## **Grith Pioneers Trustees’ Annual Report**
**Year ending: 31[st] March 2025**
## **Charity registration number: 1188105**
## **Objectives and Activities**
|||
|---|---|
|Summary of the
purposes of the
charity as set out in
its governing
document|(a) To promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection, and
improvement of the physical and natural environment of the land owned and/or
managed by Grith Pioneers, by conducting a variety of environmental improvement
and woodland management activities.
(b) To advance the education of the public in the conservation, protection and
improvement of the physical and natural environment of the land owned and/or
managed by Grith Pioneers, by providing access to the natural environment for
camps and outdoor education activities.|
|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.|1. To manage the woodland in accordance with the Shining Cliff Woods
Management Plan and any other activities which will enhance the biodiversity
and/or ecosystem services provided by the woods, in line with the Natural England
SSSI citation.
2. To provide and manage areas of the woodland suitable for use as educational
and/or recreational activities which enhance members of the public’s understanding
of the natural environment.
3. To ensure that the assets of Grith Pioneers including the hostel and other
buildings are used for the benefit of the general public, not least in extending their
understanding of the natural environment.|
|Statement confirming
whether the trustees
have had regard to
the guidance issued
by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|We as trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission
on public benefit:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-benefit-rules-for-charities|
**Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
|||
|---|---|
|Policy on grant making|Grith Pioneers may support organisations and individuals whose aim is to
further the objectives of the CIO.|
|Contribution made by
volunteers|We have volunteer wardens who review campers’ permits while walking the
woods and checking for dangers and hazards. Volunteers also help to
maintain tracks, cut back invasive species and marshal when felling occurs.
Volunteers also carry out surveys and counts of flora and fauna.
Trustees and council have met eight times since the 2024 AGM (2023: 6),
sometimes on Zoom, sometimes in the woods, and, as always, many of us
also met for working days, walks, and at camps.
Grith Pioneers currently has 32 members.|
## **Achievements and Performance**
|||
|---|---|
|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.|On behalf of our members, friends, and the many thousands of people who
have enjoyed Shining Cliff Woods and Centre over the last year, I would like
to formally thank the trustees, council members, and volunteers for their hard
work and valued contributions.
In December, Grith Pioneers, with the help of donations of over £65k from
over 200 people, purchased at auction two beautiful fields totalling about 8
acres, very close to Shining Cliff Woods. This was one of the most significant
actions in our close-to 100-year history, one I can’t describe fully here, but
which the BBC cover in their article:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c75l2py2v4vo (or search for ‘Grith
Pioneers buy more land for community’). Thank you to everyone involved – it
was an incredible and wonderful effort. We look forward to describing the
plans for our new land in next year’s annual report. This year we
are simply leaving the fields undisturbed while discussing potential plans
with all interested people, enabling us to observe the changes over four
seasons, and understand the area’s ecology and potential.
**Education/training; Community; Development; Recreation**
**Camps and booked activities**
The activity profile across the 60 or so bookings is as normal; mostly smaller
weekend visits of one-to-three people, with charities such as Forest School
Camps and others running their larger week-long camps for children and
young people. Over the year since our last AGM, there were just over 140
nights of camping across the two camping areas (down from 160 last year).
‘Occupancy’ at the most popular site crept over 25% when the 15 “day-
bookings” are included. We don’t want to go beyond 25% in case it starts to
have a noticeable impact on the wider woodland. However, numbers have
fallen since February due to our enhanced risk assessment for campsite
bookings which requires organisations to provide copies of public indemnity
insurance. 14 organisations have met the requirement, so plenty of activities
are still happening.
Booked activities are broadly similar to last year in terms of numbers of
people, with 240 adults and 90 children camping, 35 adults and 180 children
on day-only bookings. Wildlings forest school continue to use different parts
ofthewoods two days per week forearly years education.|
In summary, we are happy with the numbers and feel it strikes a balance of people benefiting from using the sites for camping and other outdoor activities without risk of significant impact to the wider woods.
## **Areas of the woodland for recreation**
Car parks and laybys continue to be full by mid-morning every weekend throughout the year, and mid-week activity remains significant. Shining Cliff Woods is a hugely popular place for recreation, exercise, and to benefit from being within nature. As last year, we continue to prioritise our efforts towards the safety and enjoyment of these visitors using the woods.
