Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 1[st] April 2022 To 31[st] March 2023
Charity name: Monmouthshire Meadows Group
Charity registration number: 1192542
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | To promote the conservation, protection and improvement of hay meadows, grasslands and unimproved pastures in the wye valley and elsewhere in Monmouthshire so as to conserve and restore the diversity of plant and animal species native to that environment, in particular but not exclusively, by facilitating and prompting the management of those lands consistent with thatpurpose. |
| 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 |
Managing the owned and leased land as per the objectives above. Providing information, advice and training to the membership and others to enable them to manage their land appropriately. Promoting our aims to the general public through publications, attendance at public events and other awareness-raising activities. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | I confrm that the trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission guidance on public beneft. |
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 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 | Signifcant achievements this year were to install two ponds at the Wet Meadow site, and to continue hay meadow management at all three sites, using volunteers were possible. These sites are open to the public and are exemplars on managing grassland to improve biodiversity. Wet Meadow is used by the local school as part of their Forest School In addition we continued to provide information to our members via regular newsletters and meetings with speakers We arranged and subsidised training courses to encourage members to manage their grassland sustainably including: 2 scything workshops; 1 training session on wildfower identifcation; 1 training on grassland management for reptiles and amphibians; 1 training session on managing meadows ‘by hand’ We engaged with the wider public by holding 2 open meadows days in spring and a fungi open meadow day in autumn We took our stall to various public events including Monmouth Bee Festival, Wye July Festival, the Chepstow Show and others Our book Grassland Fungi: A Field Guide continued to sell nationally via the Natural History Booksellers |
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 |
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | Very good. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | Reserves are held in case there is a need to purchase land in order to protect and conserve a valuable wildlife site, as we have done in the past |
| Amount of reservesheld | Para 1.22 | £40,000 |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | n/a |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | n/a |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 |
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 |
Grants and membership donations |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | An amount of our funds are invested in a higher interest savings account |
| As awhollyvolunteer-run |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | organisation our main risk is loss of key volunteers |
|---|---|---|
| Other |
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 | Election annually by membership |
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 |
As per CC guidance. |
|---|---|---|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | MMG works closely with Gwent Wildlife Trust and with the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We are members of the Monmouthshire Local Nature Partnership |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Monmouthshire Meadows Group |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | |
| Registered charity number | 1192542 |
| Charity’s principal address | The Beeches, The Narth, Monmouthshire, NP25 4QL |
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 (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephanie Tyler | Honorary President | |||
| Stephanie Poulter | ||||
| Rachel Morgan | Chairman | |||
| Pamela Manfeld | Minutes Secretary | |||
| David Llewellyn | Treasurer | |||
| Richard Coates | ||||
| Marilyn Dunkelman | Membership Secretary |
|||
| Judith Carruthers | ||||
| Clare Adamson | ||||
| Maggie Hamlen | From 1stFeb | |||
| Teona Dorien Smith | From 1stFeb | |||
| Clare Catto | ||||
– 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
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets n/a held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for 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
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) Rachel Duncan Morgan Marilyn Dunkelman Position (eg Secretary, Chairman Trustee Chair, etc) Date 14[th] Feb 2024
Trustees’ Annual Report for the period
From 1[st] April 2022 To 31[st] March 2023
Charity name: Monmouthshire Meadows Group
Charity registration number: 1192542
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 | To promote the conservation, protection and improvement of hay meadows, grasslands and unimproved pastures in the wye valley and elsewhere in Monmouthshire so as to conserve and restore the diversity of plant and animal species native to that environment, in particular but not exclusively, by facilitating and prompting the management of those lands consistent with thatpurpose. |
| 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 |
Managing the owned and leased land as per the objectives above. Providing information, advice and training to the membership and others to enable them to manage their land appropriately. Promoting our aims to the general public through publications, attendance at public events and other awareness-raising activities. |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 | I confrm that the trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission guidance on public beneft. |
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 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 | Signifcant achievements this year were to install two ponds at the Wet Meadow site, and to continue hay meadow management at all three sites, using volunteers were possible. These sites are open to the public and are exemplars on managing grassland to improve biodiversity. Wet Meadow is used by the local school as part of their Forest School In addition we continued to provide information to our members via regular newsletters and meetings with speakers We arranged and subsidised training courses to encourage members to manage their grassland sustainably including: 2 scything workshops; 1 training session on wildfower identifcation; 1 training on grassland management for reptiles and amphibians; 1 training session on managing meadows ‘by hand’ We engaged with the wider public by holding 2 open meadows days in spring and a fungi open meadow day in autumn We took our stall to various public events including Monmouth Bee Festival, Wye July Festival, the Chepstow Show and others Our book Grassland Fungi: A Field Guide continued to sell nationally via the Natural History Booksellers |
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 |
Financial Review
| Financial Review | ||
|---|---|---|
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | Very good. |
| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | Reserves are held in case there is a need to purchase land in order to protect and conserve a valuable wildlife site, as we have done in the past |
| Amount of reservesheld | Para 1.22 | £40,000 |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | n/a |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | n/a |
| Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern |
Para 1.23 |
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 |
Grants and membership donations |
|---|---|---|
| Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted |
Para 1.46 | An amount of our funds are invested in a higher interest savings account |
| As awhollyvolunteer-run |
| A description of the principal risks facing the charity |
Para 1.46 | organisation our main risk is loss of key volunteers |
|---|---|---|
| Other |
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 | Election annually by membership |
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 |
As per CC guidance. |
|---|---|---|
| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | MMG works closely with Gwent Wildlife Trust and with the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We are members of the Monmouthshire Local Nature Partnership |
| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | |
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
| Charity name | Monmouthshire Meadows Group |
|---|---|
| Other name the charity uses | |
| Registered charity number | 1192542 |
| Charity’s principal address | The Beeches, The Narth, Monmouthshire, NP25 4QL |
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 (ifany) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephanie Tyler | Honorary President | |||
| Stephanie Poulter | ||||
| Rachel Morgan | Chairman | |||
| Pamela Manfeld | Minutes Secretary | |||
| David Llewellyn | Treasurer | |||
| Richard Coates | ||||
| Marilyn Dunkelman | Membership Secretary |
|||
| Judith Carruthers | ||||
| Clare Adamson | ||||
| Maggie Hamlen | From 1stFeb | |||
| Teona Dorien Smith | From 1stFeb | |||
| Clare Catto | ||||
– 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
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets n/a held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for 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
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) Rachel Duncan Morgan Marilyn Dunkelman Position (eg Secretary, Chairman Trustee Chair, etc) Date 14[th] Feb 2024