-Monetary Assets and Liabilities donated by Estimated Value
Tools
Large Ego Mower BSM 500
Small Flymo Mower BSM 175 Robin
replaced head Multi-cutter Tool with 3 heads BSM/Sheila/Brian 500
Ego Batteries 2x2.5 A and 1x 7.5A BSM 430
2 Mattocks 50
4 Loppers 80
4 assorted rakes ? 40
2 forks ? 25
4 assorted spades ? 50
4 assorted buckets Sheila 5
2 wheelbarrows Sheila,Robin 80
Sundries Painting equipment, rollers trays sandpaper etc BSM 20
String cord tapes etc ? 20
event materials, bunting model bees etc Avanti/ teresa 50
scissors/3 saws Sheila 50
Toolbox with tools Sheila 50
PPE, 2 Faceshields, assorted gloves, 1 pr waders BSM 100
Exhibitions 1 mobile exhibition BSM/NIF 180
1 Park fence exhibition BSM/NIF 350
1 Highlights of 2021 Exhibition Sheila 250
Volunteer Centre Container and Mural 8,052
with lighting powered by car battery Marcus/BSM/Sheila 60
Accessible toilet fitted with
composting toilet and fan powered by 12V battery BSM 1,026
support bars BSM 130
sink Barbara 30
tap connected to water container Sheila 20
Mirror Sheila 20
Toilet roll holder Sheila 10
Shelf with supports Sheila 20
First Aid box Large on wall and small transportable BSM 40
Spare toilet rolls and tissues/soap etc Avanti/Booking.com 30
Tool Store fitted with
Rack to store mobile exhibition BSM 40
Tool hanging racks Sheila 10
Shelves BSM/Sheila 20
Hospitality area fitted with
room divider, and frontage with door BSM 140
built in bench BSM 25
Built in cupboard with work top Sheila 25
vinyl flooring 125
Bike rack and gravel area BSM 1,000

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Literature Good Bee Book 1 copy BSM 6
BSM Leaflets BSM 50
Seeds Seed left over from last year, spring mix and field mix 12
sand for mixing Robin 12
GROSS NON-MONETARY ASSETS 13,908
Debtors 0
Creditors 0
NET NON-MONETARY ASSETS 13,908
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