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2021-12-31-accounts

Slow The Flow

Charity number 1191174

Annual Report and Financial Statements For the period 07/09/2020 to 31/12/2021

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Slow The Flow

Annual Report and Financial Statements For the period 07/09/2020 to 31/12/2021

Contents Page
Trustees’ Report 3
Receipts and payments account 10
Statement of assets and liabilities 11
Notes to the accounts 12

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Slow The Flow

Trustees' report for the period 07/09/2020 to 31/12/2021

Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisors

The trustees during the financial period and up to and including the date the report was approved were:

Name Position Dates Bede Mullen Chair Adrian Horton Secretary Resigned 30/08/2022 Stephen John Garrod Treasurer Stuart Bradshaw Resigned 30/09/2022 Robin Gray Katie Kimber Marie Therese Degnan Resigned 30/08/2022 Amanda McDermott Warren Goodall Resigned 31/05/2021 Roseanne Marie Sweeney Appointed 09/09/2021 Paul Garry Williams Appointed 17/06/2021 Andrew Colin Wright Appointed 17/06/2021

Charity Number

The charity was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, number 1191174, on 07/09/2020.

Principal address

Hebden Lodge Lee Mill Road Hebden Bridge West Yorkshire HX7 7AE

Bankers

Reliance Bank Ltd Faith House 23-24 Lovat Street London EC3R 8EB

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Slow The Flow

Trustees' report (continued) for the period 07/09/2020 to 31/12/2021

Structure, governance and management

The charity is governed by a constitution adopted Jan 2020.

Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees

The trustees of the charity are the founding trustees of the charity or are otherwise appointed by the trustees.

Objectives and activities

The charity's objects

Slow The Flow is a charity working to advance the education of the public in Natural Flood Management, Sustainable Drainage Systems and other renewable methods of managing the environment, including the exploration of alternative practices which safeguard the natural environment and its resources in a manner which best fits the specifics of a local geography.

The charity's main activities

The educational objective of the organisation is achieved by presenting information on the Slow The Flow website from a mixture of specialist technical professionals and NFM practitioners including: case studies carried out with volunteers; "how to" guides for implementation at their own properties or land or that provided by others; workshops, lectures and seminars from the technical professionals and those leading or being involved in volunteer projects; and the hands-on volunteer activities - giving members of the public the opportunity to try first hand a range of flood management techniques on land offered by consenting landowners before doing the same on their own property or by similarly seeking cooperation for projects on land owned by others.

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Slow The Flow

Trustees' report (continued) for the period 07/09/2020 to 31/12/2021

The organisation implements pilot projects in so far as this is necessary in a science which is emerging and requires an evidence base to demonstrate its efficacy. Its main project to date is work carried out by volunteers on land owned by The National Trust who is not a beneficiary but a consenting and cooperative landowner whose motivation is to help the organisation educate communities about Natural Flood Management and do its bit on land over which it has control. This project sets out to provide proof of concept including the feasibility of volunteer-based actions to implement Natural Flood Management in a local scenario – notably to the benefit of the entire downstream community – while recognising that this implementation by itself is a small part of a wider solution only achievable by educating others in the mechanics and arguments for Natural Flood Management.

Other implementations entail projects based on a similar scalability model where the organisation produces results and promotes the learned physical and social science to encourage others to repeat and expand the work so that it is scaled up to a level that is of benefit to the extended community.

These projects include: identifying Natural Flood Management opportunities; suggesting designs for small-scale woodland and terrain interventions; communications that encourage involvement of volunteers and landowners; facilitating discussions between participating parties; and building understanding between community participants and local and national government agencies.

Public benefit statement

In setting our objectives and planning our activities our Trustees have given serious consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and in particular in relation to advancing the education of the public in Natural Flood Management, Sustainable Drainage Systems and other renewable methods of managing the environment.

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Slow The Flow

Trustees' report (continued) for the period 07/09/2020 to 31/12/2021

Achievements and performance

Slow The Flow is grateful to everyone who has supported our work over the course of this period. Even with Covid-19 still in our midst, we have been very busy as we continue to develop new schemes, partnerships, ideas, projects and initiatives to reduce flood risk here in the Calder Valley.

It is also fair to say that the work our volunteers and volunteer Trustees do, inspires other communities and groups around the UK, to use natural processes to combat their own flood risk. These relationships are vitally important because collectively, they all contribute to Natural Flood Management (NFM) and Sustainable Drainage Solutions (SuDS) which are now being recognised and used to reduce flood risk in our cities, towns, villages, and rural communities.

