2025-05-31-accounts

HEREFORDSHIRE GROWING POINT

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ending

31st May 2025

(Charity Number 1197491)

HON PRESIDENT: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org

Email: [e-mail]

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HEREFORDSHIRE GROWING POINT (Charity No. 1197491)

Annual Report for the Year ending 31[st] May 2025

The Trustees present their report for the year ended 31[st] May 2025

The Members of the Committee during the year were:

Chairman : Laura Hone Charity Manager : Julian Reeves Treasurer : Andrew Huntley Events: Julie Cohn and Mary Knight Minutes Secretary : Caroline Lechmere

Trustees: Julie Cohn, Jeanie Falconer, Laura Hone, Candida Hopkinson, Andrew Huntley, Mary Knight, Caroline Lechmere, Nigel Morries, Janet Parry and Thomas Pearson

The charity was established in 1990 with, as its original governing instrument, a Constitution adopted on 29[th] April 1991. This Constitution was revised in 2014 and again in 2019. The charity’s status was changed from an unincorporated charity to a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) in December 2022.

Officers and Members of the Committee are elected annually at the Annual General Meeting held in November.

The Aim and Objectives of Herefordshire Growing Point

The aim of Herefordshire Growing Point is to enable vulnerable and disabled people of all ages to enjoy the social and therapeutic benefits of horticultural activities.

The objectives of Herefordshire Growing Point are:

To provide relief and to promote social inclusion for the benefit of the public by horticultural therapy for those people who are vulnerable or socially excluded, through old age, illness or disability, either mentally or physically (whether permanently or temporarily) in Herefordshire and the areas adjoining Herefordshire, by:

1) The provision of organised horticultural therapy sessions to enhance the quality of life and mental wellbeing for this group of people, in garden settings or appropriate environments such as residential care, suited to individual need.

2) Promotion of social inclusion. Being part of a gardening group is a benefit for individuals who have limited opportunities for social engagement.

3) Promotion of healthy living, by growing, harvesting and cooking fruit and vegetables.

4) Promotion of public awareness of the benefits of social and horticultural therapy by means of social media, website and events.

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

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Disclosures within the Annual Report and Accounts.

Herefordshire Growing Point will include or disclose the following in its Annual Report and Accounts:

• A statement that summarises the remuneration policy.

• A summary of payments to Trustees for expenses.

• The actual salary and other benefits received by the Manager.

• The number of Tutors and their total remuneration.

These disclosures are given in the appendices at the end of Report and Accounts.

Review of the Year 2024-25

The 2024/25 year was one of welcoming new people to Herefordshire Growing Point, but also sadly saying goodbye to others. We welcomed new tutor Carlie McNevin, but had to say goodbye to Ursula Ashworth who had been a Growing Point tutor for many years and has now retired. We were also delighted to welcome three new Trustees – Candida Hopkinson, Thomas Pearson and Nigel Morries. All these new trustees have a variety of skills and experience which they are generously using to the benefit of the charity. On the other side of the coin, long-standing trustee Fiona Paterson retired after many years as a trustee. Fiona has been a huge help over the updating of the Constitution and also overseeing HGP’s compliance with the necessary policies and procedures. We would also like to thank Michelle Audouard who was writing funding bids on behalf of the charity and Jill Davies who did so much to help update the Growing Point accounting systems. Finally, we would like to thank Huw Foxall who was the independent auditor of the Growing Point accounts for a number of years. He was meticulous and his comments were always to the point and accurate. They all deserve very grateful thanks from everyone connected with the charity.

The biennial Gardeners’ Question Time fundraising event was held in March and was a great success. With the generous sponsorship of Bengough Property and including Gift Aid, the evening raised about £2500, so an excellent total. The Hampton Bishop hall was a first class venue and the panel consisting of Nick Dunn of F P Matthews/Trees for Life and James Madge, Head Gardener at The Laskett. All brilliantly chaired by Tamsin Westhorpe, the Growing Point Hon. President. All the questions were answered with not only knowledge, but humour as well, so the evening was both successful and useful! A light supper of bread, cheese and fruit was provided by some of the Trustees and volunteers, so a huge thank you is due to them all.

The art exhibition held in Leominster in May was a real joy to see. That gardeners had taken a huge amount of trouble to create their art works which were original, imaginative, skilfully created and

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

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full of life. All the visitors were enthusiastic and full of praise, so this was an excellent show case for what the Herefordshire Growing Point gardeners can achieve.

With the help of Development Manager, Amelia Carter and tutor Kate Barrett, Senior Tutor Jo Rigney is updating Herefordshire Growing Point’s social media accounts. As a result, more posts are coming in from care homes and can be shared.

It was recognised that the IT systems need updating, so this process has started with the help of an external consultant.

Charity Manager’s Report

This year has been one of consolidation and updating of our processes and procedures to ensure we are fully compliant with the required legislation and guidance which applies equally to large and small charities.

Our new staff members Amelia and Kate have taken the charity in new and exciting directions. We have been able to develop a schools gardening project on a piece of land behind Stretton Sugwas village hall. This has the potential to develop into a significant activity for us and possibly a new funding stream.

The Demonstration Garden has been transformed this year by beds full of flowers for cutting and arranging. We now also have many plants labelled to a professional standard thanks to our tutors.

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

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Repairs and maintenance have been ongoing with help from our wonderful volunteers and a bit of brick-laying by me.

Promotional talks this year were given to Burghill, Tupsley and Leominster Gardening Clubs.

HVOSS received a grant called the UKSP Fund to enable those who are excluded from employment to access training and learning opportunities to move them towards employment or volunteering. We put four of our gardeners and one volunteer onto the programme and created a series of basic gardening tasks that they were able to work through. This was also a useful networking opportunity.

We are delighted to have recruited a new peripatetic tutor, Angie Toes who after her induction programme will start to work in care homes across the county.

Our links to Headway are very much improved and our staff teams work much more closely together now for the benefit of our gardeners.

The Autumn Show was attended by over 60 people with the usual prize giving and delicious cakes provided by the Trustees. ‘Gardeners of the Year’ were Stanley House

and we commissioned a new trophy from ‘Kate Create’ for ‘Best Smile of the Year’ which was won by David Hughes. Pat Churchward, the High Sheriff, presented the prizes and it was wonderful that she was able to join us.

The financial climate continues to be very challenging and we are grateful for Amelia’s continued efforts to strengthen our position.

I would like to add my personal thanks to our regular volunteers who work so hard in the garden to keep up with its general maintenance: Janet, Mary, Andy, Andrew, Gerard and Colin. Without their input I would have had no time to do anything else!

Charity Development Manager

This year has been a year of development for Herefordshire Growing Point. Growing Point was Herefordshire’s first horticultural therapy charity and has seen strong and steady growth over the last thirty years. During that time, it has seen witnessed significant changes in the economic climate and also expectations in terms of regulation and compliance. This year a considerable amount of time has been spent solidifying the foundations of the organisation. We have introduced new systems and processes to ensure this wonderful organisation runs as efficiently as possible, whilst also keeping our wonderful gardeners safe.

