2023-12-31-accounts - Ambleside Action For A Future

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Object	i	ves and	Activiti	es
				SORP reference
Summary		ofthe purposes of		Para 1.17	To promote for the benefit ofthe public the
the charity as set out			in its		conservation, protection and improvement of
governing		document			the physical and natural environment by taking
					action to mitigate climate change and its effects
					and by promoting biological diversity. To advance
					the education ofthe public in the subject of
					climate change and its mitigation and to promote
					research for the public benefit in all aspects of
					that subject and to ublish the useful results.
Summary activities		ofthe main in relation to those		Para 1.17and 1.19	We ran two workshops for members in january to clarify goals and pinpoint areas where we
purposes		for the public			might engage more people.
benefit,	in particular,		the		We have done a great deal oftree planting and
activities,		projects or	services		tree maintenance this year.
identified		in the accounts.			The lottery grant enabled us to do an Ambleside
					wide survey and produce a report which will help
					us identify land for tree planting in the future.
					We also produced a booklet for households and
					businesses.
					We held several events - the Plant Giveaway and
					two Retrofit Made Easy events in collaboration
					with Cumbria Action for Sustainability.
					We sourced non-plastic stickers for display in
					members' cars/houses and in businesses. We
					acquired two new banners with our Logo for use
					at public events where we have a presence such
					as Ambleside Sports where we had a stall this
					year.
					We held seven monthly meetings to which we
					invited speakers and which were open to the
					public.
					The water group undertook testing for
					phosphates in Windermere.
Statement		confirming		Para 1.18	The trustees have followed the guidance on
whether	the trustees		have		public benefit provided by the Charity
had regard to the guidance					Commission in its document CC3 —"The Essential
issued by the Charity					Trustee"
Commission on public
benefit

You ma	choose to include	choose to include	further statements	where	relevant about:
			SORP reference
Polic on		rant makin	Para 1.38	Not a	licable
Policy on	social investment			Not applicable
including	program related		Para 1.38
investment
Contribution		made by		The entire work of AAFAF is carried out by
volunteers			Para 1.38	volunteers
Other

Achiev	eme	nts	rformance
			SORP reference
Summary	ofthe main		Para 1.20	We started the year with two workshops to
achievements		ofihe charity,		re-engage members and re-focus after the
identifying	the	difference the		disruptive covid years. As a result ofthis we
charity's	work	has made to		formed a new Communications group to
the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.				publicise meetings and activities and produce a newsletter. We expressed an aim to be more deeply known by and embedded in the community.
				We supported Friends ofthe Lake District with
				their BigSwitch Off event in Ambleside and
				Grasmere, liaising with the schools and going
				round businesses enlisting their participation.
				This is a very effective way to raise awareness of
				the wider environment and to challenge
				assumptions about the status quo.
				One Lancaster undergraduate student and one
				Masters level student did research locally and
				produced dissertations suggested and supported
				by us —on food waste in hospitality and
				nature-based solutions to climate change in built
				environments. The latter research will be useful
				in approaching our County Council about
				At seven ofour monthly meetings, we had
				speakers on a variety ofsubjects —to which the
				public were invited. This is part ofour aim to
				educate and inform and inspire practical action.
				Speakers spoke about divestment from fossil
				fuels —chiefly by local authority pension funds
				and what we could do to help bring that about;
				In one meeting campaigner Matt Staniek talked
				about Windermere and its rivers and pointed the
				way to citizen science and lobbying which was
				very helpful for our recently formed Water
				Group who came back later in the year with their
				findings; another speaker spoke about tree
				planting and wildflower meadows and this was

followed by an informative and inspiring visit to
the land he's caring for; A student talked about
Food Waste in hospitality which was the subject
ofher dissertation and had involved contact and
discussion with local restaurateurs and hoteliers
thus raising awareness ofthe issues involved.
Lee Schofield Author and manager of RSPBfarms
at Haweswater came to speak to us in
September which was followed by a visit by 20
people tothe farms which was full ofvital
information for us about relating to land and
nature, growing and farming, differently.
The Growing 8 Biodiversity Group has been very
active planting trees and maintaining saplings as
well as taking care ofour community orchard in
the Park. Beds around the Parish Centre are
being planted with plum trees, pollinators and
herbs. A Lancaster University student is writing	a
dissertation on Food Growing in Ambleside.
Maintenance ofthe Wild Flower meadow has
continued with the extraction of unwanted
saplings and more planting.
Our plant giveaway which is now an annual
event in the Ambleside calendar was bigger and
better than ever. Itwas attended by 50people
and we gave away more than 400 plants
encouraging people to grow vegetables,
pollinators and herbs.
Members ofthe group met with a representative
ofthe National Trust and a tenant farmer in
November to discuss the possibility ofcarrying
out a project on a field in Ambleside to make it
into a nature friendly area for wildlife and the
community. Another site visit will take place next
year,
After a two-hour refresher course on the use of
the infra-red camera the Warmer Homes Group
continued with the work ofdoing free surveys	of'
resident's homes to enable them to better target
their energy saving and heat retaining efforts.
Similarly, the two Retrofit Made Easy events
organised with Cumbria Action for Sustainability
attracted 34people in total who were seriously
intent upon retrofitting their homes. Some ofour
members had valuable experiences to share to
help them make good decisions. This was in line
with our aim to educate and disseminate
information to help residents adapt to climate
breakdown.
The Comms group, Growing and Biodiversity
Group (G&B)and Water Group (WG) have been
holding regular meetings on Zoom and - in the
case ofthe WG in erson —throu hout the ear.

