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2024-03-31-accounts

Birmingham Tree People Charity Number: 1190536

{Charitable Incorporated Organisation}

Trustees' Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024

2[nd] July 2024

Reference & Administration Details

Charity name: Birmingham Tree People
Charity number: 1190536
Charity's operating address: 32 Somerset Road
Handsworth
Birmingham
B20 2JD

Names of the Charity Trustees who Manage the Charity

Trustee Name Office (if any) Appointed Retired
1 Tonia Clark Chair 23 July 2020
2 Stephen Watson Trustee 23 July 2020
3 Simon Needle Trustee 23 July 2020
4 Nina Griffiths Trustee 02 Feb 2021
5 Deanne Brettle Trustee 21 Oct 2021
6 James Tucker Trustee 15 Feb 2023
7 Ian McDermott Trustee 27 April 2023
8 Julianne Statham Trustee 18 January 2024
9 Lawrence Weston Trustee 18 January 2024

Names & Addresses of Advisors

Name Address & Postcode

Bank: Lloyds Bank, Box 1, BX1 1LT

Structure, Governance & Management

Description of the Charity's Trusts

Type of Governing Constitution Document:

How the Charity is Charitable Incorporated Organisation Constituted:

Trustee Selection Methods: Trustees are elected at a Trustees meeting. Local people who regularly attend BTP urban forest volunteer training are considered.

How New Trustees are Prospective trustees are asked to attend a meeting before Inducted and Trained: they commit. They meet with the Chair who explains the history and the role of the charity.

Objectives & Activities

Summary of the Objects of the Charity as set out in its Governing Document

Birmingham Tree People aims to plant, promote and protect trees in Birmingham. We provide free monthly training and organise activities. We are also a registered training centre for the Skills Education Group Level 2 in Arboriculture.

Summary of the Main Activities Undertaken for the Public Benefit in Relation to the Charity's Objects

What the charity does: Education/training Environment/conservation/heritage.

Who the charity helps: People in Birmingham.

How the charity helps: Provides Advocacy/advice/information.

Where the charity operates: Birmingham.

Achievements & Performance

Statutory Declaration

The trustees declare that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the

guidance on public benefit published by the commission in exercising their powers or duties.

Summary of the Main Achievements of the Charity for the Year – Chair's Report

This has been a pivotal year for BTP with the appointment of our first member of staff, thanks to funding from the Urban Forest Accelerator project in partnership with the National Trust and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund Trees Call for Action Fund. Katy Hawkins, our Engagement Worker, has worked with communities in

Nechells, Bromford and Firs and Hodge Hill to support them to plant trees in their neighbourhoods and then to maintain them. Thank you to Simon Needle who secured this funding for BTP’s work.

The UFA funding also enabled us to take on a self-employed contractor, Charley McDermott, to provide communications services. She has delivered a monthly newsletter and has greatly increased our social media presence.

Our close working with the National Trust also led to a visioning session for the BTP trustees facilitated by Vic Hopkins from Conquering Chaos. The trustees are reviewing the BTP mission and vision and developing objectives linked to the Urban Forest Master Plan.

Our City of Nature funded contractor, Justine Marklew, finished her contract with us at the start of the year after some great work in Bordesley and Highgate to engage local people with trees in local parks. Justine also co-ordinated the tree planting that BTP committed to delivering for the Birmingham Trees for Life project. The remaining BTFL reserves were transferred from the Civic Trust to pay for this. We are incredibly grateful to the BTFL committee to trusting us to continue their legacy. A special thanks to Sue Griffith from BTFL who came along to BTP committee meetings to ensure that all the BTFL knowledge and wisdom was passed on.

Tree planting has been a large element of work this year. The BTFL plantings were finished and funding agreed from One Tree Planted and Trees for Cities to pay for 100 heavy standard trees in Nechells, Hodge Hill, Bromford and Firs, Newtown and Highters Heath to be planted in the winter of 2023/4. This was a huge amount of work and coordination was required between the BTP trustees, (a huge thank you to Ian McDermott who led on this), our staff and the City Council Tree Officers and tree contractors. There were several events with local people to plant the trees at which poems were read, songs sung, tree knowledge shared and trees decorated.

The trustees have been writing a tree planting strategy for the city which meets the objectives of the Urban Forest Master Plan and will help inform future tree planting both in terms of species selection and locations.

A new tree planting initiative has been launched this year by BTP. Called Treemembrance, it gives people the opportunity to pay for a memorial tree on City Council owned land. Trustee Julianne Statham co-ordinated this project and has so far

planted a tree for the Debt Justice campaign and is supporting several families with their memorial trees.