One of our highlights during 2021 was the appointment of 3 brand new amazing Trustees who we appointed to bolster and support the work we do. We have two Trustees (Andrew and Paul) with an educational brief who are working on materials for schools and educators and a Trustee (Roseanne) solely dedicated to fundraising to support the work of Slow The Flow. We are delighted to have them onboard and after only a few short months they have all made a significant impact on our work.

Here are some of the other highlights for 2021:

January

Flood sirens sound again as the Calder Valley braces itself for Storm Christoph. The Environment Agency issues 11 flood warnings for the area and warns communities to put flood plans into action. When the torrential rainfall moves on, flood damage is limited but the psychological impact of the threat of another major flooding event is widely felt. February

We set up an annual bursary to support MA students researching natural flood management in partnership with the University of Leeds and Environment Agency. The bursary is named after Penny Eastwood, aka Dongria Kondh , our wonderful friend and founder of Treesponsibility who sadly passed away later in the year. This was a fitting memorial to one of the most influential people we have known, and we are delighted to commit to supporting this bursary for the next few years.

March

Do volunteers have a role in natural flood management? ‘Of course, we do!’ is our message to FloodExpo21, a major annual gathering of flood experts. To be effective, NFM strategies must be widely deployed across communities. Later, we publish a report based on our pioneering interactive ‘opportunity mapping’ study, which shows that NFM and SuDS have the potential to attenuate almost 2 million cubic metres of water across Calderdale. April

Tracey Brabin, the successful candidate in the first Mayoral elections in West Yorkshire, pays a visit to Hardcastle Crags to hear about our work, demonstrating the increasing strategic importance of flood resilience regionally.

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Slow The Flow

Trustees' report (continued) for the period 07/09/2020 to 31/12/2021

May

New Mayor of Todmorden Councillor Pat Taylor chooses us as her Charity of the Year. We are delighted as it gives us an opportunity to spread our reach and message beyond Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd where we have been focused to date.

June

Volunteering resumes at Hardcastle Crags after a 16 month break due to Covid. We are bashing balsam, an invasive non-native species , which takes over riverbanks and woodlands reducing biodiversity and increasing flooding risk. More good news – Slow the Flow is awarded the Queens Award for Volunteer Services – the MBE of volunteering – a tribute to the hundreds of local people who have volunteered with us since we were set up in 2016. July

A wonderful permanent exhibition of our work, featuring the film ‘ Slowing The Flow ’ Together , opens in Gibson Mill in Hardcastle Crags, thanks to the support of the National Trust.

August

Leaky dam building at Hardcastle Crags resumes at last, with Halifax MP Holly Lynch joining the first volunteer group. So far, we have built over 750 leaky dams on the hillsides above Hebden Bridge during colourful, intergenerational weekend events, which boost not just climate resilience, but mental health too!

September

It’s challenge event time! Jonnie Cunningham, head of operations at flood company, Watertight, completes a gruelling sponsored 9-day cycle from Lands End to John O’ Groats, while local councillor Josh Fenton Glynn runs not one, but two marathons, to raise money for us, St Augustine’s and the Community Foundation For Calderdale. Together they have contributed an amazing £6K in donations to support our work. October

As world leaders gather in Glasgow for Cop26, we launch a media campaign calling on communities to play their part tackling climate change – a story picked up by local, regional, and national media. "People living and working in the Calder Valley know from direct experience how vital it is that world leaders make real progress tackling climate change,” “ ” says our chair Bede Mullen. But communities must take action too . November

We participate in a public meeting on NFM in Todmorden town hall organised by the Mayor of Todmorden. Amongst other groups present at the event, which is well attended, are Calderdale Council, the Environment Agency, and Todmorden Flood Group. Our blog then features excellent guest posts on mitigating flood risk from two of the speakers: Jane from the Calder Rivers Trust on soil health , and Christina from Treesponsibility on trees.

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Slow The Flow

Trustees' report (continued) for the period 07/09/2020 to 31/12/2021

December

The board of trustees met for the final time in 2021 making exciting plans for 2022 and beyond and looking forward to working with supporters and public, private and community partners to promote NFM and fight back against climate change.

We launched an exciting new piece of citizen science at Hardcastle Crags NT, where we have installed fixed point photography posts – and encouraged submission of photos of leaky dams from the public.

In addition throughout this reporting period we regularly:

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Slow The Flow

Trustees' report (continued) for the period 07/09/2020 to 31/12/2021

Financial review

The net receipts for the year were £14500 comprising £1740 net payments from unrestricted funds and £16240 net receipts in restricted funds.

Reserves policy

The charity's free cash reserves at the year end were £11166.

