## **LOW GILLERTHWAITE FIELD CENTRE** ## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR YEAR ENDED 31 AUG 2022** ## **Reference and Administrative Information** Charity Name: Low Gillerthwaite Field Centre Charity Reg. No. 1188956 Principal address Low Gillerthwaite Field Centre, Ennerdale, Cleator, Cumbria, CA23 3AX ## **Board of Trustees** Tim Plaice Chair Victoria Pearce Vice Chair Patrick Muir Treasurer Rachael Muir Secretary Ian Thompson Siân Fox-Collins Jennifer Lanham Robert Lanham ## **Independent Examiner** John Irwin ## **Structure, governance and management** Type of governing document CHARITABLE INCORPORATED ORGANISATION’ CONSTITUTION ADOPTED 7 APRIL 2020. ## How the charity is constituted CIO ## Trustee selection methods Trustees are elected or re-elected at the Annual General Meeting in November by a vote of the members. A trustee must be a member of the Low Gillerthwaite Field Centre (LGFC) CIO. ## Organisational structure The charity is governed by up to 12 trustees who form the LGFC committee. The LGFC Managing Warden also sits on the committee as a non-voting member. All trustees provide their services on a voluntary basis and receive no remuneration. The LGFC committee meets every 6-8 weeks and makes all decisions on the operational management of the charity, managing the finances and maintaining the property. ## Members There is a membership of approximately 200. Some of these members provide assistance and technical expertise, especially in maintenance, in running LGFC. The Managing Warden, and those members who have contact with children during Educational Hub events, have the appropriate DBS certificates. ## Relationships with Third Parties LGFC has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Royal Logistics Corps Trust to make available a specified number of days for non-military adventure training. The Field Centre premises are leased from Forestry England, with whom we have contact. ## **LOW GILLERTHWAITE FIELD CENTRE** ## **Objectives** LGFC is a residential Field Centre in the Ennerdale Valley in West Cumbria. It is in the middle of ‘Wild Ennerdale’, one of the UK’s largest wildland partnerships, which is pioneering innovative ways of natural upland management. The Field Centre is available for booking by up to 40 people, and all income from overnight stays goes towards maintaining and running the Field Centre. The aims of the LGFC Association are set out in the constitution as: - To promote safe enjoyment, understanding, appreciation and use of the environment for people of all ages. - To encourage personal development and social education of individuals and groups by providing a setting that facilitates working and living together and to generate an awareness of others. - To be open to all and with a particular commitment to young people without restricting those of modest means. - To preserve and protect the setting, history and character of the Centre within Ennerdale valley so as to offer this unique experience to future generations. ## **Activities** The LGFC Association provides a public benefit in a number of ways: - Provides low cost hostel accommodation for groups including primary and secondary schools, university students, family groups, religious and youth groups. - A large field provides a safe playing space for children. - A large classroom with screen provides educational facilities for visitors. - Has Dark Sky accreditation, and runs free Dark Sky events with the support of a local astronomical society. - Runs ‘Educational Hub events for local primary school groups. - Supports sustainability. It is not connected to any mains services; electricity is provided by a micro-hydro-electric scheme and a set of solar panels. Heating is provided by a biomass boiler fed by wood from the local forest, and water from a borehole and spring. In pursuing these aims, the charity trustees have given due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on Public Benefit requirements. ## **Achievements** - Invested £13k in a new hydro-electric control system and batteries, and £6k in solar panels to add to our renewable energy bank. This will reduce our use of the generator, minimising noise in the remote and quiet Wild Ennerdale. - Installed a log-burning stove in the lounge, and flagged the area outside the classroom to prevent it getting muddy and slippery, - Members completed maintenance work and many improvements during the annual Working Week, including extending the car park. - LGFC is now on the Airbnb and Group Accommodation forums. - A Special Needs School booked a Residential, and we allowed exclusive use for this group even though they were not bringing the full 26. - Held a subsidised wild food foraging event for members and local families, which was a great success. - Celebrated our 50th anniversary with a