Tree surveying was also a busy area for BTP this year. There were two projects; the street tree survey continued and has been managed by trustee Nina Griffiths. She has trained more volunteers and in March, funding was secured from the West Midlands Combined Authotity’s Community Environment Fund to pay volunteer expenses and provide equipment and training. The second project was the itree project which was funded by the WMCA and in partnership with Treeconomics and Barton Hyatt. BTP’s volunteers were trained and completed 450 plots within a couple of months.

The street tree survey has been supported by University of Birmingham students, Emily Bennett completed her student placement with the charity and Naya Desai has started her PhD on street trees. We are grateful to Deanne Brettle and Emma Ferranti for supporting these students in their work with BTP.

Trustee, Deanne Brettle, has also been leading on developing digital tree trails which are now on Treeplotter. These are being promoted to engage people across the city with trees in their local parks.

Monthly training has continued this year, led by Ian McDermott:

April - Biodiversity Net Gain online training session with Simon Needle May - Biodiversity Net Gain practical session in Holders Lane Woods with Simon Needle

June - itree eco survey session

July - no session

August - Summer Social Sunday tree session at Winterbourne Gardens with presentation of certificates to the Level 2 Arboriculture students September - street tree survey interim results - online session October - trees in planning applications - online session with Simon Needle November - Orchard pruning at Manor Farm Park December - Highbury Park - conifer identification session January - choosing a tree contractor - online session February - Orchard pruning at Bromford and Firs with Open Door March - Highbury Park - winter tree identification

Ian McDermott also co-ordinated the second Level 2 Arboriculture course which started in April 2023. Many thanks also to Steve Watson who delivered the Soils Module and Tonia Clark who led the Biology module. There are 8 students working their way this course which will finish in 2025. There is the possibility that we may be able to also run a Level 4 course and this is being developed.

There have been several promotional and other training activities undertaken during the year. Two sessions on trees have been run for the Eden Project Communities programme and talks given to the Calthorpe Residents Association and the Coventry Tree wardens group.

Projects for 2024-25 were also started during the were; the Tree Board, the Benjamin Zephaniah legacy forest and the Tree Cities of the World conference in June 2024 in Birmingham.

BTP is fortunate in having a group of dedicated, hard-working trustees and paid workers who have ambitious plans for the growth of the charity.

Financial Review

Brief Statement of the Charity's Policy on Reserves

The charity aims to build up small reserves of 3 month’s running costs to enable the payment of redundancy costs to our employee if these should be required. The reserves will also help to cover any funding gaps to enable the employee to be continuously employed.

Details of Any Funds Materially in Deficit

None

Statutory Notes to the Accounts

Particulars of Any Outstanding Guarantee Given by the CIO

None

Particulars of Any Outstanding Debt

None

Declaration

The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees' Report above. Signed on behalf of the Charity's Trustees

Signature(s):
Full Name(s): Tonia Clark Nina Griffiths
Position(s): Chair Trustee
Date: 18thJuly 2024 18thJuly 2024

Birmingham Tree People 1190536

Receipts and payments accounts

Saturday, April Sunday, March For the 01, 2023 To 31, 2024 period from

CC16a

Section A Receipts and payments

Birmingham Tree People Birmingham Tree People 1190536 CC16a
Receipts and payments accounts
For the
period from
Saturday, April
01,2023
To

Sunday, March
31,2024
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricte
d funds
Restricted
funds
Endowmen
t funds
Total funds
Last year
to the nearest
£
to the nearest
£
to the nearest
£
to the nearest
£
to the
nearest £
A1 Receipts
BirminghamCity Council - - - 10,400
Veolia - - - -
itree survey 40,500 - - 40,500
Tree plantingfunding 12,810 - 12,810
TreesforCities 6,804 - - 6,804
BirminghamCity of Nature - - - 400
Centre for Sustainable
Environment
- - - 5,200
Civic Society - - - 8,000
Severn Trent - - - 7,800
Western Power Distribution - - - 600
Treemembrance 750 - - 750
donations toBTP 230 - - 230 921
National Trust UFA 20,535 - 20,535
Arb2 course fees 2,395 - - 2,395 3,465
TreePlotter - 3,000 - 3,000 3,000
- - - - -
Sub total(Gross
income for AR)


