Menston Area Nature Trust Annual Report 2022-2023
Reporting Period: 1st April 2022 – 31[st] March 2023
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
Charity Trustees ................................................................................................................................................... 2 Charity Structure & Governance ......................................................................................................................... 3 Our Purpose ......................................................................................................................................................... 3 Chair’s Report & Achievements ........................................................................................................................... 4 Our Public Benefit 2022-23 ................................................................................................................................. 4 MANT’s Financial Accounts 2022-23 ................................................................................................................... 4 Treasurer’s report ............................................................................................................................................ 5
Figure 1 High Royds Woods
Charity Trustees
Francesca Bridgewater Chair Christopher Steele Treasurer Emma Dalton Secretary Alison Davies Vice Chair and Membership Secretary Andrew Kelly Publicity
Menston Area Nature Trust Annual Report 2022-2023
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Figure 2 Wild Gardens Open Day May 2022
Charity Structure & Governance
The Trust is a registered charity set up as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). The constitution governing the CIO was adopted on 13[th] August 2021. Only the Trustees are voting members of the CIO. Trustees can be appointed by a vote of other Trustees at any time, up to a total of 12 Trustees. The charity also has a further 65 associate members (non-voting) as of 31[st] March 2023.
Our Purpose
To promote the conservation, maintenance and study of places and objects of botanical, zoological, geological, ecological or scientific interest in and around Menston and elsewhere by:-
A. Establishing, forming, owning and maintaining sanctuaries or reserves for the conservation of flora and fauna;
B. Promoting the education of the public, particularly young people, in the understanding, enjoyment and conservation of natural flora and fauna;
C. Promoting, organising and carrying out study and research in the principles and practice of nature conservation, and to publish useful results of such research;
D. Co-operating with other bodies of allied interest where this may assist in attaining the aim of the trust;
E. Liaising with voluntary and statutory bodies, and private companies or individuals, involved in local land use and
development, and to advise on the management of the sites.
Figure 3 Pond dipping
F. Ensuring that any land acquired by the Trust be covenanted with the aim to maintain such as nature reserves or sanctuaries in perpetuity.
Menston Area Nature Trust Annual Report 2022-2023
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Chair’s Report & Achievements
MANT’s first full year as a charity has been a resounding success. The Wild Gardens Open Day in May 2022 attracted over 80 people and highlighted six very different, but very nature friendly, gardens. Miss Porritt’s field has benefitted from conservation grazing by three Dexter cows, and with the help of Years 2 and 3 of Menston Primary School, over 280 native trees were planted. Scouts groups spent sessions surveying plants and bugs, a Jubilee Oak was planted and an open day encouraged local residents to explore the field.
MANT launched a Swift project that we hope will extend the nesting of Swifts in the village,
Figure 4 Miss Porritt's field event
and succeeded in linking several gardens with a Hedgehog highway.
Regular Bird Walks occur around the village, and regular working parties have collected and cultivated local wildflower seeds, planted wildflower plugs in Miss Porritt’s field, made and sited bird boxes and removed large areas of Himalayan Balsam from local environmentally sensitive areas.
Along with other local environmental and community groups, under the umbrella Friends of Weston Woods, MANT also successfully bid to own almost 20 acres of woodland. Altogether, the charity is making its presence felt and helping educate and inspire people about the need to help nature, and the delights of doing so.
Our Public Benefit 2022-23
In their opinion, the Trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties.
MANT’s Financial Accounts 2022-23
April 2022 - March 2023
Menston Area Nature Trust Accounts
| Menston Area Nature |
Trust | Trust | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounts | 1 April 2022 - 31 March 2023 | 13 August 2021-31 March 2022 | |
| Income | £s | £s | |
| Membership and Donations | 1,729.52 | 1524.88 | |
| Grants | 3,729.90 | 465.26 | |
| Fundraising | 163,715.43 | 94 | |
| Total | 169,174.85 | 2,084.14 | |
| Expenditure | |||
| Printing and publicity | 59.00 | 356 |
Menston Area Nature Trust Annual Report 2022-2023
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| Room Hire and event expenses 90.00 Insurance 139.60 Other Expenditure 4,341.49 Bank charges and other Fees 84.90 Total Net Income / (Expenditure) Assets Cash in bank and at hand Liabilities Net assets / (liabilities) |
0 139.6 53 4,714.99 164,459.86 165,954.40 0.00 165,954.40 |
|
|---|---|---|
| 548.60 | ||
| 1,535.54 | ||
| 1,494.54 0.00 |
||
| 1,494.54 |
Note: Menston Area Nature Trust was recognised as a charity by the Charity Commission as of 13 August 2021. Fundraising Income includes £163,000 raised towards purchase of East Woods.
Cash at bank and at hand
31.03.23 Cash 68.85 Bank Balance 165,885.55 Total Cash at bank and at hand 165,954.40
Treasurer’s report
We have received a number of grants over the past 12 months related to Miss Porritt’s Field maintenance and improvement, which account for the majority of ‘Other Expenditure’. However, this income was dwarfed by the community’s donations to purchase the East Woods near Otley that arrived in March 2023 either directly, through grants from local groups or through our Crowdfunder page. Meanwhile, our membership continues to grow, giving us a firm base for the future.