party and live band. - Survived the pandemic where we were unable to allow visitors to attend the centre. A considerable amount of much needed maintenance was completed during this time: a new roof on a number of areas of the centre, improvements to the walls (internally), heating improvements in the kitchen area. ## **LOW GILLERTHWAITE FIELD CENTRE** - Maintenance was also carried out on the Managing Wardens accomodation to improve living conditions (new and increased boiler (hot water)) - Drainage was improved in the yard area to prevent previous years flooding and alleviate any new flooding. ## **Reserves** The biggest financial risk is probably a prolonged period of closure. We currently maintain a reserve of £60k in unrestricted funds, which would cover the costs of running the Field Centre for one year, with no bednight income. This sum would also cover any unforeseen expenditure that may occur. ## **Funding** - Almost all of the income comes from bednight fees from people staying overnight at the Field Centre (approx £62k pa). We also receive feed-in tariff payments for the electricity generated by our hydro-electric scheme (£5k pa), and membership fees (£1k pa). - We received support grant from the government (as many hospitality groups did) which significantly helped us to survive the pandemic. Our employee was furloughed and supported continuing to pay her wages whilst we were closed. ## **Statement of Trustees responsibilities** The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that accurately disclose the financial position of the charity. All financial transactions are managed according to a set of rigorous financial procedures. The trustees are responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. Approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by: Tim Plaice Chair 28 June 2022 ## **LOW GILLERTHWAITE FIELD CENTRE** ## **INCOME AND EXPENDITURE 7th APRIL 2020 TO 31st AUGUST 2021** ## **A 17 month period - from 7th April 2020 (the date of changing to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation) to 31st August 2021 (the end of the first complete financial year)** ||**2020-21**| |---|---| |**INCOME**
BEDNIGHTS - GENERAL CUSTOMERS
BEDNIGHTS - RLC
PRE-PAID FEES - RLC
**SUB-TOTAL BEDNIGHT INCOME**
GOVERNMENT GRANTS FOR COVID-19
CJRS (CORONAVIRUS JOB RETENTION SCHEME)
DONATIONS FROM RLC TRUST PROJECT FUND
DONATIONS FOR COVID-19
OTHER GRANTS & DONATIONS
SUBSCRIPTIONS
TRIODOS BANK INTEREST
INCOME FROM EVENTS
OTHER INCOME
HYDRO FIT PAYMENTS
INSURANCE CLAIM FOR FLOOD DAMAGE
**SUB-TOTAL OTHER INCOME**
**TOTAL OPERATING INCOME**
**EXPENDITURE - RUNNING COSTS**
DIESEL FOR GENERATOR
GAS
LOGS
TELEPHONE - MANAGING WARDEN
TELEPHONE - BROADBAND & PUBLIC PHONE
EMPLOYMENT COSTS
RENT
RATES, WASTE, COUNCIL TAX
INSURANCE
ADMIN EXPENSES
FIELD STUDIES, EVENTS
REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE - GENERAL|14,528
8,336
36,125
**58,988**
23,303
13,780
39,185
973
1,135
103
261
**78,740**
**137,729**
7,280
8,623
625
1,498
1,803
36,093
283
2,139
10,617
1,131
258
33,123| |REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE - HYDRO
GENERATOR - HIRE AND ASSOCIATED COSTS
PROPERTY AND CONTENTS IMPROVEMENTS
STATUTORY PROTECTION - FIRE / ELECTRICAL
CONSUMABLES
WEBSITE & SOFTWARE LICENCE
MARKETING
LEGAL EXPENSES
**TOTAL RUNNING COSTS**
**SURPLUS FROM OPERATIONS**
**CAPITAL EXPENDITURE**
NEW GENERATOR (STEPHILL SSD10000S)
SCAFFOLDING TOWER
NEW GENERATOR (STEPHILL SSD10000S)
NEW GENERATOR SHELTER (MATERIALS)
NEW GENERATOR SHELTER (LABOUR)
SHOWER BLOCK INCL 2 LOCHINVAR HEATERS
SHOWER BLOCK (FINAL PAYMENT)
BOREHOLE
OIL TANK
HYDRO CONTROL SYSTEM & BATTERIES
SOLAR PV PANELS
**TOTAL CAPITAL**
**SURPLUS (DEFICIT) FOR YEAR**|5,900
2,426
7,310
722
8,132
194
847
2,965
**131,970**
**5,758**
5,245
1,499
**6,744**
**-986**| |---|---| ## **LOW GILLERTHWAITE FIELD CENTRE** ## **ASSETS ON 31st AUGUST 2021** |**ASSETS**
Current account
Deposit account
Subscriptions account
Building society
Triodos account:
- Opening balance
- Interest minus bank charges
- Transfer from / (to) trading account
- Closing balance
Balance on Pockit card
Cash / cheques in hand
**TOTAL ASSETS AT YEAR-END**
**THE FUNDS OF THE CHARITY**
Restricted Funds - Cumbria Community Foundation
Designated Funds - backdated rent increase from th
Reserves (provisional, to be discussed by the Comm
Unrestricted Funds - for general use
**TOTAL**|**2021**| |---|---| ||42,191
0
5,385
10
35,521
43
-10,000
25,564
320
217
**73,687**
g
667
e
6,210

55,000
11,810
**73,687**| **Signed** **ROGER WENSLEY Treasurer** **I have examined the books and vouchers of the Low Gillerthwaite Field Centre and confirm that the annexed income and expenditure account together with the statement of assets are consistent with the transactions in the financial records.** **Signed** **JOHN E IRWIN Independent Examiner**