Menston Area Nature Trust Annual Report 2021-2022
Reporting Period: 13[th] August 2021 (date charity registered) – 31[st] March 2022
Prepared by Francesca Bridgewater, Chair of Trustees, and Chris Steele, Treasurer Registered Charity No.: 1195510
Registered Address: Willow Dene, Bradford Road, Menston, Ilkley, West Yorkshire LS29 6ED
Contents
Trustees .................................................................................................................................................. 3 Chair’s Report ........................................................................................................................................ 3 Our Purpose ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Our Structure ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Our Aims & Objectives 2021-22 ............................................................................................................. 4 Our Achievements 2021-22 ................................................................................................................... 5 Our Public Benefit 2021-22 .................................................................................................................... 6 MANT’s Financial Accounts 2021-22 ..................................................................................................... 7 Treasurer’s report .................................................................................................................................. 7
Figure 1 Common Frog
Menston Area Nature Trust Annual Report 2021-2022
Trustees
Francesca Bridgewater Chair Christopher Steele Treasurer Emma Dalton Secretary Alison Davies Vice Chair and Membership Secretary Andrew Kelly Publicity
Figure 2 Trustees at launch Left to Right: Emma Dalton, Andrew Kelly, Francesca Bridgewater, Chris Steele, Alison Davies
Chair’s Report
MANT’s first year in existence has been a great success. The charity has filled an important niche, providing a focus for people concerned about the state of local wildlife. We have had much enthusiastic support from all areas of the village, and have made many links with different interested groups. The unexpected opportunity to manage Miss Porritt’s field, an acre and half of land in the centre of the village, has been a tremendous boost and will allow many projects to be carried out with the community. MANT has also had help and support from other local wildlife groups, in particular Wharfedale Naturalists and East Keswick Wildlife Trust, who both inspired our formation and have been very generous with their help. We are looking forward with optimism to our first full year as a charity.
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Our Purpose
Menston Area Nature Trust (MANT) was set up in August 2021 to protect and increase the quantity and quality of the biodiversity in and around the Menston area. Our objective is to own or manage land for wildlife locally, to study and research the local ecosystems, and to educate the public and young people about the needs and importance of wildlife, sharing our enjoyment of it.
Figure 3 Large Red Damselfly
Our Structure
MANT is a registered charity, set up as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). It currently has 5 trustees (see above), who are also the only official voting members of the charity. The first trustees hold the position for 4 years (Emma Dalton & Francesca Bridgewater), 3 years (Andrew Kelly & Alison Davies) and 2 years (Christopher Steele), to ensure there will be continuity of trustees. Following these first tenures, trustees will be appointed for a 3 year-term at a properly convened meeting of the trustees. Trustees will be chosen for their knowledge, skills and experience appropriate for running the charity.
The charity also has a further 49 associate members (nonvoting) as of 31[st] March 2022.
Figure 4 Red Admiral Butterfly
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Our Aims & Objectives 2021-22
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To launch Charity publicly
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To attract 100 paid associate members by 31 March 2022
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To create links with other local environmental groups
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To have an active social media presence – website, Facebook, Twitter etc
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To commence environmental education by collaborating with the local primary school and local youth groups.
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To acquire some land for wildlife.
Figure 5 Robin
Our Achievements 2021-22
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Publicly launched in Green Week on September 18[th] 2021 with stalls in Menston and Ilkley.
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Built a functioning website and have active facebook and twitter presence.
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Have 49 paid associate members.
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Signed an agreement to manage Miss Porritt’s Field (a local community field) for an initial 7 years.
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Made links with local environmental groups including:
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Addingham Environmental Group
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East Keswick Wildlife Trust
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Friends of Ilkley Moor
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Otley 2030 and Wildlife Friendly Otley
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Otley Swifts
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Wharfedale Naturalists.
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Published our first newsletter.
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Started discussions with Menston Primary School about collaborating on tree planting and other activities.
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In discussions with local Scouts groups.
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Opened a dialogue with Bradford Council about mowing regimes.
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Attempting to set up a village wide group to discuss improvements in Menston Park, including leaving an area unmown.
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Started a wildflower nursery using local native seeds.
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Convened working parties to increase wildflowers in the park.
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Our Public Benefit 2021-22
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Launched environmental educational activities through:
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Stall in Green Week
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Stall at Ilkley No Car Day
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Website and other social media
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Communications with local school and youth groups.
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Acquired management of a 1.5 acre field within the village to improve biodiversity and use as an educational & community resource.
Figure 6 Honesty
Figure 7 Borage and Feverfew
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MANT’s Financial Accounts 2021-22
August 2021 - March 2022
| £ | £ | |
|---|---|---|
| Income | ||
| Membership and Donations | £1524.88 | |
| Grants | £465.26 | |
| Fundraising & sales | £94.00 | |
| Total | £2084.14 | |
| Expenditure | ||
| Printing | £356.00 | |
| Room Hire and event expenses | £0.00 | |
| Insurance | £139.60 | |
| Bank charges | £53.00 | |
| Total | £548.60 | |
| Net Income / (Expenditure) | £1535.54 | |
| Assets | ||
| Cash in bank and at hand | £1,494.54 | |
| Liabilities | £0.00 | |
| Net assets | £1,494.54 |
Treasurer’s report
We are pleased to have been so well supported by Menston Parish Council who gave an initial grant to enable us to purchase banners, flags and other publicity materials as we set up the charity. We have kept our membership fee low at just £5 to encourage members and this seems to have worked well in establishing the charity in the local community; before the end of our financial year our membership grew to nearly fifty members, many of whom made additional donations. We are therefore on a good financial footing despite the various covid related lockdowns restricting our public activities and opportunities for fundraising.
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