CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Trustees, Annual Report for the period From: 1ST Aprll 2024 To: 31at March 2025 Charity nama: LOWDHAM FLOOD ACTION GROUP Charity reglstratlon nUmr. 1197083 Objectlves and Activities SORP reknn Summary of the purposes of the charity as set OLrt in rts goveming document P•r• 1.17 Tho rellef and asslstance of people livlng wlthln the vicinity of the parish of Lowdham and sum)undlng area8 who are th• victlms of floodlng through such support a$ the trustsès doem fiL Tho protectlon of the envlronment for the publlc bènef by sooking to improve flood dofon¢oS by worklng and communlcatlng wlth the Communlty, other Slmllar organisations and rolèvant authorltles to reduce the risk of floodlng In tho Lowdham and suffoundlng area, by helplno manage the flow of water into, through and out of the village, and giving support to the approprlate authorities In keeplng the dralnage infrastructure clear, well malntalned and monltored, wlth a vlew to minimlsing thè Impact on human Ilfo and Lowdham FLAG has had a busy year In 2024125. We havo continued to monltor the efflclency of the culvert and dralnage system8 to ensure water flows freely underground durfng an •venL We have maintained our relationshlps wlth those who considor themselves vulnerable to floodlng and who havè requested ongoing support" these are malnly elderly people. ofton living alone. Our watsr course walkers have continued check drains and water coursos for obstrncuons and Hlmalayan Balsam, and to report findings to the worklng group. The excellent relationship with VIA East Midlands has seen them respond in a timely manner to all observations we have made and we contlnue to rovide the Summary of the rnain activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts. Para 1.17 arKI
critical Ilnk bet4wen VIA East Midlands and the vlllage. We b8lleve there are two culverts that aro poorly sited on Tannery Dyke, therefore we continue to press tho Internal Drainage Board to carry out appropriate Improvements. Sevem Trent Water are also exploring drainage Issues and failures around Newton Close and Llme Tree Gardens. They are also working with Greene King brewery at The Magna Charta pub to explore reasons for serloug flooding occurring on and around the site wlth non return volves being flttèd to somo drains. We are also continuing to maintain very good relationshlps at various levels within the Envlronment Ag&n¢y. We are on a worklng group and act as a 'crltleal friend, to the Environment Agency as they contlnue to progress the 'maln scheme, between Lowdham and Lamblay. They are building a fl¢>od alleviatlon rnservolr, whlch Is due to be operatlonal In 2027. havlng suffèred further dfrlays Ioriglnal deliv•ry date was sprlng 2025). We are working with several agencles, In¢ludlng Parlsh and District Coun¢ils to Improve regulations around plannlng for Lowdham to ensure future d•v•lopments are cognlsant of flood Issues. statement confimiing whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit Pw•1.18 In carryin9 Out thelr athllles, th• trustees have had regard to tho guidance 188ued by the Charlty Commlmlon on publlc benofiL Addftlonal Inforniation (opfjonal) You ma choose to include further statements where rdevant about: Policy on grant making Para 1.38 Para 1.38 Policy on social investment including program related Investment
Contribution made by volunteers Pwa 1.38 Other Achievements and Perfonnance Summary of the main achi8vements of the charity, identifying the difference th8 charily's work has made to the Circumstances of its beneflciaries and any wider benefits to society as whole. Lowdham FLAG has had a successful year In 2024125. It has built on the successos of the previous yoar In continulng to engage with both Lowdham resldents and the varlous authorltie8 responsible for flood d•fen¢es and for drainage 80Thlcas. Parn 1.20 The Flood Actlon group presentèd a plan to varlous Risk Managoment Authorltles at County Hall for deploylng flood blocs and flood walls. Thls was well rn¢elved and we now have to refine tho plan and rppresent It for thelr approval. That approval should lead to FLAG belng Indemnlfied for actions taken durlng a futur• fl¢)od that aro conslstent wlth tho agreed plan. We have leased a flood prodiction tool called SCALGO whlch we are uslng to test our plan and also to allow us to make more Inslghfful comments about future housing development plans by Langrldge Homes on land that could Impact floodlng. W• have malntained our relationshlp8 wlth th080 who consider themselves vulnerable to floodlng and who have requested ongolng supporL Those oro malnly elderty people, often livlng alon•. FLAG contlnu•s to coordinats volunteèrs to asslst with Ilood defen¢ belng deployed, wtth road closures durlng floods. wlth deployment of pumps (donated by a local businesslresldent). and wlth the setting up of an HQ set up to coordlnate voluntèer actlvlty. FLAG runs a lar WhatsApp group of nearly 60 volunteers that we can. and have. drawn on in flood events. We have set up and trained a group of volunteors willng to man an HQ, and we have now over 20 residents trained (via NCC training courses) as flood wardens and able to deploy road slgnag• durlng a flood.