Significant efforts by Grith and volunteer groups like Forest Schools and Shining Cliff Centre volunteers have improved the safety and enjoyment of visitors to the woods. These included regular safety checks, clearing windblown trees from Beggarswell track and other rights of way, removing overhanging hazardous branches on all rights of way and above the hostel fire pit throughout the year, culvert clearing, clearing and maintaining drainage channels, replacing ‘No Cycling’ signs, drystone wall repair, clearing the war memorial and other meeting areas.
We also now have two new benches, one constructed and placed at a viewing point in the new ‘top field’, and one by the Grith hut.
Liaison with the local rights of way officer regarding the storm erosion of Beggarswell track has been somewhat successful, as there is agreement that remedial work is required and it will be programmed when budgets permit.
Planned activities for next year include:
- Ongoing Ash dieback removal near rights of way;
- Rhododendron clearance in Beggarswell Wood;
- Handrail reinstatement on the reservoir footbridge;
- Reservoir lower bank reinforcement to reduce damage from overtopping; Car park control measures if unauthorised use becomes an issue;
- A new grill to reduce blockage of Peat Pits culvert under the track to the car park;
- Additional no cycling signage to the eastern and western boundaries; Drystone wall repairs as required and specifically the new fields boundary walls to the road.
## **Environment / conservation/heritage Woodland Management and Environmental Improvement**
Much of the planned work was done, including installing some substantial ‘soft dams’ on the streams from Wiggonlea and Peat Pits, to slow the flow of water down the streams, reduce silt being deposited further downstream and to re-wet areas of woodland away from rights of way. Also clearing some small trees around streams to allow greater light levels. As usual, there was hazel coppicing, and removal of rhododendron at Beggarswell, and of sycamore re-growth on the border with the ‘deer park’. Some bird boxes were also installed. We are going to leave the remaining ash trees (which are not near rights of way) to provide dead standing wood where safe, and to enable young saplings to come through in succession. Probably a very good thing for overall biodiversity.
Informal surveys have begun on the new land purchased by Netherpark Farm. Proposed actions for the years ahead will focus on commencement of habitat creation works in these new fields, once the initial management plan is agreed.
We are currently undertaking a review of the wider ecology Management Plan.
|Proposed actions, mostly ongoing, include:|Proposed actions, mostly ongoing, include:|
|---|---|
||Visioning for the new land to develop a long term management plan;|
||Continuing to clear some trees from next to streams to enable greater|
||light levels and encourage more molluscs and other invertebrates to|
||thrive in the water;|
||Regular water testing to monitor nitrate and phosphate levels;|
||More ‘soft dams’ on all the streams;|
||Clear grassy area next to the reservoir to encourage insects and|
||birds; Occasional felling of sycamore trees to enable more light and|
||provide space|
||for oak regeneration;|
||Continue to remove re-growth of felled sycamores, creating more|
||wood piles (‘bug and fungi hotels’) using felled wood;|
||Coppice hazels to ensure healthy stands and nesting habitats;|
||Continue to remove rhododendron wherever they are found around|
||the woods;|
||Continue to grade the edging of the woodland to enable easier|
||access/exit for birdlife;|
||Extend rides to connect existing clearings, allowing easier access for|
||birds such as fly-catchers.|
It is proposed that, when funds allow, we increase ongoing ecological surveys through training of Grith members and local people. Including: Bryophyte (mosses and lichens), woodland botany (wildflowers and trees), invertebrates (insects), and birds. One of the aims is to review the woodland survey carried out 5 years ago. Finally, to end with something rather more unusual, an otter was observed in the reservoir!
Dr Ian J Graham, Chair of Grith Pioneers Council
## **Financial Review**
|Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|Total income for the year to 31stMarch 2025 is £82,985
(2024: £7,528), with unrestricted income funds of £7,854
(2024: £7,528). Grith raised £75,131 restricted income
funds to purchase land, Lot E, from the Nether Park Farm
auction, there were no restricted income funds in 2023, of
this £75,131, £9,695 are loans to Grith to be repaid when
tax reclaimed via gift aid is received.