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

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In 2021 within Herefordshire there were 1,050 people (of all ages) registered as having a learning disability at GP Practices. This represents a prevalence of 0.6% of the population, which is statistically significantly higher than in England and Wales.

Modelled estimates suggest that GP registers reflect less than a quarter of all adults with Learning Disability, and that the true number in Herefordshire is likely to be around 2.3%. This is predicted to increase by 8% by 2035, disproportionately in the number aged 65+.

Evidence also suggests that 80% of wheelchair users struggle to access outside space, although there is a wealth of research which indicates time in nature can have a profound impact on their physical and mental health. We are the only horticultural therapy charity in the county who can support wheelchair users and people with very complex learning disabilities . Our therapy garden is fully accessible as we have fully accessible toilets and highly experienced staff and volunteers to support our clients. We have wheelchair friendly paths and raised beds at appropriate heights to enable people to fully engage with gardening. For clients who have limited use of their arms and legs, they often enjoy time just sitting in the garden, socialising, listening to the birds and touching plants and soil.

Accessibility is at the heart of all we do and this year our focus has been on maximising accessibility and reaching out to individuals who could most benefit from our work. We do not believe in barriers to nature, our ethos is to identify how to overcome them! This is Herefordshire Growing Point’s unique selling point.

With this in mind, we were forced to evaluate our current garden and its layout and planting. To maximise the therapeutic value our client’s experience from the garden, we began redesigning the garden and making the necessary changes. The changes included redesigning our polytunnel to include accessible raised beds. The raised beds have been designed by our staff team and built to order and allow gardeners to have 360-degree access allowing them to grow and do more. We are extremely proud of this design. The raised beds have been repaired, repointed and replanted. Rather than homing shrubs, these beds are now home to annuals which have a more therapeutic value.

Each year Herefordshire Growing Point has a theme that influences the workshops and path of our year. This year’s theme was “What Gardening Means to me”. The year began with an exquisite art exhibition lead by our senior horticultural therapist Jo. Gardeners were supported/encouraged to create art reflecting the impact nature and the garden has on them. The exhibition was a huge success, and it we had a wonderful day out as an organisation visiting it with our clients.

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

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We were honoured to work with Miles Johnson, ceramic artist in the spring. Miles supported our gardeners in creating self-reflective bust encapsulating the impact gardening has on our clients. The results were incredible! More information to come.

Our schools project Dig It continued to grow and we were both inspired and moved by the impact of the project. See Kate’s report for further information.

All of the magnificent work we do, would not be possible without the support of trusts and foundations. This year we’d like to thank the trusts, organisations and individuals below:

Herefordshire Community Foundation	Albert Hunt Charitable Trust
Bengough Property	An anonymous donor
NGS garden grant	Community First
Mumford Trust	Dr Heather Barrett-Mold OBE
Garfield Weston Charitable Trust	Herefordshire Roundtable
Nathan Tomkins Trust	Herefordshire WI
The Marsh Charitable Trust	HVOSS
The Sam Morley Charitable Trust	Igence Radar
W A Cadbury Charitable Trust	The Jordan Foundation
The Lions Club	The Linda Hone Charitable Trust
E F Bulmer Charitable Trust	The Street Foundation

Tutor Reports - Head Tutor, Jo Rigney’s report

It has been another productive and inspiring year for Herefordshire Growing Point. A year filled with growth, creativity and community connections. Our gardens and our participants have continued to thrive through a varied and engaging programme of activities.

In June, we were delighted to welcome representatives from a local charity shop. Kate and Kellys visit were both enjoyable and fruitful, resulting in the generous donation of two much needed sun canopies for the garden. These have already proved invaluable in providing shade and comfort for our gardeners during the hot summer, even more exciting was their offer to sell our plants through their store. This was a fantastic opportunity to raise both funds and awareness for our charity. We are grateful for their continued support.

Another memorable highlight of the summer was a lovely garden visit to our Chair, Laura Hone’s home. We enjoyed a ramble through her beautiful gardens, followed by an indulgent afternoon tea with freshly baked scones filled with strawberries and cream provided by the trustees and volunteers. The day provided a welcome opportunity for relaxation, connection among volunteers, staff and trustees as well as our gardeners.

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

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In October, we hosted our annual autumn show. This event was well attended and received warmly by visitors. A particular highlight was seeing our longtime supporter Hilary Ward, honoured with the High Sheriff's award for services and community - richly deserved recognition for her dedication and contribution to Herefordshire Growing Point.

As the weather turned colder, we adapted our greenhouse to ensure our activities could continue comfortably throughout the winter months. The shelving was removed to create space for a round table and a small heater, transforming the greenhouse into a cosy craft space. This simple change has made a big difference allowing our gardeners to stay creative, social and warm through the darker months.

In November we launched our Dig It project, an exciting new initiative working in partnership with two Herefordshire schools. The project aimed to introduce young people to the joys and therapeutic benefits of gardening, fostering connection to nature and well-being from an early age. Please see Kate Barrett’s report for more details.

Spring 2025

February brought a generous donation of seeds from Chiltern seeds, which were gratefully received and quickly incorporated into our sowing schedule. These have been a wonderful addition as part of a wider garden redesign, helping us plan for a colourful and productive year. March was a particularly busy and exciting month. We held our first ever exhibition at the Stable Gallery in Leominster, showcasing an inspiring collection of mixed media artworks including pottery paintings and crafts, created by both our outreach participants and regular HGP gardeners. The exhibition’s theme ” What gardening means to me” celebrated creativity, community and the deep personal connections are participants have with nature.

Later that month, we hosted our “Gardeners Question Time” fund raising event which proved both enjoyable and successful. the evening brought together local gardening enthusiasts, supporters and volunteers for an engaging discussion and raised valuable funds to support our ongoing programmes

Summer 2025

In May, we hosted a series of pottery sessions led by local ceramicist, Miles Johnson. These workshops were enthusiastically received by our gardeners who explored new skills and creative expression through clay. The project culminated in a special evening celebration, showcasing the

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

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beautiful sculptures produced and highlighting the therapeutic value of our work. The success of this collaboration has inspired us to repeat and expand it next year.

This year saw a noticeable increase in public engagement and awareness of HGP’S work. Through a combination of social media activity and community events, our profile continues to grow. Social media: our online following increased steadily across Facebook and Instagram helped by strong engagement with posts from the Stable Gallery exhibition and the Miles Johnson pottery project. These stories resonated widely, showing the creativity and confidence are gardeners gain from their work.

Local press and publicity : The Autumn show and Sculpture evening generated local press coverage, shining a spotlight on the work we do. With further collaborations in the pipeline, we hope to grow our audience and raise our profile further.

Dig It Project, November 2024 to July 2025. Kate Barrett, Horticultural Therapy Tutor

Purpose

The purpose of the Dig It Project was to provide a therapeutic horticulture setting for children and young people with additional needs to be able to improve their agency, build resilience and enhance their self esteem through building knowledge of how to garden for wildlife. It was important that the garden became a place where the children felt safe, valued, accepted and seen.