50,679
36,345 - 87,024 39,786
A2 Asset and investment
sales, (see table).
- - - - -
Sub total
-
- - - -
Total receipts 50,679 36,345 - 87,024 39,786
A3 Payments
staff payments **1,694 ** - **1,694 ** 3,608
Arb 2 fees - 2,000
itree survey **31,360 ** **31,360 **
Tree products **21,104 ** **21,104 ** 5,325
Equipment purchase - 4,009
Sponsorship MTOA - 500
National Trust UFA 24,654 24,654
Skills Educ Group **1,404 ** - **1,404 ** 840
Tree Council - - 175
Premises hire - 246
website service **760 ** - **760 **
Treeplotter software 4,200 - 4,200 8,250
Treemembrance **87 ** **87 **
accountancy fee **943 ** - **943 **
Marketing **250 ** **250 **
insurance **348 ** - **348 ** 348
- - - -
Sub total 36,847 49,958 - 86,805 25,301
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total - - - -
Totalpayments 36,847 49,958 - 86,805 25,301
Net of
receipts/(payments)

13,832
- 13,613 - 219 14,485
A5 Transfers between
funds

**- **
**- ** **- ** - -
A6 Cash funds last year
end


25,284
7,492 - 32,776 -
Cash funds this year
end

**39,116 **
**- 6,121 ** **- ** 32,995 14,485

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
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 Details Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Endowme
nt funds
to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
B1 Cash funds Lloyds Bank 39,116 - 6,121 -
- - -
- - -
Total cash funds - 6,121 -
39,116
(agree balances with
receipts and payments
account(s))
OK OK
OK
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Endowme
nt funds
Details to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
B2 Other monetary
assets
Debtor Trees for Cities Public tree
planting
39,920 -
Debtor National Trust -
Marchsalaries
UFA 4,119 -
Debtor Woodland Trust -
supportfor meeting
Donations 100 -
Cost
(optional)
Current
value
(optional)
Details Fund to which
asset belongs
B3 Investment assets - -
- -
Details Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost
(optional)
Current
value
(optional)
B4 Assets retained for
the charity’s own use
- -
- -
Amount due
(optional)
When due
(optional)
Details Fund to which
liability relates
B5 Liabilities
-

Birmingham Tree People Charity Number: 1190536

{Charitable Incorporated Organisation}

Trustees' Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024

2[nd] July 2024

Reference & Administration Details

Charity name: Birmingham Tree People
Charity number: 1190536
Charity's operating address: 32 Somerset Road
Handsworth
Birmingham
B20 2JD

Names of the Charity Trustees who Manage the Charity

Trustee Name Office (if any) Appointed Retired
1 Tonia Clark Chair 23 July 2020
2 Stephen Watson Trustee 23 July 2020
3 Simon Needle Trustee 23 July 2020
4 Nina Griffiths Trustee 02 Feb 2021
5 Deanne Brettle Trustee 21 Oct 2021
6 James Tucker Trustee 15 Feb 2023
7 Ian McDermott Trustee 27 April 2023
8 Julianne Statham Trustee 18 January 2024
9 Lawrence Weston Trustee 18 January 2024

Names & Addresses of Advisors

Name Address & Postcode

Bank: Lloyds Bank, Box 1, BX1 1LT

Structure, Governance & Management

Description of the Charity's Trusts

Type of Governing Constitution Document:

How the Charity is Charitable Incorporated Organisation Constituted:

Trustee Selection Methods: Trustees are elected at a Trustees meeting. Local people who regularly attend BTP urban forest volunteer training are considered.

How New Trustees are Prospective trustees are asked to attend a meeting before Inducted and Trained: they commit. They meet with the Chair who explains the history and the role of the charity.

Objectives & Activities

Summary of the Objects of the Charity as set out in its Governing Document

Birmingham Tree People aims to plant, promote and protect trees in Birmingham. We provide free monthly training and organise activities. We are also a registered training centre for the Skills Education Group Level 2 in Arboriculture.

Summary of the Main Activities Undertaken for the Public Benefit in Relation to the Charity's Objects

What the charity does: Education/training Environment/conservation/heritage.

Who the charity helps: People in Birmingham.

How the charity helps: Provides Advocacy/advice/information.

Where the charity operates: Birmingham.

Achievements & Performance

Statutory Declaration

The trustees declare that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the

guidance on public benefit published by the commission in exercising their powers or duties.

Summary of the Main Achievements of the Charity for the Year – Chair's Report

This has been a pivotal year for BTP with the appointment of our first member of staff, thanks to funding from the Urban Forest Accelerator project in partnership with the National Trust and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund Trees Call for Action Fund. Katy Hawkins, our Engagement Worker, has worked with communities in

Nechells, Bromford and Firs and Hodge Hill to support them to plant trees in their neighbourhoods and then to maintain them. Thank you to Simon Needle who secured this funding for BTP’s work.

