## **Charity number 1197159** 

## **FORD TO HUNSTON CANAL SOCIETY (A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)** 

(Formerly known as Burndell Bridge Society until 1[st] May, 2023) 

## **Annual Report and Accounts** 

## **31[st] December, 2023** 

FORD TO HUNSTON CANAL SOCIETY ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2023                                Page 1 



## **FORD TO HUNSTON CANAL SOCIETY** 

## **(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)** 

## **Report and Accounts** 

## **Contents** 

||Page|
|---|---|
|Charity information|3|
|Trustees’ Annual Report|4|
|Statement of Financial Activities|8|
|Notes to the Accounts|9|



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## **FORD TO HUNSTON CANAL SOCIETY** 

## **(A Charitable Incorporated Organisation)** 

## **Report of the Trustees for the year to 31[st] December, 2023** 

## **Members of the Trustee Board at 31[st] December, 2023** 

Chair Andrew Saunders Secretary James Gadd Treasurer Richard Boulter Individual Member Allen Misselbrook Individual Member Andy Kuhler Individual Member Elaine Cordingley (from 1[st] April, 2023) Individual Member             Denise Ramshaw (from 1[st] April, 2023) 

**Independent Examiner** (Not required as income under £ 25,000) 

## **Bankers** 

Lloyds Bank plc Business Banking PO Box 1000 BX1 1LT 

## **Registered Office** 

c/o 31 Downview Close Yapton Arundel West Sussex BN18 0LD (hello@fhcs.uk) 

## **Registered Charity Number** 

## 1197159 

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## **Report of the Trustees** 

The Trustee Board presents its report for its second reporting period of 12 months to 31[st] December, 2023. 

## **Structure, Governance and Management** 

Ford to Hunston Canal Society is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, and was registered by the Charity Commission on 16 December, 2021. It has a Trustee Board comprising seven Trustees,who are ultimately accountable for the conduct of the organisation. 

Ford to Hunston Canal Society’s Objects according to its Constitution are as follows: 

- (1) To promote for the benefit of the public the preservation, restoration, improvement, enhancement, and maintenance of the historical and architectural heritage of the Portsmouth & Arundel Canal within the Arun District of West Sussex, including Burndell Bridge; 

- (2) To advance the education of the public in the history and architecture of the heritage of the Portsmouth & Arundel Canal working with local educational institutions to enhance the history of the Canal heritage in and around Yapton. 

The delivery of these Objects is the responsibility of the existing seven Trustees, three of them concurrently acting as the Executive Committee of Ford to Hunston Canal Society through holding the three Executive positions of: Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer. 

Following discussions with a local community group, the Friends of the Old Ford to Hunston Canal, the Society has agreed with the Friends that the name of Burndell Bridge Society should be changed to “Ford to Hunston Canal Society “, with effect from 1[st] May, 2023, and its Objects should be extended to include activities in both Arun District Council and Chichester District Council areas. 

These changes (Change of name and geographic reach) were approved by the Charity Commission on 26[th] April, 2023, and registered with effect from 1[st] May, 2023. 

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## **Aims and Objectives** 

As agreed in discussions between Burndell Bridge Society and the Friends of the Old Ford to Hunston Canal the “Aims” of the renamed Ford to Hunston Canal Society with effect from 1[st] May, 2023, are: 

- Aim 1 – to record information relating to the Ford to Hunston section of the Portsmouth and Arundel Navigation (“the canal”) and associated waterways; 

- Aim 2 – to maintain access to the canal footpaths and restored remains; 

- Aim 3 – to preserve, restore and maintain the line of the canal and features along it; 

- Aim 4 – to support the establishment of a “Greenway” along the route of the Ford to Hunston Canal if it substantially preserves the line of the canal and the features along it. 

These “Aims” are seen as fitting within the Constitution’s Objects as set out above, and agreed with the Charity Commission. 

## **Activities and Achievements** 

In addition to the 2022 AGM held on 6[th] April, 2023, there were six Committee or Trustee meetings held during the year. Significant milestones included the change of name to the Ford to Hunston Society, and the broadening of its geographic focus to include Chichester District in addition to Arun District. Two additional Trustees were appointed, and an annual membership fee of £ 15.00 was agreed. 

The Society’s principal activities included lobbying on maintaining the line and features of the canal through addressing planning procedures and issues relating to Ford Landings (Ford Parish), Drove Lane (Yapton Parish), and Charmans Field (North Mundham Parish). Four work days were held (in combination with the Friends) to maintain access to footpaths and restored remains, and the Society’s seven signboards along the route were monitored, and further printing of its Walk leaflet were arranged. An exhibition on the Canal was mounted in association with the Yapton and Ford History Group on 24[th] June. 