Funding

Hereford W.I. £1000 Street Foundation £4000 Lions Club £1000

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

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Schools involved

Riverside Primary School – children were predominantly 9 to 11 years old, with occasionally a younger child of 7. Children had mild needs such as lack of social integration, anxiety, family deprivation.

Brookfield School

Young people were between 11 and 15 years old. Challenging behaviour and mental health needs.

Outcomes/Impact

Sessions took place either at Stretton Sugwas Village Hall Wildlife Garden or HGP Therapy Garden.

Activities undertaken included:

Creating a wildlife habitat hedge Building a Bug Palace Building Dens Managing the space – creating paths, raised beds etc Installing bird boxes Clearing out the pond Craft activities Art activities

General gardening activities included:

Seed sowing Watering Planting out Weeding Digging out raised bed in polytunnel so that new bed could be installed

Children enjoyed learning about plants and wildlife:

Dalaila said she knew nothing about gardening before she started at Dig It and now she feels she knows more about the names of plants and bugs etc.

Children increased in self-confidence and resilience.

Evidenced by extracts from our Critical Reflection Diaries

16.6.25

What signs of resilience or agency did you notice in the participants?

Lucas, regulating himself and choosing jobs he was interested in. George gradually added more and more water to his can as he realised he could manage it. All wanted to finish the job of filling the pond.

Aiden stung by stinging nettles and used a dock leaf to relieve. Did not make a fuss.

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

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19.5.25

What went well?

Everyone engaged. Some children brought little issues with them and teachers from school had time to chat to them and help them process. Freedom to deviate from ‘lesson plans.’

17.3.25

What signs of progress in horticultural skills and knowledge did you notice?

Girls very keen to sow seeds and take plants home with them. They were excited to have things they could grow at home.

Herefordshire Growing Point’s Policies

The following policies are in place and updated on a regular basis.

Thanks are due to the Trustees for making sure Herefordshire Growing Point is fully compliant and up to date with all necessary policies.

Complaints	Reimbursement of trustees;
Conflicts of Interest	Remuneration;
Disciplinary	Risk Management;
Equalityand Diversity	Safeguarding;
Health & Safety;	Social Media and Guidance
Grievance	Standing orders for Charity Meetings
Membership;	Volunteers.
Recruitment;	Whistleblowing

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

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Conclusion

The 2024/25 year presented totally different challenges from the previous year, because the difficulties of dealing with drought began to be apparent very early on. Luckily, this was to an extent mitigated by the water storage solutions that had been put in place in 2023. However, we still had to ask Headway for help and we are most grateful to them for this.

The necessary financial and IT systems have continued to be upgraded, so these are now really proving their worth.

The Leominster art exhibition was a particularly noteworthy event and the joy and pride the gardeners took in showcasing their work was inspiring.

The art exhibition could have taken place without the inspiration and hard work of the tutors and volunteers, so they deserve the highest praise. Although Growing Point is fortunate in the calibre of its volunteers, more are always needed, so we hope that successful events over the past year will have encouraged to come forward.

Finally, Herefordshire Growing Point wouldn’t function without the hard work of the Manager, the Charity Development Manger, the tutors, the volunteers and the Trustees. All these people help with the many and varied tasks that seem to arise. Finally, everyone at Growing Point is grateful for the continuing help and support from Herefordshire Headway. Many thanks are due to all of them.

On behalf of the Trustees

Laura Hone – Chairman, Hereford Growing Point. Date: 11[th] November 2025

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

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Appendix One. Treasurer’s report for year end 31 May 2025

Total monetary assets held on 31 May 2025 were £62,752.39 (£78,180.69). For this

12-month period, income from ‘charitable activities were £78,492.15 (£84,203.25). Expenditure was £95,154.43 and there was a deficit for the year of £16,649.28. Figures in (brackets) refer to the previous 12-month period ending 31 May 2024 as a comparison.

Analysis of the financial record as follows:

1. Income from charitable activities .

2. Course income. Course fee income for the year was £10,369 (£16,033.07).

3. Donations. These were £7877.90 (£23,574.77). The previous year’s total was exceptional because of two donations totalling £16,900. As always, we are so grateful for the support of businesses as well as stalwart individuals who have supported us with regular giving over many years.

4. Fundraising. Our ‘Gardeners Question Time’ raised just over £2415.

5. Charitable Trusts (recorded as ‘Trust grants’). The total sum received was £57,500 (£41,800). £38,300 was for unrestricted use and £19,200 was restricted for designated use. We are so grateful because it would not be possible to provide our service without this support.

2. Expenditure on charitable activities.

• Course expenditure. The total expenditure for all costs relating to the gardening therapy sessions was £37,031.48 (£22,698.23). The costs include tuition (2 salaried staff and 2 self-employed tutors), travel costs, training, materials, and DBS checks. The increase in ‘lecturing’ costs of £29,177.86 (£18,872,50) reflects salary increases, increase in the hours worked and the enrolment of the 2 salaried staff in the Nest workplace pension scheme. The view of the trustees was that the salary increases recognise the hard work of our staff and to provide a pension scheme. In particular, the Schools Garden project would not have been possible without their commitment and enthusiasm.

• Headway site. The total rent was £5280 (£5200). The cost of garden maintenance was £1713.03 (£970.83). This included a bulk order of compost for £960 at a discount price rather than rather than buying small quantities at higher prices.

• Overhead costs. The total Overhead costs were £56,682.83 (£34,46.46). The principal reason is the employment of a self-employed consultant over the 12-month period to review and develop the charity.

• Equipment. One refurbished laptop computer was purchased.

• Introduction

• Herefordshire Growing Point is committed to ensuring a proper balance between (1) paying our manager, tutors and others who work for us fairly and (2) for the careful stewardship of our charity funds to provide assurance that the charity is operating for the public benefit and in the interests of the charity.

• Remuneration Policy. Remuneration is determined by collecting information about comparable roles in other voluntary sector organisations to use as a benchmark. There is one salaried employee, the Charity Manager, who is paid monthly. The Manager can claim the tutor remuneration and travel allowances if he is required to run a session in the absence of a tutor. Tutors are treated as self-employed workers and not as salaried employees.

• Accountancy policy. The policy is to record the purchase of any asset as an operating cost in the year of purchase under ‘expenditure on charitable activities’. The asset value of this charity is recorded under ‘summary of assets’ in the financial summary (Appendix 2).

• Financial Reserves. On 31 May 2025, the cash reserves are held in five separate bank accounts. These are NatWest online a/c £636.33; NatWest Bankline a/c £25,707.39; Co-op bank account £2,500; COIF charity deposit a/c £12,239.37; Redwood Bank a/c £21,527.86. In addition, cash £141.44 is held in hand. Herefordshire Growing Point has no liabilities.

The independent examination of the accounts will be carried out by Mr David Woodward CA. The trustees appreciate the time already taken and the advice given by him in carrying out this examination.