The UFA funding also enabled us to take on a self-employed contractor, Charley McDermott, to provide communications services. She has delivered a monthly newsletter and has greatly increased our social media presence.

Our close working with the National Trust also led to a visioning session for the BTP trustees facilitated by Vic Hopkins from Conquering Chaos. The trustees are reviewing the BTP mission and vision and developing objectives linked to the Urban Forest Master Plan.

Our City of Nature funded contractor, Justine Marklew, finished her contract with us at the start of the year after some great work in Bordesley and Highgate to engage local people with trees in local parks. Justine also co-ordinated the tree planting that BTP committed to delivering for the Birmingham Trees for Life project. The remaining BTFL reserves were transferred from the Civic Trust to pay for this. We are incredibly grateful to the BTFL committee to trusting us to continue their legacy. A special thanks to Sue Griffith from BTFL who came along to BTP committee meetings to ensure that all the BTFL knowledge and wisdom was passed on.

Tree planting has been a large element of work this year. The BTFL plantings were finished and funding agreed from One Tree Planted and Trees for Cities to pay for 100 heavy standard trees in Nechells, Hodge Hill, Bromford and Firs, Newtown and Highters Heath to be planted in the winter of 2023/4. This was a huge amount of work and coordination was required between the BTP trustees, (a huge thank you to Ian McDermott who led on this), our staff and the City Council Tree Officers and tree contractors. There were several events with local people to plant the trees at which poems were read, songs sung, tree knowledge shared and trees decorated.

The trustees have been writing a tree planting strategy for the city which meets the objectives of the Urban Forest Master Plan and will help inform future tree planting both in terms of species selection and locations.

A new tree planting initiative has been launched this year by BTP. Called Treemembrance, it gives people the opportunity to pay for a memorial tree on City Council owned land. Trustee Julianne Statham co-ordinated this project and has so far

planted a tree for the Debt Justice campaign and is supporting several families with their memorial trees.

Tree surveying was also a busy area for BTP this year. There were two projects; the street tree survey continued and has been managed by trustee Nina Griffiths. She has trained more volunteers and in March, funding was secured from the West Midlands Combined Authotity’s Community Environment Fund to pay volunteer expenses and provide equipment and training. The second project was the itree project which was funded by the WMCA and in partnership with Treeconomics and Barton Hyatt. BTP’s volunteers were trained and completed 450 plots within a couple of months.

The street tree survey has been supported by University of Birmingham students, Emily Bennett completed her student placement with the charity and Naya Desai has started her PhD on street trees. We are grateful to Deanne Brettle and Emma Ferranti for supporting these students in their work with BTP.

Trustee, Deanne Brettle, has also been leading on developing digital tree trails which are now on Treeplotter. These are being promoted to engage people across the city with trees in their local parks.

Monthly training has continued this year, led by Ian McDermott:

April - Biodiversity Net Gain online training session with Simon Needle May - Biodiversity Net Gain practical session in Holders Lane Woods with Simon Needle

June - itree eco survey session

July - no session

August - Summer Social Sunday tree session at Winterbourne Gardens with presentation of certificates to the Level 2 Arboriculture students September - street tree survey interim results - online session October - trees in planning applications - online session with Simon Needle November - Orchard pruning at Manor Farm Park December - Highbury Park - conifer identification session January - choosing a tree contractor - online session February - Orchard pruning at Bromford and Firs with Open Door March - Highbury Park - winter tree identification

Ian McDermott also co-ordinated the second Level 2 Arboriculture course which started in April 2023. Many thanks also to Steve Watson who delivered the Soils Module and Tonia Clark who led the Biology module. There are 8 students working their way this course which will finish in 2025. There is the possibility that we may be able to also run a Level 4 course and this is being developed.

There have been several promotional and other training activities undertaken during the year. Two sessions on trees have been run for the Eden Project Communities programme and talks given to the Calthorpe Residents Association and the Coventry Tree wardens group.

Projects for 2024-25 were also started during the were; the Tree Board, the Benjamin Zephaniah legacy forest and the Tree Cities of the World conference in June 2024 in Birmingham.

BTP is fortunate in having a group of dedicated, hard-working trustees and paid workers who have ambitious plans for the growth of the charity.

Financial Review

Brief Statement of the Charity's Policy on Reserves

The charity aims to build up small reserves of 3 month’s running costs to enable the payment of redundancy costs to our employee if these should be required. The reserves will also help to cover any funding gaps to enable the employee to be continuously employed.

