2023-03-31-accounts - Waterlife Recovery Trust

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Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 01 April 2022 To 31 March 2023

Charity name: Waterlife Recovery Trust

Charity registration number: 1198223

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	To protect and conserve the water vole and other native species for the advancement of environmental protection and improvement, for the benefit of the public by, in particular but not exclusively, advancing the control of invasive alien species, notably the American mink, in Great Britain.
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	The activities of the charity are solely focussed on controlling American mink, and raising funds to enable this work. They include recruiting and training volunteers to manage traps, purchasing mink trapping equipment and distributing it to volunteers, carrying out scientific analysis of captured mink, and promoting the work via public talks, meetings and media interviews.
Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit	Para 1.18	We confirm that Trustees have had due regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.

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

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38	N/A. The charity does not offer grants
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	Volunteers are core to the work of this charity, in that they provide the day-to- day management of most of the mink traps we operate. Without these Citizen Conservationists, each of whom have a

passion to improve their local environment, our effectiveness and beneficial impact would be profoundly reduced. Other

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	The main achievements of the charity to date have been (a) to get set up and fully functional as a registered charity, (b) to raise substantial funds to allow the work to continue and expand, and (c) to bring about the recovery of riverside native wildlife in most of East Anglia, to the benefit of society as whole.

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


Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41
Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	The charity's financial position at the end of its first (partial) year of operation is excellent, with a healthy bank balance and excellent prospects for further income.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	The charity currently has no employees, and no financial commitments (other than those required to service contracts for which it has been paid, and for which it retains adequate funds). No formal reserves are currently held.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	Zero
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	No financial commitments
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	None.
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	No uncertainties. The charity is performing strongly.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	where relevant about:
The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	Grants and local authority funding
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	The charity does not yet invest, because it has not been operating long enough to build up a long-term surplus.
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	The risks facing Waterlife Recovery Trust have been detailed (with mitigation measures and contingency plans) in a Risk Register. The primary risk categories relate to Funding, Planning, Volunteers, Biosecurity, Strategy, Stakeholders and Volunteers.
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Foundation Constitution
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	Apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements	where relevant about:
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51	The charity trustees will make available to each new charity trustee, on or before his or her first appointment: (a) a copy of the current version of the constitution; and (b) a copy of the CIO’s latest Trustees’ Annual Report and statement of accounts.
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	The charity is solely run by the board of Trustees, and is not part of a wider network. It currently has no employees, and all management decisions are made by the Trustees.
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	None.
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	Waterlife Recovery Trust
Other name the charity uses
Registered charity number	1198223

Charity’s principal address	JOHNSTONE KEMP TOOLEY LTD SOLO HOUSE THE COURTYARD LONDON ROAD HORSHAM RH12 1AT

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Trustee name	Office (if any)	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (ifany)
AnthonyMartin	Chair	WRT Trustees
Bennie van der Berg	Treasurer	WRT Trustees
David Wege	Secretary	WRT Trustees
William Amos		WRT Trustees
Simon Baker		WRT Trustees

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

Director name N/A

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name	Dates acted if not for whole year
N/A

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

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

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of Name Address adviser

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

None in post.

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

N/A

Other optional information

Number of Board Meetings held = 3

Declarations

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

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Bennie van der Berg Full name(s) Anthony Martin Position (eg Secretary, Chair Hon. Treasurer Chair, etc) Date 18/08/2023

Waterlife Recovery Trust

Annual Report and Financial Statements

for the Year Ended 31 March 2023

Charity Number: 1198223

Waterlife Recovery Trust

Charity Information

Trustees: Professor Tony Martin (Chairman) Simon Baker Msc Barend van der Berg (Treasurer) David Wege Msc Professor Bill Amos

Registered Office: Solo House

The Courtyard London Road Horsham West Sussex RH12 1AT

Waterlife Recovery Trust

TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2023

OBJECTIVES, ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS

To protect and conserve the water vole and other native species for the advancement of environmental protection and improvement, for the benefit of the public by, in particular but not exclusively, advancing the control of invasive alien species, notably the American mink, in Great Britain.

The activities of the charity are solely focussed on controlling American mink, and raising funds to enable this work. They include recruiting and training volunteers to manage traps, purchasing mink trapping equipment and distributing it to volunteers, carrying out scientific analysis of captured mink, and promoting the work via public talks, meetings and media interviews.