Andrew Huntley, hon. treasurer for Herefordshire Growing Point; Charity Commission reg: 1197491

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

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Appendix 2 - Herefordshire Growing Point financial summary year end 31 MAY 2025

statement of receipts and payments y/end 31.05.2025 Charity Commission reg: 1197491

INCOME from Charitable activities

	Unrestricted	Unrestricted	Restricted	Restricted	Total	£	Total £
	Funds £		Funds £		31.05.2025		31.05.2024
Course fee - bank receipts		7010.00				7010.00	12078.77
Course fee - cash receipts		3359.00				3359.00	3954.30
Fundraising		2415.37				2415.37	1550.00
Donations		7877.90				7877.90	23574.77
Trust Grants		38,300.00		19200.00		57500.00	41800.00
Refund		15.83				15.83	1245.41
Plant sales		314.05				314.05
Total Receipts		59292.15		19200.00		78492.15	84203.25
EXPENDITURE on charitable activities
Session Lecturing		29277.86				29277.86	18872.50
Session materials & travel		3353.75				3353.75	2929.59
Volunteer travel		1449.45				1449.45	272.70
Training & DBS checks		873.87				873.87	18.78
Subscriptions		55.00				55.00	95.00
Schools garden project		1512.52				1512.52	0.00
Sculpture project		509.03				509.03	0.00
cash payments		0.00				0.00	339.66
Overhead costs
HGP management & development		37497.72				37497.72	20048.73
Consultancy : fundraising		1272.95				1272.95	715.00
PAYE/NIC		3612.47				3612.47	3102.14
Nest workplace pension		1972.52				1972.52	1133.20
Headway site rent		5280.00				5280.00	5200.00
Headway garden maintenance		1713.03				1713.03	970.83
Charity insurance		987.09				987.09	718.74
Bookkeeping & Accountancy software		2060.40				2060.40	1796.80
Telephone, website		1563.62				1563.62	1181.33
Office expenses		333.00				333.00	79.69
Autumn Show, Promotion & Publicity		363.05				363.05	170.00
misc expense		26.98				26.98	0.00
Vehicle & office equipment
Computers		339.99				339.99	785.00
Vehicle expenses		1087.13				1087.13	16488.27
Total Expenditure		95141.43		0.00		95141.43	74917.96
surplus (deficit) for the year						-16649.28
Cash in bank or in hand 01/06/2024						78180.69
Deposit interest:COIF/Redwood accs						1220.98
Total surplus (deficit) at 31/05/2025						62752.39
Reconciliation: cash in bank 31/05/25
	Online a/c	Bankline a/c		Coif/Redwood		Co-op Bank	Cash
TOTAL : £62752.39	636.33	25707.39		33767.23		2500.00	141.44

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

15 Appendlx 2 - H•f•fordshlrn Growlng Polrt financlal summary year end 31 MAY 2025 statémqni ol rncdptsand ￿¥MeM￿y/eV￿J 31.0%2025 C￿lIty Cammtssw rty 1197491 Unrestrtcted Fund5 £ 75060.69 -16790.72 141.44 Restrftted Total Funds £ 31.05.2025 3120.C(I 78180.69170498.821 -16790.72 5641.55 141.44, 841.02 563.45 562.97 657.53 636.33 62752.39 78180.69 31.05.202 Monetary Assets Cash In bartk101.06.2024) surpluslldefichl for the year cash in hand Charltles Depostt Fund Interest i(edwood 35 d¥y account 657.53 59632.39 3120.C Summary of Assets Year eftdin8 31 May 2025 tWeston11near£ouTht 14atWest b¥nk15n• a￿OU￿t 'char1r￿ Furd Icoin Rodwood 35 DiiAetsiurt opbaftk ac(ouAt Cash In hind 6x33 25707.39 12239.37, 21527.86,, 141.44 £ 62,752.39 , Funds allocatlon at 3110512025 UnFestflcted FurKIs Restrkt•dFuTrds 54490.391 8262.CQl E 62,752.39 Accounts prepared by: Hon.Treasurer date.. 11.11.2025 IrKltynd•nt Examln¢rl date'..31. 12.2oes r•(￿pts to: 3V0512025 3V0512025 33X).trJ' £ b•krKe•t, 3V0512025 NGP restrKttd fur05 IEF Otslmr Trwi Communty Fl(st at31.052024 17eo.t•J,. 2560. 240. 240.I>J 2262. 250.IX¢ -IHe1ÈisCommun￿ Fdn NHS G•TdenGrant Nai￿￿ frust .CINo Rlthards FwrithllDO Street Founditk Strèèt Fixthdath) Wo¥shlpful Co ol G•rden¢rs c*) 1620.LIJ 3120.00 19200.00 14058.00 8262.00 ,,HGP accountslAHI 202ty2025 Hon. Patroh.. Tamsin We#horpe /0 Herefordshire Headway, Heodwoy Tre￿h0rd AvenuE, Credenhill. H£reford, 7DX T£lephone.' 01432 805705 Web.. www.9rowihgPDiht.ory.uk Email.. [e-mail]

16

Appendix 3 : Pay - Salaries, tutor lecture fees and consultants fees paid

Pay Charity Manager salary (gross) and benefits year end 31/05/2025

date June July August September October November December January February March April May	gross Pension : employer's contribution 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1953.10 41.00 1953.10 42.99
	22774.20 493.99

Payment of expenses to HGP Trustees year end 31.05.2025

date	expense	name	£
26/03/2025	Moneysoft	A Huntley	103.20

Pay to HGP tutors and staff salaries (gross) year end 31.05.2025

				Pension : employer's
	date		tuition	contribution
tutor	01/6	-30/11	825.00
tutor	01/7	- 31/5	1210.00
salaried	01/6	- 31/5	16327.17	193.96
salaried	01/6	- 31/5	12338.36	96.57

Pay bookkeeper (gross) year end 31.05.2025

date			amount
01/06	-	31/12	1742.40

Pay Charity Development Manager fee (gross) year end 31.05.2025

	date			fee
HGP development	01/6	-	31/5	18326.00
HGP fundraising	01/6	-	31/5	1272.95

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

17

Appendix 4

HGP cash box summary year end 31.05.2025

		dr	cr
01/06/2024	Cash
b/f		841.02
	Cash
received		951.27
		1183.59
		853.34
		819.00
		661.68
Cash transfer	to bank	accounts	4468.88
Cash payments			699.58
TOTAL		5309.90	5168.46
Cash not banked		£
01/06/2025		141.44

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

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APPENDIX 5

APPENDIX 5
HGP Restricted Funds EF Bulmer Trust Community First Cray Trust Herefs Community Fdn Herefs Community Fdn HVOSS NGS Garden Grant Nathan Tomkins Trust Clive Richards Foundation Street Foundation Street Foundation Worshipful Co of Gardeners	at 31.05.2024 receipts to: 31/05/2025 payments to: 31/05/2025 £ balance at 31/05/2025 5000 800 500 2000 2800 2500 1600 1000 1620 2000 1000 1500
	£3120 £19200 0 0

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

HEREFORDSHIRE GROWING POINT

Annual Report and Accounts for the year ending

31st May 2025

(Charity Number 1197491)

HON PRESIDENT: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org

Email: [e-mail]

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HEREFORDSHIRE GROWING POINT (Charity No. 1197491)

Annual Report for the Year ending 31[st] May 2025

The Trustees present their report for the year ended 31[st] May 2025

The Members of the Committee during the year were:

Chairman : Laura Hone Charity Manager : Julian Reeves Treasurer : Andrew Huntley Events: Julie Cohn and Mary Knight Minutes Secretary : Caroline Lechmere

Trustees: Julie Cohn, Jeanie Falconer, Laura Hone, Candida Hopkinson, Andrew Huntley, Mary Knight, Caroline Lechmere, Nigel Morries, Janet Parry and Thomas Pearson

The charity was established in 1990 with, as its original governing instrument, a Constitution adopted on 29[th] April 1991. This Constitution was revised in 2014 and again in 2019. The charity’s status was changed from an unincorporated charity to a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) in December 2022.

