Trustees’ Annual Report for the period 2022-2023
From Period start date 01/07/21 To Period end date 31/03/22
Charity name: The Bothies
Charity registration number:1195264
Objectives and Activities
| SORP reference |
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| Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document |
Para 1.17 |
“To promote for the benefit of the inhabitants of North Yorkshire and the surrounding area the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the condition of life of the said inhabitants.” |
| 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 |
As a new entity, time has been taken to establish the internal governance and management of the Charity which has been established in Scampston Walled Garden Conservatory. This process has been complicated by lockdown restrictions due to COVID19. The time has, however been used for extensive planning. The main aim of the Charity is to establish the Conservatory building and its environs as a Learning Resource Centre. The goals of this Centre are to foster life long learning, well being and personal development through the provision of educational courses, community projects and other recreational and leisure activities. Secondly, the Charity’s longevity depends on promoting opportunities for volunteering among adults and young people The following are the main areas of development identified by the trustees, through which to achieve these goals; Development of Educational Activities for vulnerable adult groups, schools and families with children. Development of Workshops and Special Interest Groups Recruitment of a Volunteer Team Identification of Funding Streams to finance the activities listed above |
| Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit |
Para 1.18 |
The trustees have regard for the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. Groups with specific interests have made themselves known to the trustees and efforts are being made to accommodate them. |
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Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
| SORP referenc e |
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|---|---|---|
| Policy on grant making |
Para 1.38 |
N/A |
| Policy on social investment including program related investment |
Para 1.38 |
N/A |
| Contribution made by volunteers |
Para 1.38 |
As the promotion of volunteering is embedded in The Bothies’ aims, we seek to provide a wide variety of roles for potential volunteers. These include gardening, hosting events, supporting the outdoor activities with children and vulnerable adults, supporting school and family activities and general fundraising for the charity. The current work being carried out by volunteers includes the following; The Heritage Group maintain the three exhibition rooms and work to prepare new exhibition boards for the visitors. Another group of other volunteers maintain the pelargonium collection and take cuttings for to sell. Some volunteers work with vulnerable groups and provide a sheltered gardening opportunity. Several members of the team help the Forest School tutor to run the activities with families and children. They also support the same tutor when schools visit. |
| Other |
Achievements and Performance
| 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 |
The concept of ‘The Bothies’ charity was developed during the lockdown period of Covid19. The initial meeting of five volunteer trustees was held in September 2020 and follow up meetings held every four weeks after that. At this meeting the objects of the charity were agreed, a draft constitution prepared and a development plan drawn up. An application to the Charity Commission to become a Charitable Incorporated Institution (CIO), was investigated and an application for a bank account pursued. Neither of these two aims were successful until July 2021 although the activities of the charity came into operation during the intervening period. The Development Plan was created with proposed timeline against which to record achievements. This included the following elements; Development of Governance During 2021-22, policies were drawn up to cover Finance, Volunteers, Health and Safety and Safeguarding. In addition Risk Assessments were compiled to cover all anticipated activities including rules imposed by COVID considerations. The policies specifically requested by the Charity Commission, were also developed and agreed. Development of Educational Activities for vulnerable adult groups, schools and families with children. A freelance tutor recruited to run planned Forest School Activities with families and children and to develop a curriculum related outdoor programme for schools. Session plans were presented to the Trustees for approval. An accessible woodland area was created to facilitate these activities. Contact was made with local care agencies to develop a programme of workshops and outdoor activities for adult groups with learning or physical disabilities. Three volunteers worked to bring this plan to fruition. Publicity was circulated to local schools about educational opportunities on offer. Promotional leaflets were produced to promote all the agreed activities. Development of Workshops and Special Interest Groups Meetings were set up with potentially interested groups to offer facilities for them to use in the Learning Resource Centre. This included local craft groups, Local Brownies and Guides etc. Tutors for a variety of crafts were approached with a view to hiring out rooms for adult workshops including willow weaving, art, photography and horticulture. A Heritage Research Group was set up to take responsibility for exhibitions and displays. A gardening group was set up to develop and maintain a plant display and to take responsibility for the garden outside the building which was designated as ‘The Bothy Garden’. Recruitment of a Volunteer Team |
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A protocol was agreed for recruiting volunteers to staff ‘The Bothies’ and appropriate paperwork and advertising put in place.
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Two trustees designated with responsibility for Health and Safety and Safeguarding attended relevant training courses including one on the Disclosure and Barring Service.
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The creation of a volunteers handbook was initiated.