Volunteers have come forward to asslst FLAG members with repairs to the spill weir, and with the removal of blockages in Cocker Beck. The excellent relatlonshlp wlth VIA East Mldlands ha$ seen them respond in a timely manner to all observations we have made. We havo also sueeassfully bid to tho Pari8h Council for£16,500 to purchase addltlonal resources includlng -usable flood blocks and barriers. We also r8cerved donations totalling £3,688 from local residents and wlth thls we purchased flood blocks, and additional equipment Including water puffl. trolli08 and racking. We continue to liaise with the Environment Agency, meeting with them and calllng them to account when delays and set backs hit the Flood Allevlation Res01r hOM•. We contlnue to preu th• Internal Dralnago Board to improve two culvarts whlch are poorly slted on Tannery Dyke. We ar• working wlth sevaral agencles, Includlng Parlsh and Olstrlct Counclls to Improve regulatlon8 around planning for Lowdham to onsurg future d•volo ents are co nlsant of flood Issues. Additional Informatlon (optlonal) You ma choose to include further statements where relevant about: Achievement8 against We have provlded the critical link between the objectives set Environment Agency and the vlllage durlng the plannlng and constructlon of the Flood Alleviation Schome on Lambloy Road. Para 1.41 Perfomance of fundraising activities against obj'eclives set Par8 1.41 Investment perfonnance against objectives Parn 1.41 Other Financial Review
Review of the charity's financial position at the end of the period Parn121 During 2024125 developed our plans to replace sandbags with environmentslly friendly flood blocks and barriers. thereby preventing the water leaving the road and dlverting it into the drainage systsm. Income durlng 2024125 totalled £22.817 which included a most generous grant of £16,500 from the Lowdham Parish Council, and donations totslling £3,688 from local resldents. These grants and donations, plus the £6,620 allocat8d reserves from 2023124 were used to purchase flood blocks and barriers amounting to £23,211. Addltional purchases Included water pumps, trollles for transportlng water pumps and barriers, now shelving and storago boxos for holdlng equlpment in our store. and the servlclng and malntenance of our axigting oqulpm•nL The ro8eThes are hold to fund future shortfalls In Income that may ari3•, and towards the future devèlo ent of tho cha Statemenl explaining the policy for holding reserves statin are held Amount of reserves held Reasons for holding zero reserves Details of fund materially in deficit Explanation of any uncertaintie8 aboLrt the chanly continuing as a going concem Parn 1.22 Parn 1.22 Para 1.22 NIA PIA 1.24 NIA Parn 1.23 NIA Additlonal Infomiatlon (optlonal) You ma choose to include further statements where relevant about.. Durlng the reportlng perlod. the prlncipal •ourc• of funding was from grants. The charity's principal sources of funds (including any fundraising} P4ra 1.47 Our invo*lment pollcy wa• adoptod in February 2023. Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted p1.48 There have not been any significant events that have affected the financial perfomiance and financial position of the charlty. A description of the prinapal risks facing the Charity Par8 1.46 In accordance with the Charity Commission requiremerts, the requlred policies have been pr•par and adoptÈd Other Structure, Governance and Management
Descrrption of charity's trusts.. Type of governing document Trust deed, ro al charter How is the charity constituted? le.g., unincorporated aggoci2tian, CIO Trustee selection melhods 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 Parn 1.25 ConstitArtlon registered 13 December 2021 Par8 1.25 Charitable Incorporated Organi&ition- Foundation Para 1.25 Trustees are appointod or reappointed at the Annual Gamral Meeting held in July Additlonal Infomiatlon {optlonal) You may choose lo include further statements where relevant about.. Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees P•M 1.61 The truste•8 ar• rospon8lblo for tho overslght of the ¢harity in accordance wlth the constltutlon, for preparlng the trusteos, rnport and financlal statements. The charity's organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works Pw• 1.51 Tho trustoes arn Involved In th• day-t041ay operatlon of the charity which Is complimented by a team (the FLAG Manaqement Group) who admlnlstsr and monltor the varlous activities carrlod out by th• charlty. NIA Relationship with any related parties Parn 1.51 other
Reference and Administrative details Charit name Other name the cha uses istered chari number Charity's principal address Lowdham Flood Action Grou Lowdham FLAG 1197083 2b Lambtey Road Lowdham Notts NG14 7AY Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity Trusts• nam• Offlc• {11 •ny) Dats8 actsd If not for Thole yoar Nam• of pgrnon lor bodyl èntitled to Ifan Peter Terris Cross OBE Katherine Julia Rae Hugh Maurice Hedderly Lisa Sullivan Chair Hon Secretsry Hon Treasurer Cor orate trust8es- names of the diredors at the date the re Dlr•ctor nam• W8$8 roved Name of trustees holding title to pyoperty belonging to the thanty TruBts• name D•t¢• •cted ff not fort• Funds held as custodian trustses on behalf of others Description of the assets NIA held in this capactty Name and objects of the charrty on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charit NIA
Detsils of arrangements for safe custody and Segregation of such assets from the charily's own assets Additional infomiation (optional) Names and addresses of advSsers (Optional Information) Type 01 Name Address advlser Namo of chlef executlve or names of genlor Staff memb•rs (Optional Inforniatlon) Exemptions from disclosure Reason for non-disclosure of ke rsonnel details Other o tional infomiation Declarations The trustees declare that they have approvod tho trustom. r•port abova. Signed on behalf of the charlty's tru tees Slgnaturn(s> Full name(s) Posltlon (e.g. Secretary¥ Chair. etc} Peter Cross Hugh Hedderly Chair Hon-Treasurer Date gs
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