Chris Steele, Treasurer, MANT
Signed on behalf of the Charity Trustees on 31/08/2023
Menston Area Nature Trust Annual Report 2022-2023
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Menston Area Nature Trust Annual Report 2022-2023
Reporting Period: 1st April 2022 – 31[st] March 2023
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
Charity Trustees ................................................................................................................................................... 2 Charity Structure & Governance ......................................................................................................................... 3 Our Purpose ......................................................................................................................................................... 3 Chair’s Report & Achievements ........................................................................................................................... 4 Our Public Benefit 2022-23 ................................................................................................................................. 4 MANT’s Financial Accounts 2022-23 ................................................................................................................... 4 Treasurer’s report ............................................................................................................................................ 5
Figure 1 High Royds Woods
Charity Trustees
Francesca Bridgewater Chair Christopher Steele Treasurer Emma Dalton Secretary Alison Davies Vice Chair and Membership Secretary Andrew Kelly Publicity
Menston Area Nature Trust Annual Report 2022-2023
2
Figure 2 Wild Gardens Open Day May 2022
Charity Structure & Governance
The Trust is a registered charity set up as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). The constitution governing the CIO was adopted on 13[th] August 2021. Only the Trustees are voting members of the CIO. Trustees can be appointed by a vote of other Trustees at any time, up to a total of 12 Trustees. The charity also has a further 65 associate members (non-voting) as of 31[st] March 2023.
Our Purpose
To promote the conservation, maintenance and study of places and objects of botanical, zoological, geological, ecological or scientific interest in and around Menston and elsewhere by:-
A. Establishing, forming, owning and maintaining sanctuaries or reserves for the conservation of flora and fauna;
B. Promoting the education of the public, particularly young people, in the understanding, enjoyment and conservation of natural flora and fauna;
C. Promoting, organising and carrying out study and research in the principles and practice of nature conservation, and to publish useful results of such research;
D. Co-operating with other bodies of allied interest where this may assist in attaining the aim of the trust;
E. Liaising with voluntary and statutory bodies, and private companies or individuals, involved in local land use and
development, and to advise on the management of the sites.
Figure 3 Pond dipping
F. Ensuring that any land acquired by the Trust be covenanted with the aim to maintain such as nature reserves or sanctuaries in perpetuity.
Menston Area Nature Trust Annual Report 2022-2023
3
Chair’s Report & Achievements
MANT’s first full year as a charity has been a resounding success. The Wild Gardens Open Day in May 2022 attracted over 80 people and highlighted six very different, but very nature friendly, gardens. Miss Porritt’s field has benefitted from conservation grazing by three Dexter cows, and with the help of Years 2 and 3 of Menston Primary School, over 280 native trees were planted. Scouts groups spent sessions surveying plants and bugs, a Jubilee Oak was planted and an open day encouraged local residents to explore the field.
MANT launched a Swift project that we hope will extend the nesting of Swifts in the village,
Figure 4 Miss Porritt's field event
and succeeded in linking several gardens with a Hedgehog highway.
Regular Bird Walks occur around the village, and regular working parties have collected and cultivated local wildflower seeds, planted wildflower plugs in Miss Porritt’s field, made and sited bird boxes and removed large areas of Himalayan Balsam from local environmentally sensitive areas.
Along with other local environmental and community groups, under the umbrella Friends of Weston Woods, MANT also successfully bid to own almost 20 acres of woodland. Altogether, the charity is making its presence felt and helping educate and inspire people about the need to help nature, and the delights of doing so.
Our Public Benefit 2022-23
In their opinion, the Trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties.
MANT’s Financial Accounts 2022-23
April 2022 - March 2023
Menston Area Nature Trust Accounts
| Menston Area Nature |
Trust | Trust | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounts | 1 April 2022 - 31 March 2023 | 13 August 2021-31 March 2022 | |
| Income | £s | £s | |
| Membership and Donations | 1,729.52 | 1524.88 | |
| Grants | 3,729.90 | 465.26 | |
| Fundraising | 163,715.43 | 94 | |
| Total | 169,174.85 | 2,084.14 | |
| Expenditure | |||
| Printing and publicity | 59.00 | 356 |
Menston Area Nature Trust Annual Report 2022-2023
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| Room Hire and event expenses 90.00 Insurance 139.60 Other Expenditure 4,341.49 Bank charges and other Fees 84.90 Total Net Income / (Expenditure) Assets Cash in bank and at hand Liabilities Net assets / (liabilities) |
0 139.6 53 4,714.99 164,459.86 165,954.40 0.00 165,954.40 |
|
|---|---|---|
| 548.60 | ||
| 1,535.54 | ||
| 1,494.54 0.00 |
||
| 1,494.54 |
Note: Menston Area Nature Trust was recognised as a charity by the Charity Commission as of 13 August 2021. Fundraising Income includes £163,000 raised towards purchase of East Woods.
Cash at bank and at hand
31.03.23 Cash 68.85 Bank Balance 165,885.55 Total Cash at bank and at hand 165,954.40
Treasurer’s report
We have received a number of grants over the past 12 months related to Miss Porritt’s Field maintenance and improvement, which account for the majority of ‘Other Expenditure’. However, this income was dwarfed by the community’s donations to purchase the East Woods near Otley that arrived in March 2023 either directly, through grants from local groups or through our Crowdfunder page. Meanwhile, our membership continues to grow, giving us a firm base for the future.
Chris Steele, Treasurer, MANT
Signed on behalf of the Charity Trustees on 31/08/2023
Menston Area Nature Trust Annual Report 2022-2023
5
Independent Examiner’s Statement 12th March 2024
I have undertaken a sampling review of the management accounts of Menston Area Nature Trust and I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn. I would have preferred to see greater reference in the trustee report or in the presentation of the accounts to the fundraising approach and costs for the planned purchase of Weston Woods (also described as East Woods) and clarity that the large credit balance shown can only be used for the purchase of the Woods and that if this did not proceed, the funds would be returned to the donors.
Niccola Swan