Additional information (optional)
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:
Achievements against objectives set |
Para 1.41 |
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|---|---|---|
| Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set |
Para 1.41 | Room hire has been advertised for private hirers for use as meeting rooms or corporate events as well hired for lectures, workshops, wedding receptions, funeral wakes, and birthday parties. Hire charges were worked out at an hourly rate. Sales of cuttings from the plant displays in the conservatory have been used to generate an income via a designed plant sale area. Christmas Fair was organised with a variety of craft stalls, money being raised by the sale of our own goods and the table rent from other stall holders. Relevant grants investigated but not yet applied for until we have a set of audited accounts. The means of accumulating donations were explored including the setting up of a ‘Friends of The Bothies’ but this as yet has not been successful. |
| Investment performance against objectives |
Para 1.41 | N/A |
| Other |
Financial Review
| Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period |
Para 1.21 | A large balance has been accrued in our current account which we intend to use to develop the woodland classroom and The Bothy Garden. |
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| Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held |
Para 1.22 | N/A |
| Amount of reserves held |
Para 1.22 | N/A |
| Reasons for holding zero reserves |
Para 1.22 | The charity is new and all monies are designated currently to develop our planned activities. |
| Details of fund materially in deficit |
Para 1.24 | N/A |
Explanation of Para 1.23 N/A any uncertainties about the charity continuing as 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 |
The Charity has been fortunate to inherit the balance of a COVID Community Grant given by the local authority to support the Conservatory as a community building. This has aided the trustees in the establishment of a new activity programme. Additional fundraising has taken place with plant sales and the Christmas Fair plus room hire and fees for activities. |
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| 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 | The Charity has only just been established in the wake of COVID19 and associated lockdowns, and it will take a time to build up an secure infrastructure and funding system. As yet running costs are unknown and projects related to future grant applications have still to be identified. |
| Other |
Structure, Governance and Management
| Description of charity’s trusts: |
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|---|---|---|
| Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter) |
Para 1.25 | Constitution Lease agreement on building |
| 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 | All five initial Trustees are volunteers. They have each signed up for a designated number of years. As yet there is no policy for replacement. |
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 | All bar one of the trustees are working members of The Bothies’ team. Policies and the induction procedure for both trustees and other team members are detailed in the Team Handbook – see extract below ‘Policies for Protection and Support The following policies and Risk Assessments have been put in place to ensure your safety and wellbeing. ‘THE BOTHIES’seek to provide a safe and happy environment for our team members and these outline the procedures in place to assist with that. They can be accessed in the Policy folder in the Conservatory office. Equal Opportunities Policy Data Protection Policy Safeguarding Policy and Guidance Health and Safety Policy Risk Assessments Where you are working directly with children or vulnerable adults there will be an induction into aspects of safeguarding and a DBS application will be completed when necessary. Induction and Training New team members will be introduced to the various jobs and any training necessary will be provided. No-one will be expected to carry out a task for which they consider they lack the strength, skill or knowledge. Supervision and Support ‘THE BOTHIES’Team is committed to ensuring team members have an enjoyable and rewarding experience. To achieve this, the Trustees will offer support and encouragement, recognising that the same principles of good management and supervision apply to volunteers as well as employees. The Co-ordinator will provide a point of contact and deal with any issues that arise.’ |
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| The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works |
Para 1.51 | The Bothies has five trustees. Four are actively involved in the day to day working of the charity as volunteers. One works elsewhere and is therefore able to contribute to discussion in a dispassionate and unbiased way which is an asset to the charity. The Bothies Team consists of 12 volunteer members (inclusive of the trustees). The members of the team carry out a range of roles of their choosing to support each of the different activities taking place. Currently all governance (financial and policy) decisions are made by the trustees. Whole team meetings take place to share decisions with the whole team and to appraise them of progress with the Development Plan. |
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| Relationship with any related parties |
Para 1.51 | ||
| Other |
Reference and Administrative details
Charity name The Bothies
| Other name the charity uses | N/A |
| Registered charity number | 1195264 |
| Charity’s principal address | Scampston Walled Garden Conservatory Scampston North Yorkshire YO17 8NG |
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 |
Trustee name | Office (if any) | Dates acted if not for whole year |
Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dianne Ford | Co-ordinator/Chair | The trustees will be jointlyresponsible |
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| Simon Roe | Vice Chair | |||
| Carol Lyon | Treasurer | |||
| Lesley Jenkinson | ||||
| Susan Milward | ||||
– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved Director name N/A
Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity
| Trustee name | Dates acted if not for whole year | |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | ||
Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
| Description of the assets held in this capacity |
N/A |
|---|---|
| Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects |
N/A |
| Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets |
N/A |
Additional information (optional)
Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)
| Names and | addresses of advisers (Optional information) | addresses of advisers (Optional information) |
|---|---|---|
| Type of adviser |
Name Address |
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| N/A | ||
| Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information) | ||
| N/A |
Exemptions from disclosure
Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details
N/A
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) Lesley Ann Jenkinson Full name(s) Dianne Elizabeth Ford Position (eg Secretary, Chair Trustee Chair, etc) Date 17/11/23
march Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ members of
Charity Name
The Bothies
March 2022
On accounts for the year ended Charity no (if any)
CC16a
Set out on pages
(remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
Responsibilities and basis of report
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31 / 03 / 2022 .
As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed 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 ( ~~other than that disclosed below *)~~ in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
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the accounts 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 order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed:
Date:
15[th] November 2023
Name:
Karen Price
October 2018
1
IER
Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):
Part qualified ICMA accountant
Address:
Simonside, 14 Main Street, Hutton Buscel
Scarborough
North Yorkshire YO13 9LL
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
October 2018
2
IER