Officers and Members of the Committee are elected annually at the Annual General Meeting held in November.

The Aim and Objectives of Herefordshire Growing Point

The aim of Herefordshire Growing Point is to enable vulnerable and disabled people of all ages to enjoy the social and therapeutic benefits of horticultural activities.

The objectives of Herefordshire Growing Point are:

To provide relief and to promote social inclusion for the benefit of the public by horticultural therapy for those people who are vulnerable or socially excluded, through old age, illness or disability, either mentally or physically (whether permanently or temporarily) in Herefordshire and the areas adjoining Herefordshire, by:

1) The provision of organised horticultural therapy sessions to enhance the quality of life and mental wellbeing for this group of people, in garden settings or appropriate environments such as residential care, suited to individual need.

2) Promotion of social inclusion. Being part of a gardening group is a benefit for individuals who have limited opportunities for social engagement.

3) Promotion of healthy living, by growing, harvesting and cooking fruit and vegetables.

4) Promotion of public awareness of the benefits of social and horticultural therapy by means of social media, website and events.

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

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Disclosures within the Annual Report and Accounts.

Herefordshire Growing Point will include or disclose the following in its Annual Report and Accounts:

• A statement that summarises the remuneration policy.

• A summary of payments to Trustees for expenses.

• The actual salary and other benefits received by the Manager.

• The number of Tutors and their total remuneration.

These disclosures are given in the appendices at the end of Report and Accounts.

Review of the Year 2024-25

The 2024/25 year was one of welcoming new people to Herefordshire Growing Point, but also sadly saying goodbye to others. We welcomed new tutor Carlie McNevin, but had to say goodbye to Ursula Ashworth who had been a Growing Point tutor for many years and has now retired. We were also delighted to welcome three new Trustees – Candida Hopkinson, Thomas Pearson and Nigel Morries. All these new trustees have a variety of skills and experience which they are generously using to the benefit of the charity. On the other side of the coin, long-standing trustee Fiona Paterson retired after many years as a trustee. Fiona has been a huge help over the updating of the Constitution and also overseeing HGP’s compliance with the necessary policies and procedures. We would also like to thank Michelle Audouard who was writing funding bids on behalf of the charity and Jill Davies who did so much to help update the Growing Point accounting systems. Finally, we would like to thank Huw Foxall who was the independent auditor of the Growing Point accounts for a number of years. He was meticulous and his comments were always to the point and accurate. They all deserve very grateful thanks from everyone connected with the charity.

The biennial Gardeners’ Question Time fundraising event was held in March and was a great success. With the generous sponsorship of Bengough Property and including Gift Aid, the evening raised about £2500, so an excellent total. The Hampton Bishop hall was a first class venue and the panel consisting of Nick Dunn of F P Matthews/Trees for Life and James Madge, Head Gardener at The Laskett. All brilliantly chaired by Tamsin Westhorpe, the Growing Point Hon. President. All the questions were answered with not only knowledge, but humour as well, so the evening was both successful and useful! A light supper of bread, cheese and fruit was provided by some of the Trustees and volunteers, so a huge thank you is due to them all.

The art exhibition held in Leominster in May was a real joy to see. That gardeners had taken a huge amount of trouble to create their art works which were original, imaginative, skilfully created and

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

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full of life. All the visitors were enthusiastic and full of praise, so this was an excellent show case for what the Herefordshire Growing Point gardeners can achieve.

With the help of Development Manager, Amelia Carter and tutor Kate Barrett, Senior Tutor Jo Rigney is updating Herefordshire Growing Point’s social media accounts. As a result, more posts are coming in from care homes and can be shared.

It was recognised that the IT systems need updating, so this process has started with the help of an external consultant.

Charity Manager’s Report

This year has been one of consolidation and updating of our processes and procedures to ensure we are fully compliant with the required legislation and guidance which applies equally to large and small charities.

Our new staff members Amelia and Kate have taken the charity in new and exciting directions. We have been able to develop a schools gardening project on a piece of land behind Stretton Sugwas village hall. This has the potential to develop into a significant activity for us and possibly a new funding stream.

The Demonstration Garden has been transformed this year by beds full of flowers for cutting and arranging. We now also have many plants labelled to a professional standard thanks to our tutors.

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

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Repairs and maintenance have been ongoing with help from our wonderful volunteers and a bit of brick-laying by me.

Promotional talks this year were given to Burghill, Tupsley and Leominster Gardening Clubs.

HVOSS received a grant called the UKSP Fund to enable those who are excluded from employment to access training and learning opportunities to move them towards employment or volunteering. We put four of our gardeners and one volunteer onto the programme and created a series of basic gardening tasks that they were able to work through. This was also a useful networking opportunity.

We are delighted to have recruited a new peripatetic tutor, Angie Toes who after her induction programme will start to work in care homes across the county.

Our links to Headway are very much improved and our staff teams work much more closely together now for the benefit of our gardeners.

The Autumn Show was attended by over 60 people with the usual prize giving and delicious cakes provided by the Trustees. ‘Gardeners of the Year’ were Stanley House

and we commissioned a new trophy from ‘Kate Create’ for ‘Best Smile of the Year’ which was won by David Hughes. Pat Churchward, the High Sheriff, presented the prizes and it was wonderful that she was able to join us.

The financial climate continues to be very challenging and we are grateful for Amelia’s continued efforts to strengthen our position.

I would like to add my personal thanks to our regular volunteers who work so hard in the garden to keep up with its general maintenance: Janet, Mary, Andy, Andrew, Gerard and Colin. Without their input I would have had no time to do anything else!

Charity Development Manager

This year has been a year of development for Herefordshire Growing Point. Growing Point was Herefordshire’s first horticultural therapy charity and has seen strong and steady growth over the last thirty years. During that time, it has seen witnessed significant changes in the economic climate and also expectations in terms of regulation and compliance. This year a considerable amount of time has been spent solidifying the foundations of the organisation. We have introduced new systems and processes to ensure this wonderful organisation runs as efficiently as possible, whilst also keeping our wonderful gardeners safe.

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

6

In 2021 within Herefordshire there were 1,050 people (of all ages) registered as having a learning disability at GP Practices. This represents a prevalence of 0.6% of the population, which is statistically significantly higher than in England and Wales.

