## **Dream for Trees** 

# **Annual Report 2024–2025** 

**Charity Registration Number:** 1194456 

**Reporting Period:** 1 March 2024 – 31 March 2025 

## **1. Executive Summary** 

## **Organisational Summary** 

Dream for Trees is a UK environmental charity, founded in 2021 in response to the climate emergency, particularly urban air pollution, decreasing insect populations and rising temperatures. Our mission is to improve urban biodiversity and community wellbeing by creating dense, native mini-forests inspired by the Miyawaki method. 

Mini forests can be planted on even small plots and are co-created with local schools, communities, and businesses to promote environmental education and citizenship. They enhance air quality, provide shade, improve flood resilience and create thriving habitats for wildlife. 

## **Future Plans** 

By 2030, we aim to have planted at least 130,000 trees nationally and have an annual income exceeding £50,000. During this reporting period (1 March 2024 – 31 March 2025), our focus was on: 

- Expanding our portfolio of mini-forest sites 

- Continuing engagement with educational partners 

- Strengthening financial sustainability and operations. 

## **Financial Summary** 

- Total income for the year: £10,050 

- Total expenditure for the year: £3,020.05 

- Surplus for the year: £7,029.95 




Our primary source of income was a generous £10,000 donation from Mishcon de Reya in February 2025, which enabled planting activity and operational continuity. 

## **2. About the Organisation** 

## **History** 

Founded in 2021 by three North London parents, Dream for Trees was created to ensure that children in urban areas experience the benefits of micro-forests. Our inaugural planting season (2021–2022) saw c.10,000 trees planted across four sites, including Camden School for Girls, Parliament Hill School, The Grove (Thames Water) and Hitchin Green Belt. 

## **Vision, Mission, Values** 

- **Vision:** Greener, healthier, happier urban areas with increased biodiversity and community engagement. 

- **Mission:** Transform urban spaces into biodiverse mini-forests using native tree species. 

- **Values:** Sustainability, innovation, action, collaboration. 

## **Why We Plant Mini Forests** 

Urban temperatures are rising faster than rural areas, making dense urban planting crucial. The Miyawaki method maximises tree growth, carbon capture, and biodiversity through dense, multi-layered planting. Typical tree growth is 1 metre per year with a 90% survival rate. 

## **Impact on Communities** 

- Reduces urban heat and improves air quality 

- Supports biodiversity through habitat creation 

- Enhances flood resilience 

- Provides educational and wellbeing benefits 

- Promotes environmental awareness and citizenship 

## **Current Capacity** 

- Operated by four trustees, part-time staff, and volunteers 

- Main challenges: site selection, volunteer coordination, funding, landowner negotiation 




- Legal status: Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), registered in May 2021, Charity number 1194456 

## **3. Operational Plan** 

## **March 2024–March 2025 Milestones** 

In the reporting period (March 2024 - March 2025), Dream for Trees set out to deliver the following outcomes: 

|<br>following outcomes:|||
|---|---|---|
|**Outcome**|**Milestone**|**Timescale**|
|Expand portolio of mini forest<br>sites|Minimum 15 sites<br>natonwide|March<br>2025|
|Increase annual income|Secure min. £75,000|March<br>2025|



## **Resources** 

- Tree planting equipment owned 

- Free saplings from Protect Earth 

- Pro bono legal support from Mishcon de Reya 

- IT and tree planting expertise accessed as needed 

See for outcomes delivered. _**Section 5 Impact & Planting**_ 

See _**Section 7 Risk Map & Forward Look**_ for projected outcomes for next reporting period. 

## **4. People, Management, Governance** 

## **Trustees** 

- Ben Cooper KC (Chair) 

- Jessica Simor KC 




- Katrin McMillan 

- Emily Faint 

- Olivia Mould 

## **Volunteers & Staff** 

- Volunteers provide skills in project management, planting, maintenance, and fundraising. 

- Note: Recruitment processes for Charity Director were underway across this reporting period. A successful appointment was made following this reporting period in August 2025 Kate Shanahan, for operational leadership. 

