2025-03-31-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025

Charity name: The Wild Carp Trust

Charity registration number: 1196426

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	The objectives of the Wild Carp Trust are: 1) To promote for the benefit of the public the conservation and protection of the oldest strains of carp in the UK. 2) To advance the education of the public in the conservation, protection, history and importance of the oldest carp strains. These strains are defined as the original species wild carp (considered Vulnerable to Extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature) and the feral descendants of carp introduced to waters in England and Wales before 1850 where evidence – in the form of historic record or fish phenotype – suggests that they have since avoided crossbreeding with more modern strains of carp.
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	The Wild Carp Trust has achieved its charitable objectives during this period of operation, with associated costs as follows: Promoting the conservation and protection of the oldest strains of carp in the UK • We led five carp rescue weekend events, saving circa 1500 carp from phosphate pollution at Llyngwyn. This was our principal activity for public benefit, inviting volunteers to fish for wild carp and be hands-on involved moving them to new homes. Cost of £4,759 for transport

		equipment, £154 maintenance, and £60 for insurance. • Secured three new conservation pools. No cost. • Hosting a website and publishing 54 blogs. Cost of £266. • Advertising via branded clothing, equipment, car stickers and vehicle livery. Cost of £421. Advancing education with regards to the conservation, protection, history and importance of the oldest carp strains. • Publishing an annual journal and distributing it to 100 readers. Cost £976.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	The trustees confirm that we have given due regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit. Our activities have benefitted 8,805 people: • 30 conservation volunteers • 4,800 website visitors • 100 journal readers • 1,675 social media followers • 2,200 YouTube views

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38	None
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38	None
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	The Wild Carp Trust relies entirely on volunteers. In this period, 30 volunteers (including 4 trustees) contributed in excess of 3,000 hours to enable the Wild Carp Trust to achieve its objectives.
Other

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
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 main achievement was saving 1,500 heritage carp and moving them to our conservation pools. We secured three new conservation pools during the period – the result of our landowner engagement to support the charity. We now have over 2,000 fish in our care. Promoting this conservation work led to the education of 8,805 people and inspired 26 new hands-on volunteers.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	where relevant about:
Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41	The Wild Carp Trust achieved all of its charitable objectives, as detailed above.
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	Achieved.
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41	N/A
Other		N/A

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	Income: £6386 Expenditure: £6487
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	Reserves are held in anticipation of securing or administering access to one or more wild carp waters for public benefit.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	Cash reserves of £950 were held at the end of the period.
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	N/A
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	N/A
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern.	Para 1.23	N/A. The Wild Carp Trust is in a strong position to grow and deliver further benefit.

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	Funding was from grants (£3,500), donations (£400), memberships (£1,216), and our annual fundraising auction (£1,270).
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	Investment during this period was prioritised for equipment needed for carp rehoming and ongoing care (£4,913) critical to the promotion of conservation and associated promotion and education activities (£1,544).
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	The charity’s success is reliant on a small group of people volunteering their time for free, especially a committee of six people delivering 90% of the effort. Risk remains, as in the previous period, that insufficient volunteer resources, time and skills, will limit our activities. Further volunteers and a network of expert advisers and contractors is required to mitigate this risk, with anticipated increase in cost.
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Constitution
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	Charitable Incorporated Organisation (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	Selected and appointed by the trustees.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:	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	N/A
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	The Wild Carp Trust is not part of an umbrella organisation or affiliated with a wider network. Our structure is: • President: John Bailey • Vice Presidents: Dr Bruno Broughton, Martin James MBE. • Trustees: o Chair: Dr Nigel Hudson o Vice Chair: Andy Roberts o Fisheries: Peter Whipp o Treasurer: Mark Aspell • Committee o As trustees above plus Ralph Ridler (fundraising), John Summers (merchandising), Andy Kaczmarczyk (angler engagement).
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	N/A
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	The Wild Carp Trust
Other name the charity uses	(None)
Registered charity number	1196426
Charity’s principal address	2 Mareilian Avenue Marford Wrexham Clwyd LL12 8LL

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole **year **	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
	Nigel Hudson	Chair
	Andrew Roberts	Vice Chair
	Peter Whipp	Fisheries
	Mark Aspell	Treasurer	Appointed 6 December 2024

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others	Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Description of the assets held in this capacity	None.
Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects	None.
Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets	None.

Additional information (optional)

Names and	addresses of advisers (Optional information)	addresses of advisers (Optional information)
Type of	Name	Address
adviser

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

N/A

Other optional information

N/A

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Mark Aspell Full name(s) Nigel Ernest Hudson Position (eg Secretary, Chair Chair, etc) Date 24 January 2026