Modelled estimates suggest that GP registers reflect less than a quarter of all adults with Learning Disability, and that the true number in Herefordshire is likely to be around 2.3%. This is predicted to increase by 8% by 2035, disproportionately in the number aged 65+.

Evidence also suggests that 80% of wheelchair users struggle to access outside space, although there is a wealth of research which indicates time in nature can have a profound impact on their physical and mental health. We are the only horticultural therapy charity in the county who can support wheelchair users and people with very complex learning disabilities . Our therapy garden is fully accessible as we have fully accessible toilets and highly experienced staff and volunteers to support our clients. We have wheelchair friendly paths and raised beds at appropriate heights to enable people to fully engage with gardening. For clients who have limited use of their arms and legs, they often enjoy time just sitting in the garden, socialising, listening to the birds and touching plants and soil.

Accessibility is at the heart of all we do and this year our focus has been on maximising accessibility and reaching out to individuals who could most benefit from our work. We do not believe in barriers to nature, our ethos is to identify how to overcome them! This is Herefordshire Growing Point’s unique selling point.

With this in mind, we were forced to evaluate our current garden and its layout and planting. To maximise the therapeutic value our client’s experience from the garden, we began redesigning the garden and making the necessary changes. The changes included redesigning our polytunnel to include accessible raised beds. The raised beds have been designed by our staff team and built to order and allow gardeners to have 360-degree access allowing them to grow and do more. We are extremely proud of this design. The raised beds have been repaired, repointed and replanted. Rather than homing shrubs, these beds are now home to annuals which have a more therapeutic value.

Each year Herefordshire Growing Point has a theme that influences the workshops and path of our year. This year’s theme was “What Gardening Means to me”. The year began with an exquisite art exhibition lead by our senior horticultural therapist Jo. Gardeners were supported/encouraged to create art reflecting the impact nature and the garden has on them. The exhibition was a huge success, and it we had a wonderful day out as an organisation visiting it with our clients.

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

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We were honoured to work with Miles Johnson, ceramic artist in the spring. Miles supported our gardeners in creating self-reflective bust encapsulating the impact gardening has on our clients. The results were incredible! More information to come.

Our schools project Dig It continued to grow and we were both inspired and moved by the impact of the project. See Kate’s report for further information.

All of the magnificent work we do, would not be possible without the support of trusts and foundations. This year we’d like to thank the trusts, organisations and individuals below:

Herefordshire Community Foundation	Albert Hunt Charitable Trust
Bengough Property	An anonymous donor
NGS garden grant	Community First
Mumford Trust	Dr Heather Barrett-Mold OBE
Garfield Weston Charitable Trust	Herefordshire Roundtable
Nathan Tomkins Trust	Herefordshire WI
The Marsh Charitable Trust	HVOSS
The Sam Morley Charitable Trust	Igence Radar
W A Cadbury Charitable Trust	The Jordan Foundation
The Lions Club	The Linda Hone Charitable Trust
E F Bulmer Charitable Trust	The Street Foundation

Tutor Reports - Head Tutor, Jo Rigney’s report

It has been another productive and inspiring year for Herefordshire Growing Point. A year filled with growth, creativity and community connections. Our gardens and our participants have continued to thrive through a varied and engaging programme of activities.

In June, we were delighted to welcome representatives from a local charity shop. Kate and Kellys visit were both enjoyable and fruitful, resulting in the generous donation of two much needed sun canopies for the garden. These have already proved invaluable in providing shade and comfort for our gardeners during the hot summer, even more exciting was their offer to sell our plants through their store. This was a fantastic opportunity to raise both funds and awareness for our charity. We are grateful for their continued support.

Another memorable highlight of the summer was a lovely garden visit to our Chair, Laura Hone’s home. We enjoyed a ramble through her beautiful gardens, followed by an indulgent afternoon tea with freshly baked scones filled with strawberries and cream provided by the trustees and volunteers. The day provided a welcome opportunity for relaxation, connection among volunteers, staff and trustees as well as our gardeners.

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

8

In October, we hosted our annual autumn show. This event was well attended and received warmly by visitors. A particular highlight was seeing our longtime supporter Hilary Ward, honoured with the High Sheriff's award for services and community - richly deserved recognition for her dedication and contribution to Herefordshire Growing Point.

As the weather turned colder, we adapted our greenhouse to ensure our activities could continue comfortably throughout the winter months. The shelving was removed to create space for a round table and a small heater, transforming the greenhouse into a cosy craft space. This simple change has made a big difference allowing our gardeners to stay creative, social and warm through the darker months.

In November we launched our Dig It project, an exciting new initiative working in partnership with two Herefordshire schools. The project aimed to introduce young people to the joys and therapeutic benefits of gardening, fostering connection to nature and well-being from an early age. Please see Kate Barrett’s report for more details.

Spring 2025

February brought a generous donation of seeds from Chiltern seeds, which were gratefully received and quickly incorporated into our sowing schedule. These have been a wonderful addition as part of a wider garden redesign, helping us plan for a colourful and productive year. March was a particularly busy and exciting month. We held our first ever exhibition at the Stable Gallery in Leominster, showcasing an inspiring collection of mixed media artworks including pottery paintings and crafts, created by both our outreach participants and regular HGP gardeners. The exhibition’s theme ” What gardening means to me” celebrated creativity, community and the deep personal connections are participants have with nature.

Later that month, we hosted our “Gardeners Question Time” fund raising event which proved both enjoyable and successful. the evening brought together local gardening enthusiasts, supporters and volunteers for an engaging discussion and raised valuable funds to support our ongoing programmes

Summer 2025

In May, we hosted a series of pottery sessions led by local ceramicist, Miles Johnson. These workshops were enthusiastically received by our gardeners who explored new skills and creative expression through clay. The project culminated in a special evening celebration, showcasing the

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

9

beautiful sculptures produced and highlighting the therapeutic value of our work. The success of this collaboration has inspired us to repeat and expand it next year.

This year saw a noticeable increase in public engagement and awareness of HGP’S work. Through a combination of social media activity and community events, our profile continues to grow. Social media: our online following increased steadily across Facebook and Instagram helped by strong engagement with posts from the Stable Gallery exhibition and the Miles Johnson pottery project. These stories resonated widely, showing the creativity and confidence are gardeners gain from their work.

Local press and publicity : The Autumn show and Sculpture evening generated local press coverage, shining a spotlight on the work we do. With further collaborations in the pipeline, we hope to grow our audience and raise our profile further.

Dig It Project, November 2024 to July 2025. Kate Barrett, Horticultural Therapy Tutor

Purpose

The purpose of the Dig It Project was to provide a therapeutic horticulture setting for children and young people with additional needs to be able to improve their agency, build resilience and enhance their self esteem through building knowledge of how to garden for wildlife. It was important that the garden became a place where the children felt safe, valued, accepted and seen.

