CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 1193562
The Sheaf And Porter Rivers Trust Trustees’ Annual Report and Unaudited Financial Statements
Year ended 31 March 2025
The Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust
Contents
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Trustees report | |
| Reference and Administrative Details | 3 |
| Overview | 4 |
| Purpose and objects | 4 |
| Castlegate | 5 |
| Planning and Route Development | 5 |
| Water Quality and River Clean-ups | 5 |
| Projects | 6 |
| Tours, Talks and Walks | 6 |
| Members and Supporters | 6 |
| Governance, Financial Review | 7 |
| Declarations | 7 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | 8 |
| Financial Statements | |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 9 |
| Statement of Financial Position | 9 |
| Notes to Financial Statements | 10-11 |
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The Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust
Trustees' Annual Report Year ended 31 March 2025
The trustees present their report and the unaudited financial statements of the charity for the period ended 31 March 2025.
Reference and Administrative Details
Registered charity name The Sheaf And Porter Rivers Trust Charity registration number 1193562 Principal office 43 Harcourt Road Sheffield S10 1DH Email info@sheafportertrust.org Website www.sheafportertrust.org The trustees Simon Ogden (chair) Andrew Buck (secretary) Stuart Barkworth Viv Thom Cathy Ann Spiers Dominic Harris Liz Sharp Peter O’Connell (treasurer) Independent examiner David Campbell, FCA 19 Endcliffe Grove Avenue Sheffield S10 3EJ
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The Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust
Trustees' Annual Report Year ended 31 March 2025 (continued)
The Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust (the “Trust”) was formed in 201 9. The Trust is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (a “CIO”) and was registered as a charity on 16 February 2021. It is administered and managed by the t rustees in accordance with the powers set out in the Trust’s Constitution. This is our fifth annual report, and fourth as a registered charity.
Overview
The year has seen progress in almost every area of our work although not always as much or as fast as we would like! Our membership, profile, influence and range of activities continues to grow.
2024-25 has seen further progress and success on all aspects of our work. The Sheaf Field/Castle Hill Park continues to take shape albeit at a somewhat slower pace than expected. The Trust and other stakeholders continue to engage with Sheffield City Council’s team to make the most of the River Sheaf, now exposed for the first time in a century.
In April 2025 we launched our new Vision for the Lower Porter to broad-based support and are continuing to have positive dialogue with riparian owners and partners about implementation.
Our standing with members of the Planning Committee and officers continues to improve. However, enforcement of river-related planning conditions and policies remains patchy and agonisingly slow, due in part to chronic under-funding. Amendment and approval of the draft Local Plan remains paused whilst proposed housing sites in the greenbelt are consulted on.
Likewise, we have enjoyed a closer engagement with the Environment Agency and City Council Flood Defence teams and eagerly look forward to public consultation on the plans for the Sheaf and Porter which offer opportunities for nature recovery and public access as well as defences.
Our partnerships with the River Stewardship Company and Riverlution, the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust and the Don Catchment Rivers Trust go from strength to strength .
Purpose and Objects
Our objects are:
To conserve, protect, regenerate and improve the channel and banks of the urban River Sheaf and Porter Brook in Sheffield for the benefit of the public with a view to improving public access to the rivers for amenity, health, opportunities for active travel and better stewardship and providing opportunities for the public to take part safely in practical activities to improve, explore and look after the rivers.
To advance the education of the public and any association, institution, voluntary organisation, company, local authority, administrative or governmental agency or public body or representative body about:
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the better understanding of these rivers, their corridors and catchments, including their fauna, flora, biodiversity, history, heritage and cultural significance, their role in health, wellbeing and appropriate economic or social activity, and their better management;
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the need for, and benefits of conservation, protection, regeneration and improvement of the aquatic environments of these rivers.
Our trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in managing the Trust and in preparing this report.
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The Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust
Trustees' Annual Report Year ended 31 March 2025 (continued)
Castlegate
Finalising the design and construction progress have been slowed by the discovery of unexpected archaeology on the site necessitating extended debate and revisions. As a result we have yet to see final details of the naturalised river and public access, along with the new footbridge, public art and interpretation. The project has also had to go back to South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority for further funding.
