Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 1[st] September 2023 to 31[st] August 2024
Charity name: Friends of Priestfield Arboretum (FoPA)
Charity registration number: 1191183
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | To protect, preserve and enhance the collection of rare and interesting specimen trees at the privately owned Priestfield Arboretum, Stony Lane, Little Kingshill, Bucks replacing and adding to them as appropriate. |
| Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. |
Para 1.17 and 1.19 |
Work parties to maintain the site and collection of trees. Open days to enable members of the public to enjoy and learn about the collection of trees. Produce a guide book for members describing the history of the arboretum and listing the specimen trees. Maintain a list of members. Collect membership subscriptions to support the work of the CIO. Produce quarterly newsletters. Maintain a web site. Arrange liability insurance. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | Yes |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
SORP reference Para 1.38 Policy on grant making Para 1.38 Policy on social investment including program related investment
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Para 1.38 Contribution made by volunteers Other
Achievements and Performance
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole. |
Para 1.20 | FoPA have continued to maintain the site and collections of trees. We held two open days with 41 and 120 visitors. Regular visits have been made to the arboretum by theLittle Kingshill Forest Schools group. A new storage shed and entrance signs have been erected on site.A new edition of our guidebook was produced in October 2023. Several specimens, mostly pines, have died, due to disease or previous dry summers. A number of new specimens has been added to the collection. |
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | |
|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | |
| Other |
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Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | £9440 |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | Reserves are held in case needed for tree felling or other urgent problems |
| Amount of reserves held | Para 1.22 | £1,500 |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | Not applicable |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | None |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 | None |
Additional information (optional)
| Additional information (optional) | Additional information (optional) | |
|---|---|---|
| You may choose to include further statements | where relevant about: | |
| The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising) |
Para 1.47 | Membership subscriptions Open days and sale of guidebooks Other organised visits Donations |
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | Weather, in particular wind, rain, drought, and frost, plus the risk of fire in dry spells |
| Other |
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Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Constitution |
| How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO) |
Para 1.25 | CIO |
| Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees |
Para 1.25 | Volunteers who are elected at the annual general meeting |
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees |
Para 1.51 | |
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Friends of Priestfield Arboretum |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | None |
| Registered charity number | 1191183 |
| Charity’s principal address | Treguth Windsor Lane Little Kingshill Bucks HP16 0DP |
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Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee(if any) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TimothyPye | AGM | |||
| Liz Murray-Leslie | AGM | |||
| MaryWyatt | AGM | |||
| Paul Heath | AGM | |||
| Ian Brown | AGM | |||
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved
Director name
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year
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Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets None held in this capacity Name and objects of the None charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for None safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of Name Address adviser Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
Other optional information
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Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees
| Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date |
||
|---|---|---|
| Ian Phillip Brown | ||
Treasurer |
||
| 26/06/25 | ||
| 26/06/25 |
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Financial report for the year 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2024
October 2024
Introduction
The sources of funds (our income) for Friends of Priestfield Arboretum (FoPA) are:
-
Membership fees paid annually by bank transfer, standing order, card or cash.
-
Entrance fees from Open Days, usually held in May and October
-
Sale of arboretum guidebooks
-
Donations, which include memorial donations and fees paid to for speaking at events of other organisations.
Our two annual Open Days are proving increasingly popular. Entrance fees and sales of guidebooks are made by cash payment, credit or debit card.
Membership fees continue to be charged at £10 per person. There were 110 paying members at the end of financial year 2024.
Donations have historically come from speaking events attended by members of the management committee and one-off donations, often made on Open Days. More recently significant donations have been received in memory of members who have died and donated funds to the FoPA.
Outgoings for the year include insurance, which provides cover for volunteers involved in workdays at the arboretum and for during Open Days when the paying public are on-site.
Other outgoings include preparation for the Open Days and undertaking regular maintenance of the arboretum including purchase of tools and equipment, signage, cost of new trees, fuel for machinery etc.
Our funds are held in a current account (Community account) - to pay for day-to-day and regular expenses and a deposit account (Business premium account) for unexpected expenses such as the removal of dangerous branches or trees. The trustees have stipulated we should maintain a balance of at least £1,500 in this account for such unforeseen events, the account currently stands at £8,064.
Finally, we maintain a small cash float for small incidental expenditure.
Income for the Financial Year
2022/23 2023/24
£ £ Membership fees - Standing orders and cash 600 850 - Open Days 270 250 Total 870 1,100 Entrance fees to Open Days 430 446 Sales of guidebooks 56 60 Donations Open Days 51 65 Patricia Strugnell 4,084 Other personal 411 Income from presentations 120 60 Interest 7 36 Total 664 5,162 Total Income 1,534 6,262
The income for FoPA has shown a significant increase over that of the previous year, primarily due to the sizable personal donations made during the year.
Membership has also increased due to additional recruitment at the two Open Days in October 2023 and May 2024.
Income from entrance fees and related income on those Open Days was also marginally up on the previous year (2022/2023).
A sizable donation from Patricia Strugnell, augmented by others including from Roger Lawson, has significantly transformed our charity’s funding. A further sizable donation of a similar amount from Patricia’s estate is expected, to be made during the coming year.
Expenditure for the Financial Year
| 2022/23 | 2023/24 | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
| Insurance | 172 | 01 |
| Costs for Open Day, printing etc. | 6842 | 193 |
| Purchase of Handkerchief tree | 0 | 150 |
| Web site annual fee | 34 | 46 |
| Entrance sign | 0 | 329 |
| Tools, repairs etc | 150 | 101 |
| Expenses and donations | 197 | 153 |
| Total Expenditure | 1,237 | 972 |
Note 1: Insurance has been paid but Tim Pye is yet to be reimbursed for the payment of £181. Tim also has outstanding reimbursement for various expenses incurred during the latter part of the year totalling £182 including £85 for mower repair. These costs of £363 will be paid and reflected in the 2024/25 financial year accounts.
Note 2: Expenditure reflects the payment of outstanding expenses of £540 to Tim for costs incurred during 2021/22.
Major expenditures during the year included those made for new wooden signage and a Handkerchief tree, paid for by a donation, as a memorial to Roger Lawson.
Reconciliation of Funds
The overall increase in funds for the year 2023/24 was £5,290 compared with £297 in the previous year 2022/23). The main reason for the increase in funding was the sizable donation of £4,084 made by Patricia Strugnell as part of her will.
During the year under review, £6,064 was paid into the deposit account, while the current account decreased by £780, due to a transfer of funds into the deposit account. There was a slight (£6) increase in petty cash.
As of 31 August 2024, the deposit account held £8,064 and the current account stood at £1,289. The petty cash fund stood at £87.
| Current Account | Deposit Account | Petty Cash |
Total Funds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| As at 31 August 2023 | £2,069 | £2,000 | £81 | £4,150 |
| As at 31 August 2024 | £1,269 | £8,064 | £87 | £9,440 |
| Increase in funds | £5,290 |
Planned Expenditure and Income
Overall FoPA is well funded and able to meet its financial commitments.
Renewals of memberships continue to hold up well and our Open Days and donations continue to make a significant contribution to our funds.
We expect income from membership and Open Days to continue at similar levels as that experienced during the current year. However, as always, bad weather can have a detrimental effect on attendance and our income for these events.
In addition to the monies owed to Tim of £363 we are planning to purchase a tool storage shed for siting on the arboretum, which is expected to cost approx. £500. We are also expecting to incur ongoing costs of appro £450 pa for the hire of grass cutting machinery now that FoPA member Peter Lane can no longer undertake the mowing, which he performed on a regular basis at no cost.
Ian Brown, Treasurer, FoPA