Funding

Hereford W.I. £1000 Street Foundation £4000 Lions Club £1000

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

10

Schools involved

Riverside Primary School – children were predominantly 9 to 11 years old, with occasionally a younger child of 7. Children had mild needs such as lack of social integration, anxiety, family deprivation.

Brookfield School

Young people were between 11 and 15 years old. Challenging behaviour and mental health needs.

Outcomes/Impact

Sessions took place either at Stretton Sugwas Village Hall Wildlife Garden or HGP Therapy Garden.

Activities undertaken included:

Creating a wildlife habitat hedge Building a Bug Palace Building Dens Managing the space – creating paths, raised beds etc Installing bird boxes Clearing out the pond Craft activities Art activities

General gardening activities included:

Seed sowing Watering Planting out Weeding Digging out raised bed in polytunnel so that new bed could be installed

Children enjoyed learning about plants and wildlife:

Dalaila said she knew nothing about gardening before she started at Dig It and now she feels she knows more about the names of plants and bugs etc.

Children increased in self-confidence and resilience.

Evidenced by extracts from our Critical Reflection Diaries

16.6.25

What signs of resilience or agency did you notice in the participants?

Lucas, regulating himself and choosing jobs he was interested in. George gradually added more and more water to his can as he realised he could manage it. All wanted to finish the job of filling the pond.

Aiden stung by stinging nettles and used a dock leaf to relieve. Did not make a fuss.

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

11

19.5.25

What went well?

Everyone engaged. Some children brought little issues with them and teachers from school had time to chat to them and help them process. Freedom to deviate from ‘lesson plans.’

17.3.25

What signs of progress in horticultural skills and knowledge did you notice?

Girls very keen to sow seeds and take plants home with them. They were excited to have things they could grow at home.

Herefordshire Growing Point’s Policies

The following policies are in place and updated on a regular basis.

Thanks are due to the Trustees for making sure Herefordshire Growing Point is fully compliant and up to date with all necessary policies.

Complaints	Reimbursement of trustees;
Conflicts of Interest	Remuneration;
Disciplinary	Risk Management;
Equalityand Diversity	Safeguarding;
Health & Safety;	Social Media and Guidance
Grievance	Standing orders for Charity Meetings
Membership;	Volunteers.
Recruitment;	Whistleblowing

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

12

Conclusion

The 2024/25 year presented totally different challenges from the previous year, because the difficulties of dealing with drought began to be apparent very early on. Luckily, this was to an extent mitigated by the water storage solutions that had been put in place in 2023. However, we still had to ask Headway for help and we are most grateful to them for this.

The necessary financial and IT systems have continued to be upgraded, so these are now really proving their worth.

The Leominster art exhibition was a particularly noteworthy event and the joy and pride the gardeners took in showcasing their work was inspiring.

The art exhibition could have taken place without the inspiration and hard work of the tutors and volunteers, so they deserve the highest praise. Although Growing Point is fortunate in the calibre of its volunteers, more are always needed, so we hope that successful events over the past year will have encouraged to come forward.

Finally, Herefordshire Growing Point wouldn’t function without the hard work of the Manager, the Charity Development Manger, the tutors, the volunteers and the Trustees. All these people help with the many and varied tasks that seem to arise. Finally, everyone at Growing Point is grateful for the continuing help and support from Herefordshire Headway. Many thanks are due to all of them.

On behalf of the Trustees

Laura Hone – Chairman, Hereford Growing Point. Date: 11[th] November 2025

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

13

Appendix One. Treasurer’s report for year end 31 May 2025

Total monetary assets held on 31 May 2025 were £62,752.39 (£78,180.69). For this

12-month period, income from ‘charitable activities were £78,492.15 (£84,203.25). Expenditure was £95,154.43 and there was a deficit for the year of £16,649.28. Figures in (brackets) refer to the previous 12-month period ending 31 May 2024 as a comparison.

Analysis of the financial record as follows:

1. Income from charitable activities .

2. Course income. Course fee income for the year was £10,369 (£16,033.07).

3. Donations. These were £7877.90 (£23,574.77). The previous year’s total was exceptional because of two donations totalling £16,900. As always, we are so grateful for the support of businesses as well as stalwart individuals who have supported us with regular giving over many years.

4. Fundraising. Our ‘Gardeners Question Time’ raised just over £2415.

5. Charitable Trusts (recorded as ‘Trust grants’). The total sum received was £57,500 (£41,800). £38,300 was for unrestricted use and £19,200 was restricted for designated use. We are so grateful because it would not be possible to provide our service without this support.

2. Expenditure on charitable activities.

• Course expenditure. The total expenditure for all costs relating to the gardening therapy sessions was £37,031.48 (£22,698.23). The costs include tuition (2 salaried staff and 2 self-employed tutors), travel costs, training, materials, and DBS checks. The increase in ‘lecturing’ costs of £29,177.86 (£18,872,50) reflects salary increases, increase in the hours worked and the enrolment of the 2 salaried staff in the Nest workplace pension scheme. The view of the trustees was that the salary increases recognise the hard work of our staff and to provide a pension scheme. In particular, the Schools Garden project would not have been possible without their commitment and enthusiasm.

• Headway site. The total rent was £5280 (£5200). The cost of garden maintenance was £1713.03 (£970.83). This included a bulk order of compost for £960 at a discount price rather than rather than buying small quantities at higher prices.

• Overhead costs. The total Overhead costs were £56,682.83 (£34,46.46). The principal reason is the employment of a self-employed consultant over the 12-month period to review and develop the charity.

• Equipment. One refurbished laptop computer was purchased.

• Introduction

• Herefordshire Growing Point is committed to ensuring a proper balance between (1) paying our manager, tutors and others who work for us fairly and (2) for the careful stewardship of our charity funds to provide assurance that the charity is operating for the public benefit and in the interests of the charity.

• Remuneration Policy. Remuneration is determined by collecting information about comparable roles in other voluntary sector organisations to use as a benchmark. There is one salaried employee, the Charity Manager, who is paid monthly. The Manager can claim the tutor remuneration and travel allowances if he is required to run a session in the absence of a tutor. Tutors are treated as self-employed workers and not as salaried employees.

• Accountancy policy. The policy is to record the purchase of any asset as an operating cost in the year of purchase under ‘expenditure on charitable activities’. The asset value of this charity is recorded under ‘summary of assets’ in the financial summary (Appendix 2).

• Financial Reserves. On 31 May 2025, the cash reserves are held in five separate bank accounts. These are NatWest online a/c £636.33; NatWest Bankline a/c £25,707.39; Co-op bank account £2,500; COIF charity deposit a/c £12,239.37; Redwood Bank a/c £21,527.86. In addition, cash £141.44 is held in hand. Herefordshire Growing Point has no liabilities.

The independent examination of the accounts will be carried out by Mr David Woodward CA. The trustees appreciate the time already taken and the advice given by him in carrying out this examination.