Nevertheless, the full extent of the river within the available site has now been uncovered and the obstruction of the Castle Orchard Weir removed. We remain confident that the river will now be a focal feature of the new park.
Much work remains to be done on the longer-term animation and management of the park and the development and occupation of the buildings planned to enclose it.
Planning and Route Development
Our New Vision for the Lower Porter, produced in a pro-bono partnership with Urban Wilderness Landscape, was launched in April 2025 following an extended consultation with riparian owners and occupiers . It was well received including by City Council members and officers, the Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water, Homes England and developers and businesses. Positive dialogue is continuing on several sites including some quick wins.
The application to complete the Brook Place development on the Middle Porter between Summerfield and Pear Streets has reawakened after a two year hiatus. We are pressing for clarity and commitment on restoration of the channel, currently choked with invasives as well as a guaranteed 24/7 public route, welcoming entrance arches and regular maintenance.
The six-year saga of the missing riverside path at STEPS off Troutbeck Road, Millhouses continues. Despite full endorsement of our position by both Planning Committee (in October 2024) and the Planning Inspector in June 2025, STEPS continue to find excuses for avoiding compliance with their planning condition. We continue to press the planners for robust and timely implementation, thereby opening up the opportunity to connect through to Tesco and Millhouses Park .
Public access to the Sheaf is now nearing completion at the new Costa Coffee on Queens Road. Negotiations to achieve the long- planned opening up of the ‘lost trail’ behind Travis Perkins and Big Yellow are under way but will require a major operation to clear fifteen years of vegetation.
Comments have also been offered on six other developments.
Water Quality and River Clean-ups
River Rangers
Regular clean-ups in partnership with Riverlution and Sheffield Litter Pickers have taken place. The most high profile was the clearance in May 2025 of 4.7 tonnes of mainly cannabis farm debris from the Redcar Brook. The installation of high fencing by the City Council will hopefully prevent future tipping.
Growing close cooperation between rangers, riparian owners and the Council have also led to the identification of persistent dumpers and the imposition of fines.
Monitoring and reporting of pollution incidents to the Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water has continued with a number of successful results. The Environment Agency’s Land and Water inspection team is being increased with greater capacity and Yorkshire Water has established a Clean Rivers Team who are providing a more responsive and open channel of communication. These developments are undoubtedly the fruits of several years of campaigning and monitoring by citizens
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The Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust
Trustees' Annual Report Year ended 31 March 2025 (continued)
scientists and activists across England.
Thanks are due in particular to our co-ordinators Martin Stranex and Mel Gee.
Projects
Station Lightwells
The project to install our first pilot lightwell into the Sheaf and Porter culverts on Platform 5 at Sheffield Station will, we hope, finally be implemented in 2025. Its course through a lengthy and shifting approval by Network Rail and other station authorities has been painfully slow and special thanks are due to our team led by Ric Bingham and our funders for their patience
Flood Defences
Consultation on the full Sheaf and Porter flood defence scheme is not expected until the end of 2025. The collapse of the left bank river retaining wall at Clyde Road and subsequent acquisition of the site by the Environment Agency has required some early discussion with the Environment Agency and City Council about possible repairs and improvements to the highly constrained and hostile channel.
Tours, Talks and Walks
The Trust has provided a stall for Pollen Markets, Endcliffe Park Duck Race and several other events. Speakers have gone to many other local groups.
Guided Walks have been provided for the Castlegate, Heritage Open Days and Sheffield Walking Festivals.
Our Hidden Rivers Tours continue to be our most important source of income to support our activities. They are now in their sixth year and continue to be popular. In September 2024 we welcomed our 10,000[th] guest. We have also produced a printed souvenir guidebook for sale. For the 2024 and 2025 seasons we have contracted to engage a paid Tours Administrator to deal with guide rotas and bookings, taking the burden off volunteers.
Thanks are due to our Chief Guide Anthony Wood and our band of volunteer guides for their commitment and skills.
Members and Supporters
Membership of the Trust is open to anyone who is interested in furthering our purposes.
We had 623 members at 31 March 2025; this has since risen to 658. We have a further 2,800 email subscribers and are followed by over 5,000 people on Facebook.