It is the charity’s policy to maintain a reserve to provide working capital in the region of £8,000 to fund its general activities in the year ahead comprising expenditure anticipated as follows:

Insurance 370
Website 400
Educational Media 2000
General Publicity Print 1000
Room Hire 480
Travel 250
Equipment Renewal 500
Working Capital on Projects 2000
Fundraising Costs 1000

Restrictions on activities as a result of the Covid pandemic have reduced the charity’s ability to spend funds as otherwise might have been planned leaving a higher than sought free cash reserve.

Signed on behalf of the board of trustees:

……… Date: … 31/10/2022 ………

Signed: …

Name … Stephen Garrod …………. (Trustee)

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Slow The Flow

Receipts and payments account

for the Financial Period 07/09/2020 to 31/12/2021

Receipts Financial
Period
Unrestricted
Funds		 Financial
Period
Restricted
Funds		 Financial
Period
Total
Funds
Donations 6778 - 6778
Grants - 16240 16240
Total Receipts 6778 16240 23018
Payments
Bank Charges 45 - 45
Bursaries 2000 - 2000
Fundraising costs 96 - 96
General Publicity 398 - 398
Governance Costs 958 - 958
Grants Made to Others 3225 - 3225
Insurance 365 - 365
Measuring Equipment 186 - 186
Meeting Room Hire 430 - 430
Miscellaneous 82 - 82
Website 493 - 493
Trustee Expenses 46 - 46
Office and Admin Costs 195 - 195
Total Payments 8519 - 8519
Net (payments)/receipts (1740) 16240 14500
Fund Balances Brought Forward 12906 - 12906
Fund Balances Carried Forward 11166 16240 27406

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Slow The Flow

Statement of assets and liabilities

as at 31 December 2021

All cash funds were held at the charity’s bank.

Assets retained for the charity's own use

Smart Turners (2) Log Carries (2) Peavy Cant Hooks 3.5 ft (2) Timber Tongs (4) Lifting Hooks (4) Seagate BUP Slim 1 TB Red Gloves (15 pairs) Telescopic Staffs 5m, 5 Section (2) Branded Shirts (20) Branded High Viz Vets (15) Tsurugi 300mm Fine Tooth Saws (3) Sandvik Bow Saws 21" Type 51 (6) Time Lapse Cameras (8)

Husqvarna Technical Forest Helmet Pavement Sign Stein Top Saw Multi Tool Husqvarna 545 15" Chainsaw Husqvarna Chainsaw Box Bolle Tracker Laptop for GDPR NatureSpy Solar Camera Boots (1 pair) Drone Mavic Mini Fly More Combo

Liabilities None

Approval of the accounts

The financial statements were approved by the board of trustees on

Date: …… 31/10/2022 …………

Signed: …… ………… (Trustee)

Name ………… Stephen Garrod …………………….

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Slow The Flow

Notes to the accounts for the period 07/09/2020 to 31/12/2021

1 Accounting policies

Basis of accounting

The trustees have taken advantage of section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 and have prepared the accounts on a receipts and payments basis.

There has been no change to the accounting policies since last year. No changes have been made to the accounts for previous years.

Taxation

As a registered charity the organisation benefits from rates relief and is generally exempt from income tax and capital gains tax but not from VAT. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the cost of those items to which it relates.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the accounts.

2 Trustee Expenses (excluding reimbursement for purchases made on behalf of the charity)

Expenses were paid to the following trustees to reimburse them for the cost (£23 each) of DBS application:

Robin Gray Katie Kimber

3 Trustee remuneration and benefits

No trustee received any remuneration or benefit during this or the previous year.

4 Disclosures Relevant to The Charitable Incorporated Organisations (General) Regulations 2012

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Slow The Flow

Notes to the accounts continued for the period 07/09/2020 to 31/12/2021

5 Grants and Donations

5 Grants and Donations
Financial
Period
Unrestricted
Funds		 Financial
Period
Restricted
Funds		 Financial
Period
Total
Funds
CommunityFoundation For Calderdale - 14740 14740
Flood Control (NI) FCNI J Cunningham 4661 - 4661
The Marcus E Tillotson Charitable Trust - 1500 1500
Heptonstall Parish Council 1000 - 1000
Donations via LocalGiving 566 - 566
Donations atpublic events 436 - 436
Hebden Bridge WI 50 - 50
CSA Prize 50 - 50
Individual donation bycheque 15 - 15
Total Grants and Donations 6778 16240 23018

6 Restricted Funds

6 Restricted Funds
**Balance b/f ** Incoming **Outgoing ** **Balance c/f **
CommunityFoundation For Calderdale - 14740 - 14740
The Marcus E Tillotson Charitable Trust - 1500 - 1500
Fund Name Purpose of Restriction
CommunityFoundation For Calderdale Education in schools
The Marcus E Tillotson Charitable Trust Tree Plantingand Enclosure forpublic wood

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