Andrew Huntley, hon. treasurer for Herefordshire Growing Point; Charity Commission reg: 1197491

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

14

Appendix 2 - Herefordshire Growing Point financial summary year end 31 MAY 2025

statement of receipts and payments y/end 31.05.2025 Charity Commission reg: 1197491

INCOME from Charitable activities

	Unrestricted	Unrestricted	Restricted	Restricted	Total	£	Total £
	Funds £		Funds £		31.05.2025		31.05.2024
Course fee - bank receipts		7010.00				7010.00	12078.77
Course fee - cash receipts		3359.00				3359.00	3954.30
Fundraising		2415.37				2415.37	1550.00
Donations		7877.90				7877.90	23574.77
Trust Grants		38,300.00		19200.00		57500.00	41800.00
Refund		15.83				15.83	1245.41
Plant sales		314.05				314.05
Total Receipts		59292.15		19200.00		78492.15	84203.25
EXPENDITURE on charitable activities
Session Lecturing		29277.86				29277.86	18872.50
Session materials & travel		3353.75				3353.75	2929.59
Volunteer travel		1449.45				1449.45	272.70
Training & DBS checks		873.87				873.87	18.78
Subscriptions		55.00				55.00	95.00
Schools garden project		1512.52				1512.52	0.00
Sculpture project		509.03				509.03	0.00
cash payments		0.00				0.00	339.66
Overhead costs
HGP management & development		37497.72				37497.72	20048.73
Consultancy : fundraising		1272.95				1272.95	715.00
PAYE/NIC		3612.47				3612.47	3102.14
Nest workplace pension		1972.52				1972.52	1133.20
Headway site rent		5280.00				5280.00	5200.00
Headway garden maintenance		1713.03				1713.03	970.83
Charity insurance		987.09				987.09	718.74
Bookkeeping & Accountancy software		2060.40				2060.40	1796.80
Telephone, website		1563.62				1563.62	1181.33
Office expenses		333.00				333.00	79.69
Autumn Show, Promotion & Publicity		363.05				363.05	170.00
misc expense		26.98				26.98	0.00
Vehicle & office equipment
Computers		339.99				339.99	785.00
Vehicle expenses		1087.13				1087.13	16488.27
Total Expenditure		95141.43		0.00		95141.43	74917.96
surplus (deficit) for the year						-16649.28
Cash in bank or in hand 01/06/2024						78180.69
Deposit interest:COIF/Redwood accs						1220.98
Total surplus (deficit) at 31/05/2025						62752.39
Reconciliation: cash in bank 31/05/25
	Online a/c	Bankline a/c		Coif/Redwood		Co-op Bank	Cash
TOTAL : £62752.39	636.33	25707.39		33767.23		2500.00	141.44

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

15 Appendlx 2 - H•f•fordshlrn Growlng Polrt financlal summary year end 31 MAY 2025 statémqni ol rncdptsand ￿¥MeM￿y/eV￿J 31.0%2025 C￿lIty Cammtssw rty 1197491 Unrestrtcted Fund5 £ 75060.69 -16790.72 141.44 Restrftted Total Funds £ 31.05.2025 3120.C(I 78180.69170498.821 -16790.72 5641.55 141.44, 841.02 563.45 562.97 657.53 636.33 62752.39 78180.69 31.05.202 Monetary Assets Cash In bartk101.06.2024) surpluslldefichl for the year cash in hand Charltles Depostt Fund Interest i(edwood 35 d¥y account 657.53 59632.39 3120.C Summary of Assets Year eftdin8 31 May 2025 tWeston11near£ouTht 14atWest b¥nk15n• a￿OU￿t 'char1r￿ Furd Icoin Rodwood 35 DiiAetsiurt opbaftk ac(ouAt Cash In hind 6x33 25707.39 12239.37, 21527.86,, 141.44 £ 62,752.39 , Funds allocatlon at 3110512025 UnFestflcted FurKIs Restrkt•dFuTrds 54490.391 8262.CQl E 62,752.39 Accounts prepared by: Hon.Treasurer date.. 11.11.2025 IrKltynd•nt Examln¢rl date'..31. 12.2oes r•(￿pts to: 3V0512025 3V0512025 33X).trJ' £ b•krKe•t, 3V0512025 NGP restrKttd fur05 IEF Otslmr Trwi Communty Fl(st at31.052024 17eo.t•J,. 2560. 240. 240.I>J 2262. 250.IX¢ -IHe1ÈisCommun￿ Fdn NHS G•TdenGrant Nai￿￿ frust .CINo Rlthards FwrithllDO Street Founditk Strèèt Fixthdath) Wo¥shlpful Co ol G•rden¢rs c*) 1620.LIJ 3120.00 19200.00 14058.00 8262.00 ,,HGP accountslAHI 202ty2025 Hon. Patroh.. Tamsin We#horpe /0 Herefordshire Headway, Heodwoy Tre￿h0rd AvenuE, Credenhill. H£reford, 7DX T£lephone.' 01432 805705 Web.. www.9rowihgPDiht.ory.uk Email.. [e-mail]

16

Appendix 3 : Pay - Salaries, tutor lecture fees and consultants fees paid

Pay Charity Manager salary (gross) and benefits year end 31/05/2025

date June July August September October November December January February March April May	gross Pension : employer's contribution 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1886.80 41.00 1953.10 41.00 1953.10 42.99
	22774.20 493.99

Payment of expenses to HGP Trustees year end 31.05.2025

date	expense	name	£
26/03/2025	Moneysoft	A Huntley	103.20

Pay to HGP tutors and staff salaries (gross) year end 31.05.2025

				Pension : employer's
	date		tuition	contribution
tutor	01/6	-30/11	825.00
tutor	01/7	- 31/5	1210.00
salaried	01/6	- 31/5	16327.17	193.96
salaried	01/6	- 31/5	12338.36	96.57

Pay bookkeeper (gross) year end 31.05.2025

date			amount
01/06	-	31/12	1742.40

Pay Charity Development Manager fee (gross) year end 31.05.2025

	date			fee
HGP development	01/6	-	31/5	18326.00
HGP fundraising	01/6	-	31/5	1272.95

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX

Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

17

Appendix 4

HGP cash box summary year end 31.05.2025

		dr	cr
01/06/2024	Cash
b/f		841.02
	Cash
received		951.27
		1183.59
		853.34
		819.00
		661.68
Cash transfer	to bank	accounts	4468.88
Cash payments			699.58
TOTAL		5309.90	5168.46
Cash not banked		£
01/06/2025		141.44

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]

18

APPENDIX 5

APPENDIX 5
HGP Restricted Funds EF Bulmer Trust Community First Cray Trust Herefs Community Fdn Herefs Community Fdn HVOSS NGS Garden Grant Nathan Tomkins Trust Clive Richards Foundation Street Foundation Street Foundation Worshipful Co of Gardeners	at 31.05.2024 receipts to: 31/05/2025 payments to: 31/05/2025 £ balance at 31/05/2025 5000 800 500 2000 2800 2500 1600 1000 1620 2000 1000 1500
	£3120 £19200 0 0

Hon. Patron: Tamsin Westhorpe

c/o Herefordshire Headway, Headway House, Trenchard Avenue, Credenhill, Hereford, HR4 7DX Telephone: [phone] Web: www.growingpoint.org.uk Email: [e-mail]