2023-12-31-accounts - Friends Of Finchley Way Open Space

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1 January 2023 To 31 December 2023

Charity name: Friends of Finchley Way Open Space

Charity registration number: 1192844

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	1. To promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment by reinstating, protecting and enhancing the habitats and increasing the biodiversity of Finchley Way Open Space that has been neglected. 2. To advance the education of the public in Finchley in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment.
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	Landscaping, planting and maintenance of site. Provision of seating and information boards. Summer open day for visitors to learn more about the history and contents of the site.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	We have regard to the guidance given by the Charity Commission on public benefit. The charity works with the landowner (London Borough of Barnet Borough Council) to make the site safely accessible and attractive to people in the local area bearing in mind that the objective is to create a wildlife area in part of the site.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38	The charity does not make grants
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38	The charity does not make financial investments of any kind
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	Work is carried out by volunteers, including all administration, website, fundraising and work on the site. Some of these volunteers are also trustees. In addition to the 10 trustees in the year we have had 32 other volunteers. Contractors are employed for specialist tasks such as replacing fencing and work requiring machinery.
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	In the year the charity’s volunteers seeded the area prepared last year with wildflower seeds. The first season produced a good display. In order to protect the new seedlings wicker fencing has been installed round the newly seeded areas to protect them until the plants have taken more strongly and to improve the edges of the woodchipped paths. We also successfully applied to the National Lottery Community Fund for better quality and more information boards, providing information on the wildlife on the site and the purpose of the bug houses, log piles and composting. The annual consultation conducted in the autumn showed that respondents value the area as somewhere quiet and peaceful to walk and sit.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	where relevant about:
Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41	Given the limited resources and the small size of the site (approximately 1.8 acres), objectives are set by identifying small scale projects. The main objective set for 2023 was to plant the wildflower areas and this was achieved.
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	Fundraising objectives are set on a project by project basis. The target was to have sufficient funds to complete the wildflower planting and information boards and this was achieved. The charity also receives small and medium sized donations from time to time from local residents and businesses, which is enough to cover the overheads of the website etc.
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41	The charity does not make investments.
Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	At the end of the year the charity had £3995.15 held as cash in the bank and no other assets.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	The size of the reserve in the current account is set at £165, which will be reviewed at the AGM in April 2024. This is three month’s estimated running costs. There is no change from last year.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	At least £200.
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	Given the level of cash in the bank, future plans and likely future income from various sources, the trustees are confident that the charity remains a going concern.
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	Barnet Council (which owns the land) has ring fenced money for projects proposed by the trustees. Other funds have come from the National Lottery Community Fund and local residents and businesses.
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	N/A
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	We have a detailed risk assessment and mitigation table. The main risks are: GDPR breach; vandalism; and deteriorating relations with those living around the site and volunteers. Longer term there may be a risk that replacement trustees, especially a new Chair, cannot be recruited.
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	Charitable Incorporated Organisation, Foundation Model
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	Anyone can apply to join the Board of Trustees at any time. Any trustee has the right to ask the Board to invite an individual with specific skills and interests to join the Board at any Board meeting. Trustees have the final say on who joins the Board. Secret online ballots are used with most trustees on decisions on renewals and new Board members. Consensus is sought on new members.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	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	New trustees are provided with a copy of the constitution, the latest minutes and statement of accounts before their first Board meeting. A verbal briefing on background to the charity and current issues is provided by the Chair along with a copy of the minutes of the previous Board meeting. The minutes of earlier Board meetings can be found on the website. New trustees are able to contact the Chair, Treasurer or Deputy Chair for additional support on an ad hoc basis.
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	The charity is governed by its Board of Trustees. There is an Executive Committee comprised of the Chair, Deputy Chair and Treasurer. The Board has delegated much of the day-to day running and decision- making to this group but all financial decisions are referred to the full Board – by correspondence if a Board meeting is not imminent. Other subcommittees are established as needed for specific projects but eight of the trustees are keen to be involved in the day- to-day running and decisions of the charity. Subcommittees are set a budget for each project by the full Board. Within this they have leeway to make spending decisions. The other two trustees are local councillors who do not have the capacity to be involved at a detailed level.