The main achievements of the charity to date have been (a) to get set up and fully functional as a registered charity, (b) to raise substantial funds to allow the work to continue and expand, and (c) to bring about the recovery of riverside native wildlife in most of East Anglia to the benefit of society as whole.

RISK ASSESSMENT

The major risks faced by Waterlife Recovery Trust are identified on a risk register which is reviewed by the Board of Trustees as part of the 3 board meetings that were held during this financial year. We believe that maintaining reserves at current levels, combined with an annual review of the controls over key financial systems, will provide sufficient funds in the event of adverse conditions. The Trustees have also examined other operational risks faced by the charity, and we confirm that we have established systems to mitigate, where possible, any significant risks.

STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT

In addition to the board of five Trustees, the charity is in the process of employing six paid employees in the next financial year. We also have a part time Account Assistant, twelve self-employed Project Officers and circa 800 volunteers.

PLANS FOR FUTURE

Having established the charity and developed a robust management structure, the objective now is to increase its income, in order to be able to expand its work as rapidly as possible. Rapid growth has meant an increasing administrative burden for Trustees, and a priority must be to find funds to allow the employment of staff to assume much of this burden, allowing the Board to focus more on strategy, fund-raising and high-level management.

Having commenced operations in East Anglia, the aim now is to expand the charity's geographical reach to all parts of England, while also seeking partners in Wales and Scotland.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

In its inaugural year ending 31 March 2023, 88% of income to the Charity was by means of Grants and the remaining 12% raised by individual donors and gift aid. Total income was £136,486 and expenditure was £78,018, hence the surplus for the year was £58,468. Closing reserves as at 31 March 2023 are at £58,468, entirely made up of the cash balance at the year-end. The accounts have been prepared on an accruals basis.

The Trustees are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity’s trust deed, the Charities Act 2011 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK.

By Order of the Board

Barend van der Berg Trustee and Treasurer

Walnut Cottage, Pymoor Lane, Pymoor, CB6 2EF

Date: ……………………………………

Waterlife Recovery Trust

Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 March 2023

	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total
	Funds	Funds	2022/23
	£	£	£
Incoming Resources
Donations	14,074.55	--	14,074.55
Grants and Funding	16,000.00	103,411.90	119,411.90
Gift Aid	3,000.00	--	3,000.00
	--------------------------------------------------------
Total Income	33,074.55	103,411.90	136,486.45
Resources Expended
Project Officer's Fees	1,720.32	19,243.34	20,963.66
Rafts and Traps	1,975.17	15,798.09	17,773.26
Ecological Services (Cambridge University)	14,000.00	20,000.00	34,000.00
Consumables	--	538.89	538.89
Travelling and Subsistence	--	2,582.32	2,582.32
Printing and Stationery	--	894.00	894.00
Advertising	--	118.80	118.80
IT Support	--	450.00	450.00
Professional Fees	--	650.00	650.00
Bank Charges	47.20		47.20
	-------------------------------------------------------
Total Resources Expended	17,742.69	60,275.44	78,018.13
Net Income	15,331.86	43,136.46	58,468.32
	=================================

Waterlife Recovery Trust

Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2023

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	Total
	2022/23
	£
Current Assets
Cash at Bank	73,468.32
Long Term Loans:Tony Martin	(15,000.00)
	----------------
Net Current Assets	58,468.32
	==========
Funds of the Charity
Unrestricted Funds	15,331.86
Restricted Funds	43,136.46
	----------------
Total Funds	58,468.32
	==========

i CHARITY COMMISSION I FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinerfs Report Report to the trusteesl members of Waterlife Recovery Trust On accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 Charity no (if any) 1198223 Set out on pages I reFK)rt to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above chanty (Ihe Trusf) for the year ended 31103 12023. ResponsibFlities and As the charity twstees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 fthe Acr). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. I have ¢ompleted my examination. I confimi that no matenal matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in. any material respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordan with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records I have no cOnmS and have come ac¥oss no other matter5 in connection with the examination to which attenb.on should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Independent examiner's statement Signed". Date: Name: SArKJ rJ&p ssf Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (rfany): l- QCA Address: UI c5)0 00 9QA Section B Disclosure Only complete rf the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). IER October 2018

Give here brief details of any items that the examinerwishes to disclose. IER October 2018