Unrestricted income is mainly from the rental of the hostel,
with some income from camping/booking fees and
memberships. Expenditure in the year amounted to
£106,346 (2024: £779), the largest expenditure related to
the purchase of land at £103,205 and £636 of
Crowdfunder fees both from restricted income funds with
£28,710 contributed to the land purchase from Grith’s
reserves. Other expenditure of £2,505 (2024: £779) from
unrestricted funds supported the routine costs, insurance,
maintenance and work of the charity
There is a gift aid reclaim of £11,727 to be received which
will repay the loans made to Grith.
Shining Cliff Woods and the hostel are Grith Pioneers
CIO’s assets and are currently held at nil value.
New land purchased December 2024 is held at purchase
value: £103,205.|
|---|---|---|
|Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|Grith Pioneers CIO is fortunate to have a reserve of
unrestricted income funds to enable the ongoing
management of the woodland. The woodland
management plan is prepared for several years in
advance, however there is an element of unpredictability
eg there might be occasion to remove trees more
immediately than planned due to storm damage or
invasive disease. Trustees will always seek the best price
for major works. The reserves of the CIO need to be
sufficient to cover these planned and unplanned costs.
The income of the CIO may drop due to unexpected
external factors, such as Covid-19, it is necessary to have
enough reserves to protect the continuity of charitable
objectives.|
|Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|Grith Pioneers CIO has a balance of £18,905 (2024:
£42,266) in Unrestricted Income reserves with no
Restricted or EndowmentIncomereserves**.**|
|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|The trustees consider that the level of reserves held is
sufficient to ensure the CIO continuing as a going concern.|
## **Additional information (optional)**
|**Additional information (optional)**|**Additional information (optional)**||
|---|---|---|
|You may choose to include further statements||where relevant about:|
|The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|Grith Pioneer’s principle source of funds continues to be
from letting the hostel on a tenancy agreement, to an
organisation that shares Grith’s values.
Members also provide valuable income through their
subscription. Fees paid by campers and other woodland
users support Grith to maintain the woods for all members
of the wider public to access and enjoy.
This year wereceived significant donations to enable the|
|||CIO to purchase land and increase the footprint of the
woods, this is unlikely to be repeated in the near future so
incomewill reduce backtolower levelsinthefuture.|
|---|---|---|
|Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|The trustees do not have an investment policy other than
their aim to bank with ethical banks that share Grith’s
values and principles. To this end Grith Pioneers operate
current and deposit account with Triodos Bank, a leading
ethical bank. The CIO’s cash reserves are now held with
Triodos Bank. The HSBC account, being a legacy from
Grithbankingwith MidlandBank hasnowbeenclosed.|
|A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46||
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
|Description of charity’s
trusts:||
|---|---|
|Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Constitution|
|How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Grith Pioneers Charitable Incorporated Organisation with voting members
other than its charity trustees|
|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|Membership vote|
## **Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Relationship with any related Grith Pioneers CIO is a member organisation with trustees drawn from the parties membership. Trustees and members volunteer their time and pay membership subscriptions as agreed by members. There are no related party relationships.
## **Reference and Administrative details**
|Charityname|Grith Pioneers CIO|
|---|---|
|Other name the
charity uses|Grith|
|Registered charity
number|1188105|
|Charity’s principal
address|Sycamore Farm,
Ashleyhay,
Wirksworth,
Matlock,
DE4 4AG|
|||
## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity**
|1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body)**
**entitled to appoint trustee**
**(if any)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Kathleen Moss|Treasurer|||
||Michelle Kershaw-Wright||||
||Michael Cross||||
||Martin Redman||||
||Nicholas Glaister||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
||||||
## **Declarations**
**The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.**
**Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees**
**Signature(s)** _K R Moss_ **Full name(s)** Kathleen Moss **Position (eg Secretary,** Treasurer **Chair, etc)** 17th May 2025
## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts**