		The charity is also an active member of the Barnet Green Spaces Network, which is affiliated to the London Friends of Green Spaces Network. The charity’s Chair is Deputy Chair of the Barnet Network.
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	The land is owned by the London Borough of Barnet and the trustees work closely with the Greenspaces Team at Barnet on plans for the site. The Council team is responsible for mowing the grass and maintaining the trees on the site. Additional funding for projects has been awarded by a Council Committee for specific projects.
Other		The charity has the following polices in place: a. Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures b. Safeguarding policy and procedures c. Financial reserves policy and procedures d. Complaint’s policy and procedures, within the safeguarding policy e. Internal risk management policy and procedures f. Trustee expenses policy and procedures g. Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures h. Bullying and harassment policy and procedures, within the safeguarding policy i. Social media policy and procedures The trustees do not believe that DBS checks are necessary as volunteers work in groups in an open space. No serious incidents occurred.

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Friends of Finchley Way Open Space
Other name the charity uses	N/A
Registered charity number	1192844
Charity’s principal address	9 Hamilton Way London, N3 1AN

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year
Suzanne King	Chair
Nick Dimant	Deputy Chair
Karen Goodman	Treasurer
Richard Bartholomew
Simon Dukes
Arlette Garcia
Ross Houston
Samuel Levy
Daniel Rich		Reappointed 2 October 2023
Hilda De Souza	Membership Secretary

– 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 N/A charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for N/A 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) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date
	Suzanne Hilary King	Karen Julia Goodman
	Chair	Treasurer
	21/05/2024
	21/05/2024

FoFWOS Accounts 2023 Summary
	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total
Cashpositon at start ofyear	£4,177.42	£2,973.97	£7,151.39
Expenses incurred,notpaidyet	£0.00	£0.00	£0.00
Accountngbalance at start ofyear	£4,177.42	£2,973.97	£7,151.39

Income during year	£483.96	£1,113.00	£1,596.96
Expenses incurred during year	£755.19	£3,998.01	£4,753.20
Transfer to Unrestricted	£88.96	-£88.96	£0.00
Overall balance	£3,995.15	£0.00	£3,995.15

FoFWOS Accounts 2023

Summary

Summary
	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total
Cashpositon at start ofyear	£4,177.42	£2,973.97	£7,151.39
Expensespaid	£755.19	£3,998.01	£4,753.20
Income during year	£483.96	£1,113.00	£1,596.96
Transfer to Unrestricted			£0.00
Cashpositon	£3,906.19	£88.96	£3,995.15

FoFWOS Income 2023

Date	Who	Unrestricted	Restricted
1/3/2023	PayPal GivingFund	£29.16
1/4/2023	PayPal Donaton	£98.40
1/4/2023	UK Online Giving	£1.95
1/31/2023	PayPal GivingFund	£47.34
1/31/2023	Amazon Smile	£8.68
3/8/2023	UK Online Giving	4.56
4/6/2023	UK Online Giving	£2.35
4/24/2023	Amazon Smile	£5.00
5/19/2023	Amazon Smile	£16.87
5/26/2023	Private Donaton	£150.00
6/1/2023	PayPal GivingFund	£30.00
6/5/2023	UK Online Giving	£3.10
7/3/2023	UK Online Giving	£2.45
7/31/2023	PayPal GivingFund(Gif Aid)	£7.50
8/4/2023	LoteryGrant(3)		£1,113.00
8/15/2023	Cash Donaton	£10.00
9/1/2023	UK Online Giving	£2.25
10/4/2023	UK Online Giving	£5.99
11/3/2023	UK Online Giving	£2.70
11/13/2023	Private Donaton	£50.00
12/14/2023	UK Online Giving	£5.66


Total	£1,596.96	£483.96	£1,113.00

FoFWOS Expenses 2023	FoFWOS Expenses 2023	FoFWOS Expenses 2023	Unrestricted	Unrestricted	Restricted - other	Restricted - other	Restricted - LBB Grant 2	Restricted - LBB Grant 2	Restricted - Spacehive	Restricted - Spacehive	Restricted - Lotery 2022(2)	Restricted - Lotery 2022(2)	Restricted - Lotery 2023(3)	Restricted - Lotery 2023(3)
Date	Who	Descripton	Refunded/ Paid	Not Paid	Refunded/ Paid	Not Paid	Refunded/ Paid	Not Paid	Refunded/ Paid	Not Paid	Refunded/ Paid	Not Paid	Refunded/ Paid	Not Paid
1/10/2023		Access Trustee Insurance	£142.00
1/23/2023		Toolstaton -shovels,rakes &pruningsaws	£35.22		£99.90
2/23/2023		L B Barnet - BWS Ltd - Orchard work & Aggregate					£1,587.82		£1,012.18
3/2/2023		Toolstaton -Cable tes and knife	£23.98
3/9/2023		Meadowmania -plugs	£209.70						£191.63
4/3/2023		Tesco - Chilli Powder	£1.75
4/6/2023		Amazon - Jute String	£7.49
4/6/2023		Toolstaton - Postcrete & Woodscrews	£39.98
4/25/2023		Amazon - Steel FencingPin x 10	£21.49
5/30/2023		Amazon - Single Hole Punch	£5.79
6/26/2023		Amazon - Solid Black Rubber Sheet	£4.65
6/26/2023		Amazon - Industrial Strength Paint Stripper	£12.99
6/26/2023		Amazon - Polar Direct to Rust Satn Silver Metal SprayPaint	£11.99
7/2/2023		Amazon - Flat File	£7.34
7/2/2023		Amazon - 3-in-1 Knife and Garden Tool Blade Sharpener	£14.99
7/7/2023	Yohann Panthakee	Expenses - CleaningFluid	£4.99
8/9/2023		DAB Graphics - Signs											872.48
9/7/2023		IGS Grounds & Lanscape - install signs											234.00
9/13/2023		Meadowmania - Bulbs	£210.84








