## Friends of Stara Wood ## Chair’s Annual Report 2021 - 2022 Such a strange year as we have all tried to get back to normal after all the Covid lockdowns, to find that nothing is quite the same after all. Visitor numbers to Stara have slowly reduced to something resembling their previous levels, while volunteer numbers have fluctuated as they have been away visiting friends and family near and far. Then we have had a very hot and dry summer, and a long autumn which began back in August when some trees began losing their leaves. The Lynher was reduced to a dribble for much of the summer, so fish as well as plants and animals have faced quite a challenge for survival. Many trees and shrubs haven’t grown very much but it is a bumper fruit and seed year so we shall have to wait to see what all this means in the long term. The Friends of Stara Wood continues to get used to being a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with Trustees who look after the woods on behalf of the ‘Friends ‘and supporters. This year we have welcomed Dan Cuillin as a new Trustee, who is actively seeking out funds to help us manage the woods and assisting in drawing up a new management plan to guide us over the next 10 years. The Trustees rely entirely on the goodwill and hard work of the Management Committee, who work out all the operational details relating to day-to-day management of the woods as well as Stara events and fundraising. This year, I would like to offer special thanks to Mike for monitoring and repairing the bridge, Cathy for keeping all the minutes of all our meetings, Jen and Pete for making all our events run smoothly, Laurence for looking after our accounts, and all of Anne’s friends who donate to her annual ‘Birthday Appeal’. Piers has led the Working Party valiantly making repairs to all the paths which have been so well used of late, and for stoically weeding the newly panted area at the top of Broad Wood. Many thanks to all of those who have volunteered with their time this year and have worked so hard. Finally, I would like to thank all the Friends for their continued generosity and enthusiasm for supporting Stara and helping to keep it such a beautiful and tranquil place. Currently we are working to develop a new 10-year Management Plan for the woods, prioritising the need to restore areas of conifer plantation growing on what was once Ancient Woodland. Removing conifers will be a feature of our work in the future, making room for local native species which will further boost the biodiversity of Stara and ensure its long-term sustainability. There will be opportunities for consultation and discussion as how best to undertake this work, as there is bound to be short term disruption and disturbance. We can plan to minimise any adverse impacts, but we think it is important the Friends of Stara Wood set an example and try to reverse the catastrophic decline in wildlife which we have seen across the UK and the whole world. We are planning to hold meetings with stakeholders and our neighbours as soon as our draft management plans have been worked out. Next year in 2023 it will be our 20[th] anniversary as a Community Woodland and we will be celebrating with a range of events throughout the year. Do come and join in. Simon Humphreys Chair of Trustees ## FRIENDS OF STARA WOODS C.I.O. ## TREASURER'S REPORT 2022 Prepared for the Trustees of the Friends of Stara Woods C.I.O. by Laurence Smith, Treasurer, and presented at the Annual General Meeting on 20th November 2022 ## **TOTAL FUNDS AS AT 31/10/2021 BROUGHT FORWARD** ## **£6,189.41** ## **EXPENDITURE** |**EXPENDITURE**|||| |---|---|---|---| |(a)
Project work
(b)
Purchase of tools
and equipment
(c)
Running costs
**TOTAL**|This year
01/11/2021 to
31/10/22
£480.00
£129.58
£260.54
**£870.12**|_Previous year_
_01/11/2020 to_
_31/10/21_
_£5,002.85_
_£0.00_
_£1,062.93_
**_£6,065.78_**|Breakdown in 2021/22
(a) £380.00 payment to Happy Habitats fo
woodland management work (cheque)
(b) £100.00 payment to Launceston Parish
Wildlife Group for frst aid training (cheq
(a) £71.00 reimbursement to Jen for purcha
grass slashers from Chillington Tools (ch
(b) £58.58 reimbursement to Leela for purc
new frst aid kit & supplies (cheque)
(a) £25.74 reimbursement to Fran for posta
for mailing monthly newsletters (cheque
(b) £234.80 payment to Insurance Experts f
renewal of annual public and employers
insurance (bank transfer)| ||||| ## **INCOME** |**INCOME**||||| |---|---|---|---|---| |(a)
Grants
(b)
Donations
(c)
Subscriptions
(d)
Sales
(e)
Gift Aid|**TOTAL**|This year
01/11/2021 to
31/10/22
£0.00
£0.00
£1,259.50
£0.00
£201.49
**£1,460.99**|_Previous year_
_01/11/2020 to_
_31/10/21_
_£0.00_
_£377.50_
_£1,152.50_
_£0.00_
_£0.00_
**_£1,530.00_**|Breakdown in 2021/22
(a) Monthly order = £481.50
_(last year £454.50_
(b) Annual order = £753.00
_(last year £673.00)_
(c) Annual cash/cheque = £25.00
_(last year £25.00)_| |||||| |||||| |||||| **£6,780.28** **TOTAL FUNDS AS AT 31/10/2022** r que) ase of eque) chase of age costs e) for liability £481.50 £753.00 £25.00