We have enjoyed excellent support from a range of riverside businesses including Showroom Cinema, Triple Point Brewery, Yorkshire Artspace, Firmachrome, Wolf Safety Lamp Co, Starprint and Dorothy Pax. Working with the River Stewardship Company we also hope to set up a more formal partnership for businesses on or close to the two rivers to show their support and engage their staff.
The state of our rivers and the opportunity they present is of great interest and we are pleased that so many people support our work.
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The Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust
Trustees' Annual Report Year ended 31 March 2025 (continued)
Governance
The Trust is managed by our trustees. The trustees are subject to election at the Annual General Meeting of members. The secretary has ensured that all trustees have access to relevant Charity Commission regulations and guidance. The secretary maintains a register of trustees’ interests. The Trust has no paid employees.
The trustees met eight times during the year, with a number of active members and volunteers also in attendance. The minutes of these meetings are available to all members on request.
Financial Review
The Financial Statements detail the receipts and payments during the year and the closing financial position. We were satisfied to have a surplus in the year. Income during the year was primarily from the Hidden Rivers Tours.
Income also included a donation £8,843 from a local company, granted to us in agreement the Environment Agency in light a breach of regulations. These are restricted funds, that we are using to fund river clean ups. We received £272 from one of our members Judy Harris, this being the proceeds from a rivers related book of poetry she produced.
Our expenditure included the costs of the Hidden Rivers Tours, for which we secured additional administrative support which considerably eased the work required by our volunteers. We also funded river clean ups.
The closing financial position was satisfactory in light of the planned activities of the Trust. We anticipate the Restricted Funds will be spent in full as the Station Lightwell project progresses.
In line with our Reserves Policy, we aim to hold a minimum reserve of unrestricted funds sufficient to cover the following six months of anticipated routine activities at any time. There is no maximum reserve, however when the reserves represent more than the following three years expected expenditure, the trustees shall explain to members at the next AGM how they anticipate funds being spent. As at 31 March 2025, such reserves are £78,817, which we anticipate spending in the following 12 to 18 months.
The are no uncertainties about the Trust continuing as a going concern at this time.
Declarations
The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report.
Signed on behalf of the trustees
Simon Ogden Chair
Andy Buck Secretary
DATE 23 October 2025
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The Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust
Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Sheaf & Porter Rivers Trust Year ended 31 March 2025
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Sheaf & Porter Rivers Trust ('the charity') for the year ended 31 March 2025.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').
I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination to give me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the financial statements do not accord with the accounting records;
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
David Campbell, FCA Independent Examiner 19 Endcliffe Grove Avenue Sheffield S10 3EJ
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The Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust
Statement of Financial Activities Year ended 31 March 2025
| Note Receipts Tour income 2 Donations, membership, other 4 Total receipts Payments Expenditure on charitable activities 5 Total payments Net receipts / (payments) Transfers Net movement after transfers Cash funds brought forward Cash funds carried forward |
Year ended 31 March 2025 Unrestricted Restricted Total funds funds 2025 £ £ £ 34,575 - 34,575 6,025 8,843 14,867 40,600 8,843 49,443 22,616 11,368 33,984 22,616 11,368 33,984 17,984 2,525 - 15,458 - - - 17,984 2,525 - 15,458 60,833 14,045 74,878 78,817 11,520 90,337 |
Year ended 31 March 2025 Unrestricted Restricted Total funds funds 2025 £ £ £ 34,575 - 34,575 6,025 8,843 14,867 40,600 8,843 49,443 22,616 11,368 33,984 22,616 11,368 33,984 17,984 2,525 - 15,458 - - - 17,984 2,525 - 15,458 60,833 14,045 74,878 78,817 11,520 90,337 |
Year ended 31 March 2024 | Year ended 31 March 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted funds £ 34,575 6,025 40,600 22,616 22,616 17,984 - 17,984 60,833 78,817 |
Restricted funds £ - 8,843 8,843 11,368 11,368 2,525 - - 2,525 - 14,045 11,520 |
Unrestricted funds £ 25,925 9,221 35,146 18,627 18,627 16,519 - 16,519 44,314 60,833 |
Restricted Total funds 2024 £ £ - 25,925 - 9,221 - 35,146 8,665 27,292 8,665 27,292 8,665 - 7,854 - - 8,665 - 7,854 22,710 51,007 14,045 74,878 |
Statement of Financial Position
As of 31 March 2025
| Cash assets Current account Total assets |
31 March 2025 | 31 March 2025 | Total 2025 £ 90,337 90,337 |
31 March 2024 | 31 March 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted funds £ 78,817 78,817 |
Restricted funds £ 11,520 11,520 |
Unrestricted funds £ 60,833 60,833 |
Restricted Total funds 2024 £ £ 14,045 74,878 14,045 74,878 |
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The Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust
Notes to the Financial Statements period ended 31 March 2025
1. General information
The Trust is a public benefit entity and a registered charity in England and Wales and is unincorporated. The address of the principal office is 43 Harcourt Road, Sheffield S10 1DH.