On communications, Society members attended Parish Meetings in Aldingbourne, Ford and Yapton, and we sought to increase posts on the Society’s facebook pages leading to an increased facebook membership of over 100 by 2024. While we do not yet have a Society representative focused on all 8 of the parishes where the Canal has a presence, we now have a stronger presence in Aldingbourne and Ford, as well as Yapton. 

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## **Public benefit** 

In terms of our second Object, the education of the public on the heritage and history of the canal, our participation in exhibitions is expected to increase during 2024. We also expect to increase our presence in the local media during the next year. 

## **Financial Review** 

The financial accounts for the period ending 31[st] December 2023 are set out on page 7. These show an income of **£ 297** comprising individual donations and revenue raised at Guided Walks, Exhibitions, and the sale of a walking leaflet. 

The Society’s insurance cover has been enhanced, for example to include personal and public liability, legal costs, and coverage for exhibitions. 

## **Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities** 

The Trustees are required by law to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Charity as at the end of the financial year, and of the surplus or deficit of the Charity. In preparing those financial statements the Trustees are required to:- 

- Select suitable accounting principles and then apply them consistently; 

- Observe the methods and principles in the Charities’ Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP); 

- State whether the applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; 

- Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and 

- Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue its work. 

The trustees are also responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity, and which are sufficient to show and explain the Charity’s transactions and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006/Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008, and the provision of Ford to Hunston Canal Society’s constitution. 

The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. 

This report was approved by the Board of Trustees of Ford to Hunston Canal Society on 13th May, 2024. 

## **(Signed)** 

## **Andrew Saunders (Chairman & Trustee)** 

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## **Ford to Hunston Canal Society CIO** 

## **Statement of Financial Activities** 

|**Receipts & Payments Account for Period ending**|**Receipts & Payments Account for Period ending**|**31st December,**|**31st December,**|**2023**|**2023**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Note**||**2023**||**2022**||
||||£|£||
|**Receipts**|1|||||
|Membership Fees & Donations<br>|2||90|250||
|Other Individual Donations||||1,000||
|Grant from Yapton Parish Council<br>|3||||50|
|Income from Exhibitions & Guided Walks<br>|4|306||||
|Estimated Gift Aid to be applied for||||||
|from HMRC<br>|5<br>||25|300||
|**Payments**||||||
|Insurance|6|(124)|||**-**|
|**Net Surplus/(Deficit)**||**£**|**297           £**|**1,600**||
|**Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 31st December, 2003**||||||
|**Cash Assets**||||||
|Bank Account as at 31stDecember||1,557||1,300||
|Membership Fee for 2022 Accrued|||15|||
|Gift Aid to be applied for (HMRC)|||25||300|
|Reserves brought forward (Gift Aid)|||300|||
|**TOTAL ASSETS**||**£ £ 1,897**||**£**|**1,600**|
|These financial statements are accepted on behalf of the charity by:||||||
|Signed||||||
|____________________________ Dated 13thMay, 2024||||||
|**Andrew Saunders, Chairman & Trustee**||||||
|**Ford to Hunston Canal**|**Society CIO**|||||



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## **Notes to the Accounts for the Year ended 31[st] December, 2023** 

## **Receipts & Payments Account for Period ending 31[st] December, 2023** 

## **1. Receipts & Payments accounts** 

Receipts and payments accounts contain a summary of money received and money spent during the period and a list of assets and liabilities at the end of the period. Cash received and cash spent will include transactions through the CIO bank account. 

## **2. Directors’ Donations** 

During the 2023 year, Annual Membership subscriptions of £ 15 each were typically donated by all Trustees. 

## **3. Grants** 

No grants were received from public authorities. 

## **4. Income** 

During the year income was received from sales of food and beverages, and branded hi-vis jackets, at a Guided Walk, a Yapton and Ford Exhibition, and the sale of the Society’s Walking Guide, with some of this income deriving from the work of the associate group, the Friends of the Old Ford to Hunston Canal. 

## **5. Gift Aid** 

In March, 2022 Burndell Bridge Society (now renamed as the Ford to Hunston Canal Society) applied for and successfully obtained an HMRC Charities Reference Number (ZD15917), which will be used to claim eligible Gift Aid payments during 2023 and onwards. The Charity has up to 4 years to apply for this Gift Aid payments. 

## **6. Trustees’ Remuneration & CIO Expenditure** 

Trustees received no expenses, remuneration or benefits in this period, and there was no expenditure by the CIO during this first year, with any modest costs being covered by Directors and other supporters. 

13[th] May, 2024 

…………………………………………………………………………………………. 

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