Warmer Homes and Transport and Lobbying
have met less frequentiy preferring to get on
with their agreed activities.
With the help of members ofthe Transport
Group, a guide - Ambleside Walking Companion-
has been produced. AAFAF gets 50p from the
sale ofeach copy and ofcourse, this helps to
keep people out oftheir cars.
The Water Group has been very active indeed
testing water in Windermere and its rivers for
phosphates, monitoring, recording and reporting
sewage spills and engaging with the water
company, United Utilities to press for long term
actions such as riparian planting upstream to
prevent flooding and increased storm storage
capacity to prevent sewage spills.
Lobbying has taken the form of signing petitions,
signing open letters on matters ofenvironmental
concern, supporting opposition to the West
Cumbria Coal Mine by going to demonstrations
at the site in person and speaking there. Some
Members went down to London tojoin in the
demonstrations at The Big One in April. Some
members have also written letters ofobjection
to environmentally destructive and harmful
planning applications locally.

Additional information	(optional)
You ma choose to include	further statements	where relevant about:
Achievements against	Para 1.41	No specific objectives were set.
ob'ectives set
Performance offundraising	Para 1.41	Atarget off700ofincome from donations		was
activities against objectives		set. The total income achieved	was f2038.
set
Investment. performance	Para 1.41	No investment objectives were	set.
a ainst ob ectives
Other
Financial Review
Review ofthe charity's	Para 1.21	The charity remains in a sound	financial position.
financial position at the end		Most expenditure on charitable	projects was
ofthe period		from restricted funds donated	by external
		funders. Sufficient unrestricted	funds were
		generated to increase the reserves to the higher
		level determined by trustees and stiil retain		a
		small surplus.
Statement explaining the	Para 1.22	Reserves are held for the following reasons:		- to
policy for holding reserves		meet the costs ofessential routine items (e.g.
stating why they are held		insurance, ICT), in the event of	a failure to raise
		sufficient funds to cover them;	a contingency
		fund for unexpected essential costs; a cushion
		for cash flow, in case ofa need	to incur lanned

						expenditure
						coverit.
Amount ofreserves			held		Para 1.22	62300
Reasons for	holding		zero		Para 1.22	Not applicable
reserves
Details offund materially				in	Para 1.24	Not applicable
deficit
Explanation	ofany				Para 1.23	Not applicable
uncertainties	about		the
charity continuing		as a going
concern

charity cont concern	inuing as a g	oing	oing
Additional	information	{optional)
You ma choose to include			further statements	where relevant		about:
The charity*s principal			Para 1.47	Grants from	charitable		trusts, and donations			by
sources of	funds (including			individuals.
an fundraisin
Investment	policy and		Para 1.46	No such policies have been				adopted.
objectives	including any
social investment policy
ado ted
A description of the principal			Para 1.46	The trustees	have adopted			a risk management
risks facing	the charity			policy which	identifies		potential		financial,
				reputational,		legal, operational			and
				environmental		risks. With		the controls that have
				been put in place, none of				these risks is currently
				re arded assi		nificant.

Structure, Governance	and Man	agement
Description of charity's
trusts:
Type of governing document		Foundation	model constitution
How is the charity	Para 1.25	CIO
constituted?
Trustee selection methods	Para 1.25	Apart from	the initial trustees,	every trustee		is
including details ofany		appointed	for a term ofthree years by a
constitutional provisions e.g.		resolution	passed at a properly	convened
election to post or name of		meeting ofthe trustees. In selecting individuals
any person or body entitled		for appointment as trustees, the trustees			have
to appoint one or more		regard tothe skills, knowledge		and experience
trustees		needed for the effective administration of			the
		CIQ and who has an interest in		the charitable
		objectives.

Additional	Additional	information	{optional)	{optional)
You ma	choose to include further statements				where relevant about:
Policies	and	procedures		Para 1.51	Trustees are provided	with the Charity
adopted	for	the induction	and		Commission trustee welcome pack.
trainin	oftrustees
The charity's		organisational		Para 1.51	AAFAF has eight formal members who		are	the
structure	and any wider				charity trustees, and a	wider membership		of
					about 150.There are several workin		rou	s
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network	with	which the		organised around specific topics or projects,	organised around specific topics or projects,
charity	works			each ofwhich is led by a volunteer	coordinator
				who reports to the trustees.
				AAFAF works with many partners	including
				Cumbrla Action for Sustainability	(CaFS) and the
				Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership.
Relationship		with any related	Para 1.51	None
arties
Other