2025-04-01-accounts

THE CURRY WOODS CONSERVATION TRUST (CIO)

REPORTS AND ACCOUNTS

FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 01 APRIL 2025

Charity Number: 1190031

Company number: CE0022249

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THE CURRY WOODS CONSERVATION TRUST (CIO)

REPORTS AND ACCOUNTS

FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 01 APRIL 2025

CONTENTS

Reference and administrative details

Receipts and payments account

Statement of assets

Notes to the accounts

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THE CURRY WOODS CONSERVATION TRUST (CIO) REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 01 APRIL 2025

Trustees:

• Dr P. Goodenough (Chair) S. Goodenough (Secretary) A. Cockerell (Treasurer)

• C. Mowat

• J. Dugdale

Charity registration number 1190031

Company number:

CE0022249

Charity address:

The Woods, Curry Rivel Langport Somerset TA10 0PW

Bankers:

Barclays Bank Plc 46 North Street, Taunton TA1 1LZ

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THE CURRY WOODS CONSERVATION TRUST (CIO)

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 01 APRIL 2025

The trustees have pleasure in presenting their report and the accounts of the Charity for the period ended 01 April 2025. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out on the final page and comply with applicable law.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

The Curry Woods Conservation Trust was registered as a charitable incorporated organisation on 22 June 2020 and is governed by its document dated 27 May 2020. The registered company number is CE022249. It is also a registered charity, number 1190031.

Reference and administrative details including the principal office address and details of trustees who served the charity during the period and up to the date of signing are shown above.

Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Governing Document. Formal trustee training is provided on an ad hoc basis as required. All strategic decisions are taken by the trustees.

The trustees continue to review the major risks to which the charity is exposed, covering them as far as it is reasonably possible. All identified, relevant areas including financial risks and risks associated with personnel have been identified, assessed and safeguards have been put in place to eliminate or mitigate them.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

The main charitable objectives of the CIO are:

• To conserve, protect and improve for the public benefit the physical and natural environment of the existing ancient woodland known as Curry Woods and its associated fauna and flora, pasture and grassland.

• To reinstate and maintain through careful and appropriate management practices a public right of way providing open access to Curry Woods for the general public.

• To engage and inform the general public in the conservation of Curry Woods and all its associated fauna and flora. The general public will be encouraged to visit and volunteer to help with tree planting, maintenance and conservation activities. Information relating to Curry Woods, its history and fauna and flora will be made widely available.

• To increase the diversity of species present and ensure the sustainability of the woods. Through the use of appropriate and expert forest and land management practices young native trees will be planted along with some exotics and conifers. This approach will provide long term viability for the flora and fauna that constitute Curry Woods, while providing the benefits of additional carbon capture and also green space.

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• The Trust aims to engage the general public as widely as possible in the preservation of Curry Woods. A community approach to sustainable management under expert guidance is for the benefit of current and future generations of the general public.

• The Trust will look for expert advice and guidance where and when appropriate. One of the trustees is currently working as an Ecologist and two retired trustees have a background in botany. If relevant the Trust will also seek advice from the Somerset Wildlife Trust, the RSPB and independent ecologists. The main thrust of the work will be to plan and organise the management of the heritage woodland , the planting of new woodland and the cultivation of associated land supporting bird and mammal populations.

When planning the activities for the period the trustees have considered the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the specific guidance for charities for promoting the environment. The trustees believe the activities set out above and further described below under ‘achievements and performance’ clearly demonstrate the charity’s commitment to providing an identifiable public benefit and access to this benefit is not restricted in any way.

THE CURRY WOODS CONSERVATION TRUST (CIO)

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TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 01 APRIL 2025

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Our AGM was held in early January 2025 and was well attended. The talk by Harry Paget-Wilkes of the RSPB about the Greater Sedgemoor Landscape Recovery Project was well received. The trust land is included in the surrounding hillside and as such is integral to the project. Alan Cockerell,our treasurer, has come to the end of his three year period as a trustee and sadly indicated his intention to resign from the end of the financial year. He will be much missed but we are delighted that Jeremy Dugdale will take over the role of treasurer and will work alongside Alan to change the bank account from a community to a charity account with Barclays before the official handover.

The trees in the new woodland are generally growing well and the guards have been removed from some of the thicker stems. A few dead trees have been replaced. A problem arose over winter with ants making nests in some guards to the detriment of the trees so these guards have been removed. Otherwise further maintenance has been carried out; the public footpath and the paths to the original glade and the WI glade, which both contain benches, have been cut.