## **Key Advisors** 

- Dan Pearson OBE, landscape designer 

- Tabi Jackson Gee, horticulturist & journalist 

- Legal support: Mishcon de Reya 

- Website development: Mishcon de Reya (as of January 2026) 

## **5. Impact & Plantings (1 March 2024 – 31 March 2025)** 

## **Planting Breakdown** 

|**Site**|**Type**|**Partner**|**Number of**<br>**Trees**|**Locat**<br>**on**|**Completo**<br>**n**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|UWE Atlantc<br>College|Internatonal School<br>Sixth Form|UWC Atlantc<br>College|2,000|Wales|March<br>2025|



## **Financial Summary (Receipts & Payments)** 

## **Receipts (Income)** 

- Donations & gifts: £10,050 

- Grants: £0 

- Fundraising income: £0 

- Other income: £0 

- Bank interest: £0 




- **Total Receipts:** £10,050 

## **Payments (Expenditure)** 

- Website hosting & IT costs: £140 

- Professional fees: £0 

- Charitable activities: £2,880.05 

- Other costs: £0 

- **Total Payments:** £3,020.05 

**Surplus for the Year:** £7,029.95 

## **Statement of Assets and Liabilities** 

- Cash at bank: £33,917.09 

- Other assets: £0 

- Total assets: £33,917.09 

- Liabilities: £0 

- **Net Assets:** £33,917.09 

## **Notes to the Accounts** 

- Accounting basis: Receipts and payments in accordance with Charities Act 2011 

- £10,000 donation from Mishcon de Reya (28 Feb 2025) 

- £563.83 spent on tree saplings by Trustee Jessica Simor (5 Mar 2025) 

## **6. Cost & Income Structure** 

- Fixed costs: website hosting (£10.80 / month) 

- Variable costs: Planting costs, up to £8,000 per site 

- Income derived entirely from donations during this period 




## **7. Risk Map & Forward Look (Post-31 March 2025)** 

**Future Plantings & Projects** 

|**Site**|**Partner**|**Tre**<br>**es**|**Locaton**|**Planned**<br>**Completon**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|Thornton Grove School<br>Series(1–6)|Primary School<br>AcademyTrust|600<br>0|Hailsham, East<br>Sussex|2027|
|UWE Atlantc College 3-<br>6|Sixth Form Site|400<br>0|Wales|2027|
|Royal Holloway|Campus Ecosystem<br>Programmes|3,0<br>00|London|2027|
|UWE Thailand<br>Mangrove Nursery|Internatonal Schools|1,0<br>00|Phuket|2026|
|Sussex University|Campus Ecosystem<br>Programmes|3,0<br>00|South East<br>England|2027|
|Roehampton College|Campus Ecosystem<br>Programmes|3,0<br>00|London|2027|
|Pitield fower barn|Flower farm|1,5<br>00|South East<br>England|2026|
|Tras-O-Montes<br>rewilding|Private land<br>restoraton|3,0<br>00|Portugal|2027|



## **Risk Management** 

- Governance: Conflict of interest policy, trustee succession planning 

- External: Maintaining unique proposition amid competitive funding landscape 

- Regulatory: Compliance with Charity Commission requirements 

- Financial: Diversifying funding streams 

- Operational: Volunteer management and extreme weather mitigation 

## **Prepared for the Charity Commission** 

_End of Report_ 




## **DREAM FOR TREES** 

Charity Registration Number: 1194456 

## **Receipts and Payments Account** 

For the year ended 31 March 2025 

## **RECEIPTS (Income)** 

|Donations and gifts|£10,050|
|---|---|
|Grants|£0|
|Fundraising income|£0|
|Other income|£0|
|Bank interest received|£0|
|**TOTAL RECEIPTS**|**£10,050**|



## **PAYMENTS (Expenditure)** 

|**PAYMENTS (Expenditure)**||
|---|---|
|Website hosting and IT costs|£140|
|Professional fees|£0|
|Charitable activities costs|2880.05|






|Other costs||
|---|---|
|**TOTAL PAYMENTS**|**£3020.05**|



## **SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR THE YEAR** 

**£7029.95** 

## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES** 

|**Assets**||
|---|---|
|Cash at bank|33917.09|
|Other assets|£0|
|**Total Assets**|**£33917.09**|
|**Liabilities**||
|Creditors (unpaid bills)|£0|
|Other liabilities|£0|
|**Total Liabilities**|**£0.00**|
|**NET ASSETS**|**£33917.09**|





O Dream forTrees
Plant a smaLiforesL heal our climate. grow a legacy


## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS** 

## **Accounting basis** 

These accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis in accordance with the Charities Act 2011. 

## **Additional notes** 

- £10,000 donation from Law Firm Mischon de Reya, 28/2/25 

- £563.83 payment Trustee Jessica Simor purchased tree saplings 5/3/25 

## **Approved by the trustees on: 24/01/2026** 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
Signed:  ___<br>_________________________________<br>Trustee name:  _____Jessica Simor_________<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


Signed: _____ ______________ Trustee name: ____Olivia Mould________________