**Section A Independent Examiner’s Report**
**Report to the trustees/** Charity Name Grith Pioneers **members of On accounts for the year** 31/03/2025 **Charity no** 1188105 **ended (if any) Set out on pages** 1-2 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/03/2025
- **Responsibilities and** As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation **basis of report** of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the 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 the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 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 which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
- accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
- the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
**Signed: Date:** 13/05/25 **Name:** Rachael Stevens **Relevant professional** ICAEW ACA **qualification(s) or body (if any): Address:** Grange Farm, The Street Old Basing, Hampshire RG24 7BH
**October 2018**
1
**IER**
||**Charity Name**
**Grith Pioneers**|**Charity Name**
**Grith Pioneers**|**Charity Name**
**Grith Pioneers**|**No (if any)**
**1188105**|**No (if any)**
**1188105**|**No (if any)**
**1188105**|**CC16a**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||**For the period**
**from**|Period start date
**01/04/2024**|**To**||Period end date
**31/03/2025**|||
|||||||||
|**Section A Receipts and payments**||||||||
|**A1 Receipts**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest**
**£**
**310**
**4,992**
**1,458**
**64**
**740**
**290**
**-**
**-**
**7,854**
**7,854**
**422**
**165**
**405**
**721**
**87**
**200**
**25**
**-**
**480**
**-**
**2,505**
**-**
**-**
**2,505**
**5,349**
**-**
**28,710**
**42,266**
**18,905**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**65,436**
**9,695**
**-**
**75,131**
**75,131**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**636**
**-**
**-**
**636**
**103,205**
**103,205**
**103,841**
**-**
**28,710**
**28,710**
**-**
**-**|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to the nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**||**Total funds**
**to the nearest £**
**310**
**4,992**
**1,458**
**64**
**740**
**65,726**
**9,695**
**-**
**82,985**
**82,985**
**422**
**165**
**405**
**721**
**87**
**200**
**25**
**636**
**480**
**-**
**3,141**||**Last year**
**to the nearest £**|
|Membershipfees|**310**||||||**260**|
|Rental income hostel|**4,992**||||||**4,992**|
|Camping/bookingfees|**1,458**||||||**1,388**|
|Wayleave|**64**||||||**64**|
|Interest|**740**||||||**698**|
|Donations|**290**||||||**126**|
|Loan for landpurchase|**-**|||||||
||**-**||||||**-**|
|**_Sub total_**_(Gross income for_
_AR)_|**7,854**||||||**7,528**|
|**_Total receipts_**
**A3 Payments**||||||||
||||||||**7,528**|
|||||||||
|Maintenance|**422**||||||**-**|
|Tree surgery|**165**||||||**-**|
|Signage|**405**|||||||
|Insurance|**721**||||||**641**|
|Subscriptions|**87**||||||**45**|
|Surveys|**200**||||||**-**|
|Bank charges|**25**||||||**53**|
|Crowdfunder charges|**-**|||||||
|Meetingexpenses|**480**||||||**40**|
||**-**||||||**-**|
|**_Sub total_**|**2,505**||||||**779**|
|||||||||
|**A4 Asset and investment**
**purchases, (see table)**||||||||
|Land purchase - Lot E Nether Park Farm
auction|**-**||||**103,205**|||
|**_Sub total_**|**-**||||**103,205**||**-**|
|**_Total payments_**
**_Net of receipts/(payments)_**
**A5 Transfers between funds**
**Funds brought forward**
**_Cash funds this year end_**||||||||
||||||||**779**|
|||||||||
||**5,349**|**-**
**28,710**|**-**||**-**
**23,361**||**6,749**|
||**-**
**28,710**|**28,710**|**-**||**-**||**-**|
||**42,266**|**-**|**-**||
**42,266**||**35,517**|
||**18,905**|**-**|**-**||
**18,905**||**42,266**|
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
23/04/2025
1
|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**|**Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period**||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees
**B5 Liabilities**
**B4 Assets retained for the**
**charity’s own use**
**B1 Cash funds**|**Details**
**_Total cash funds_**
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
HSBC Current
Triodos Current
Triodos Deposit
**Details**
**Details**
Shining Cliff Woods
Shining Cliff Hostel
no monetary value held in accounts
Land purchase - Field Lot E Nether Park
Farm auction December 2024||**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**7,341**
**11,564**
**18,905**
OK
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
Unrestricted
Unrestricted
Restricted
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**||**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
OK
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**103,205**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**-**||**Endowment funds**
**to nearest £**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||OK|
||||||||**Current value (optional)**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||**-**|
|||||||||
||||||||**103,205**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||**-**|
||||||||**When due (optional)**|
||||||**-**|||
|||||||||
||||||**-**|||
||||||**-**|||
|||||||||
||||||||Date of approval|
||_K R Moss_||||||_17th May 2025_|
|||||||||
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
23/04/2025
2