We had been aware of the death of Derek Yeomans who owned the 2 acre site adjacent to the Trust land on the east. Derek had planted the land with oak and ash in the 1990s; many of the ash have died from ash dieback but the oaks are flourishing. We were also aware that Derek had left his land to the Woodland Trust. The WT were going to reject the legacy as too small and too far from any of their other holdings; however, when they became aware of CWCT next door they offered to sell the land to us for a very reasonable sum and our Chairman set about raising the money needed. Our thanks go to the Fairfield Trust and Curry Rivel Parish Council for their grants which enabled us to go ahead with the purchase. This process was still ongoing at the end of the reporting year, but should go through in the next few months. The website is maintained and up to date and the Chairman writes articles for the local monthly magazine, which is distributed free throughout the village. There has been considerable interest generated in these ways and local groups have requested talks to be given to their members to explain the work of the Trust in relation to climate change and preservation of the Somerset Levels and Moors. Both the Chairman and Secretary have given talks locally and stressed that the work of the Trust is even more valuable than previously because new legislation has stipulated biodiversity net gain must be an objective of all local authorities and the Trust’s work helps provide this for our parish. The Chairman is also an active member of the Parish Council’s Biodiversity and Sustainability Working Group.

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THE CURRY WOODS CONSERVATION TRUST (CIO} STATEMENT OF A&SETS AND LIABIIJTIES FOR THE PERIOD ENDING ill APRIL 2025 General Funds MONETARY Bank Current Account 9170 OTHER NON-MONETARY ASSETS 3.1 HectatES of field and woodl 61.549 W¢ confirni that th¢ aTrK)ve Staternent of Assets ￿$ an accurate record of the Charity's assets at tk&￿riOd end. Dr P GI￿de￿oUgh Dated 4 f-LkikJ 7oFS Mr Akn CIKkerell Dated Ltr ¥yLY 2QI Gro

THE CURRY WOODS CONSERVATION TRUST (CIO)

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 01 APRIL 2025

Current Period
General Funds
£
RECEIPTS
Donations		102
Grants	Curry Rivel Parish Council	1300
	Fairfield Trust	5000
HMRC Gift Aid		13
_____
Total Receipts for the year
£6415
PAYMENTS
Insurance		136
AGM Hall hire fee		60
Website maintenance		25
Total payments for the year
£221
Cash, bank and similar funds	brought forward
£2,976

Cash, bank and similar funds carried forward

£9,170

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FII¥ANCIAL REVIEW Tothl receipts for th¢ P¢Thod were £6415. arising from grants and donations. Tota] paym¢nts were 221. RESERVES POLICY The trustK5 closely monitor the clwity's financial position and sttk to ensure that the reserves are sufficient lo meet its ongoing liabilities. The ¢harity does not aim to hold substsntial unrestricted reserves. The current ¢¢55 is earniarknj for the pUT¢h￿ of 2 acres of adjacent land: this purchase was in Progress ￿ th¢ end of the reix)rting year. si￿)ed by order of the In DT Peter Gooderkou8h Chair Approved by the tn￿teeS THE CURRY WOODS CONSERVATION TRUST TRUSTEES APPROVAL CKRTIFICATE FOR THE PEIUOD ENDED 01 APIUL 2025 We eonfirnj that the Receipts and Payments Accounls FKlow havc been prepared from the Ix)oks aDd records of th¢ Charity. All oth¢r r¢levant inforniation ha5 been made available for their pr¢parAtiotL Dr P Good¢nough Mr A Cockerell SJLtr 2oz-S

THE CURRY WOODS THE CURRY WOODS CONSERVATION TRUST (CIO)

N OTES TO THE ACCOUNTS

FOR THE PERIOD ENDING 01 APRIL 2025

1) Accounting Policies

The accounts above have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis, in line with the Statement of Recommended Practice "Accounting and Reporting by Charities" {SRF FRS L02} and the Charities Act 2011.

All assets of €250 and over have been included in total assets.

All expenses under £250 are included in maintenance costs.

2) Remuneration

No remuneration has been paid to the Charity’s trustees in the period.

3) T rustees’ expenses

No Trustees expenses have been reimbursed in the period

4) Funds General fund: This fund exists to deal with the day-to-day receipts and payments of the association. These funds represent the funds of the Trust that are not subject to any restriction regarding their use and may be applied in achieving any of the objectives of the charity as decided by trustees.

5) No guarantees have been given by the charity.

6) There are no debts outstanding at the date of the statement of assets and liabilities which is owed by the charity and which is secured by an express charge on any assets of the charity.

7) If the CIO is wound up, each member of the CIO is liable to contribute to the assets of the CIO such amount {but not more than £10} as may be required for payment of the debts and liabilities of the CIO contracted before that person ceases to be a member, for payment of the costs, charges and expenses of winding up, and for adjustment of the rights of the contributing members among themselves. 'Member’ includes any person who is a member of the ClO within 12 months before the commencement of the winding up. But, subject to that, the members of the CIO have no liability to contribute to its assets if it is wound up, and accordingly have no personal responsibility for the settlement of its debts and liabilities beyond the amount that they are liable to contribute.

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