Statement of compliance
These financial statements have been prepared in compliance with FRS 102, 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland', the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and the Charities Act 2011.
Accounting policies Basis of preparation
The financial statements have been prepared on the historical cost basis, as modified by the revaluation of certain financial assets and liabilities and investment properties measured at fair value through income or expenditure.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the Trust.
Going concern
There are no material uncertainties about the Trust’s ability to continue.
Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty
Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the application of the Trust’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates. The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods. There were no significant judgements or estimates in relation to the period under review.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees to further any of the Trust’s purposes.
Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for a particular future project or commitment.
Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure declared by the donor or through the terms of an appeal, and fall into one of two sub-classes: restricted income funds or endowment funds.
2. Tour Income
The Trust completed a number of tours which resulted in income from ticket sales for the year totalling £34,575 (year ended 31 March 2024: £25,925). This income was offset by tour costs in terms of qualified and experienced tour guides and marketing support of £11,256 (year ended 31 March 2024: £9,545) as noted within the breakdown of expenditure at note 5.
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The Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust
Notes to the Financial Statements period ended 31 March 2025 (continued)
3. Grant Income
No grant income was received in the year.
4. Donations
| Year ended 31 March 2025 Unrestricted Restricted Total funds funds 2025 £ £ £ Donations & memberships Donations from companies/individuals 1,908 8,843 10,751 Membership fees 1,500 - 1,500 Bank interest 1,646 - 1,646 Merchandise sales 971 - 971 Total Donations & memberships 6,025 8,843 14,867 |
Year ended 31 March 2024 | Year ended 31 March 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted funds £ 6,548 1,430 1,244 - 9,221 |
Restricted Total funds 2024 £ £ 150 6,698 - 1,430 - 1,244 - - 150 9,371 |
5. Expenditure on charitable activities by fund type
| Analysis of expenditure Tour costs Event costs IT costs Miscellaneous costs Station lightwell project Total expenditure |
Year ended 31 March 2025 Unrestricted Restricted Total funds funds 2025 £ £ £ 11,256 - 11,256 4,121 6,925 11,047 1,469 - 1,469 5,771 - 5,771 - 4,442 4,442 22,616 11,368 33,984 |
Year ended 31 March 2025 Unrestricted Restricted Total funds funds 2025 £ £ £ 11,256 - 11,256 4,121 6,925 11,047 1,469 - 1,469 5,771 - 5,771 - 4,442 4,442 22,616 11,368 33,984 |
Year ended 31 March 2024 | Year ended 31 March 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted funds £ 11,256 4,121 1,469 5,771 - 22,616 |
Restricted funds £ - 6,925 - - 4,442 11,368 |
Unrestricted funds £ 9,545 5,055 2,096 1,932 - 18,627 |
Restricted Total funds 2024 £ £ - 9,545 150 5,205 - 2,096 - 1,932 8,515 8,515 8,665 27,292 |
6. Independent examination fees
No fee has been charged for completion of the independent examiners time spent on this.
7. Staff costs
The Trust has no employees and no employee benefits were therefore paid during the period.
8. Trustee remuneration and expenses
The trustees received remuneration of £Nil. The trustees received expenses of £Nil.
9. Related party transactions
There were no related party transactions to report during the financial period.
10. Contingent liabilities
The trustees were not aware of any liabilities at the end of the financial period.
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