Details of Any Funds Materially in Deficit

None

Statutory Notes to the Accounts

Particulars of Any Outstanding Guarantee Given by the CIO

None

Particulars of Any Outstanding Debt

None

Declaration

The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees' Report above. Signed on behalf of the Charity's Trustees

Signature(s):
Full Name(s): Tonia Clark Nina Griffiths
Position(s): Chair Trustee
Date: 18thJuly 2024 18thJuly 2024

Birmingham Tree People 1190536

Receipts and payments accounts

Saturday, April Sunday, March For the 01, 2023 To 31, 2024 period from

CC16a

Section A Receipts and payments

Birmingham Tree People Birmingham Tree People 1190536 CC16a
Receipts and payments accounts
For the
period from
Saturday, April
01,2023
To

Sunday, March
31,2024
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricte
d funds
Restricted
funds
Endowmen
t funds
Total funds
Last year
to the nearest
£
to the nearest
£
to the nearest
£
to the nearest
£
to the
nearest £
A1 Receipts
BirminghamCity Council - - - 10,400
Veolia - - - -
itree survey 40,500 - - 40,500
Tree plantingfunding 12,810 - 12,810
TreesforCities 6,804 - - 6,804
BirminghamCity of Nature - - - 400
Centre for Sustainable
Environment
- - - 5,200
Civic Society - - - 8,000
Severn Trent - - - 7,800
Western Power Distribution - - - 600
Treemembrance 750 - - 750
donations toBTP 230 - - 230 921
National Trust UFA 20,535 - 20,535
Arb2 course fees 2,395 - - 2,395 3,465
TreePlotter - 3,000 - 3,000 3,000
- - - - -
Sub total(Gross
income for AR)


50,679
36,345 - 87,024 39,786
A2 Asset and investment
sales, (see table).
- - - - -
Sub total
-
- - - -
Total receipts 50,679 36,345 - 87,024 39,786
A3 Payments
staff payments **1,694 ** - **1,694 ** 3,608
Arb 2 fees - 2,000
itree survey **31,360 ** **31,360 **
Tree products **21,104 ** **21,104 ** 5,325
Equipment purchase - 4,009
Sponsorship MTOA - 500
National Trust UFA 24,654 24,654
Skills Educ Group **1,404 ** - **1,404 ** 840
Tree Council - - 175
Premises hire - 246
website service **760 ** - **760 **
Treeplotter software 4,200 - 4,200 8,250
Treemembrance **87 ** **87 **
accountancy fee **943 ** - **943 **
Marketing **250 ** **250 **
insurance **348 ** - **348 ** 348
- - - -
Sub total 36,847 49,958 - 86,805 25,301
A4 Asset and investment
purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total - - - -
Totalpayments 36,847 49,958 - 86,805 25,301
Net of
receipts/(payments)

13,832
- 13,613 - 219 14,485
A5 Transfers between
funds

**- **
**- ** **- ** - -
A6 Cash funds last year
end


25,284
7,492 - 32,776 -
Cash funds this year
end

**39,116 **
**- 6,121 ** **- ** 32,995 14,485

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
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 Details Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Endowme
nt funds
to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
B1 Cash funds Lloyds Bank 39,116 - 6,121 -
- - -
- - -
Total cash funds - 6,121 -
39,116
(agree balances with
receipts and payments
account(s))
OK OK
OK
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
Endowme
nt funds
Details to nearest £ to nearest £ to nearest £
B2 Other monetary
assets
Debtor Trees for Cities Public tree
planting
39,920 -
Debtor National Trust -
Marchsalaries
UFA 4,119 -
Debtor Woodland Trust -
supportfor meeting
Donations 100 -
Cost
(optional)
Current
value
(optional)
Details Fund to which
asset belongs
B3 Investment assets - -
- -
Details Fund to which
asset belongs
Cost
(optional)
Current
value
(optional)
B4 Assets retained for
the charity’s own use
- -
- -
Amount due
(optional)
When due
(optional)
Details Fund to which
liability relates
B5 Liabilities
-

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the
trustees/
Birmingham Tree People
members of
On accounts From 01/04/2023 to 31/03/2024 Charity no (if 11905366
for the period any)
Set out on pages
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the
period from 01/04/2023 to 31/03/2024.
Signed:
Name:
Address:
Andrew Hopkins
BVSC AccountingServices
Latham House, 33-34 Paradise Street
Birmingham B1 2AJ

1