TOTAL			£755.19	£0.00	£99.90	£0.00	£1,587.82	£0.00	£1,203.81	£0.00	0.00	£0.00	1,106.48	£0.00

London Borough of Barnet Funding June 2021

	Estmate	Spent 2021	Spent 2022	Spent 2023	Lef
Benches	£2,550.00	£2,690.00	£0.00	£0.00	-£140.00
Plantng	£3,046.00	£568.21	£749.97	£1,587.82	£140.00
Total	£5,596.00	£3,258.21	£749.97	£1,587.82	£0.00

Spacehive Crowdfunding August 2021

	Budget	Raised	Spent 2021	Spent 2022	Spent 2023	Lef
Material for Trees	£1,642.00			£63.04
Removable Hand Pump	£1,112.00		£1,112.40	£56.99
Trees	£1,572.00			£1,624.88
Orchard				£324.49	£1,203.81
Fees	£333.00		£319.39
Total	£4,659.00	£4,705.00	£1,431.79	£2,069.40	£1,203.81	£0.00

Lotery Community Grant 2

Lotery Community Grant 2
(25/02/2022)	Fund	Spent	Lef	Transfer to Unrestricted	Balance
Shipping Container including accessories & Delivery	£2,340.00	£2,257.56	£82.44	£82.44	£0.00
Labour	£234.00	£234.00	£0.00	£0.00	£0.00
Total	###	£2,491.56	£82.44	£82.44	£0.00

Lotery Community Grant 3

Lotery Community Grant 3
7/24/2023	Fund	Spent	Lef	Transfer to Unrestricted	Balance
Vertcal Animal & Insect Signs & Info Roundals (Bug Hotel x2,Log Pile x2 & Compost) Delivery & VAT	£863.00	£872.48	-£9.48	-£9.48	£0.00
Labour	£250.00	£234.00	£16.00	£16.00	£0.00
Total	###	£1,106.48	£6.52	£6.52	£0.00

Other Restricted Funds	Other Restricted Funds	Other Restricted Funds	Other Restricted Funds	Other Restricted Funds	Other Restricted Funds
Purpose	Funds	Amount Spent 2021	Amount Spent 2022	Amount Spent 2023	Transfer to Unrestricted	Balance
Tools	£210.00	£57.12	£52.98	£99.90	£0.00	£0.00
Trees	£200.00	£0.00	£0.00	£0.00	£200.00	£0.00
Bird Boxes	£50.00	£49.92	£0.00	£0.00	£0.08	£0.00
Total	£460.00	£107.04	£52.98	£99.90	£200.08	£0.00

2021
Trees	£100.00
Bird Boxes	£50.00
2020
Trees	£100.00
Tools	£210.00

Donatons 2023

Date	Private Donatons	Gifaid collected	Companydonaton	Amazon Smile	Payroll Giving	PayPal Donatons	UK Online Giving	Grants
03 January2023						£29.16
04 January2023						£98.40
04 January2023							£1.95
31 January2023						£47.34
31 January2023				£8.68
08 March 2023							£4.56
06 April 2023							£2.35
24 April 2023				£5.00
19 May2023				£16.87
26 May2023	£150.00
01 June 2023						£30.00
05 June 2023							£3.10
03 July2023							£2.45
31 July2023						£7.50
04 August 2023								£1,113.00
15 August 2023	£10.00
01 September 2023							£2.25
04 October 2023							£5.99
03 November 2023							£2.70
13 November 2023	£50.00
14 December 2023							£5.66


Total	£210.00	£0.00	£0.00	£30.55	£0.00	£212.40	£31.01	£1,113.00
			Grand Total £1,596.96
			Grand Total		£1,596.96