Planet Birdsong Foundation: Charity N[o] .: 1199555
Planet Birdsong Foundation
Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts
From the term of 1 January 2024 through 31 December 2024
Reference and administrative details
| Trustees: | Peter Cowdrey |
|---|---|
| Isak Herman | |
| Hilary MacBean |
Registered Office: 14 Ashwood Place, Ashwood Road, Woking, GU22 7JR
Bankers: Lloyds Bank, Victoria Branch, London (309950)
Trustees’ Report for the period through 31 December 2024
The trustees are pleased to present their annual report together with the financial statements of the charity for the period from 1 January 2024, through 31 December 2024.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 of the accounts and comply with the Charity's Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 and the Statement of Recommended Practice 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities' (revised 2019).
Structure, Governance and Management
Legal Status
Planet Birdsong Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales and gained charitable status on 6 July 2022.
Governing Document
The Planet Birdsong Foundation is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association.
Organisational Structure
The directors of the charitable company are its trustees for the purpose of charity law and the members of the company limited by guarantee. Throughout this report they are collectively referred to as the trustees.
The following individuals served as trustees during the period:
Peter Cowdrey Isak Herman Hilary MacBean
All trustees served for the full period, Hilary MacBean renewed her trusteeship for a period of 3 years from July 2024, minuted in a meeting of 9 May 2024 .
The Board meets as required to oversee the strategic direction of the charity and to monitor progress in achieving its performance and quality objectives. Day to day implementation of the strategy is managed by the Trustees supported by volunteers and, when funds allow, freelance staff.
Objectives and principal activities
The Planet Birdsong Foundation exists with the following objects:
[1] To advance the education of the public in the subject of birdsong and biophony through music, technology, and creative activities;
[2] To advance education and training of the public, including conservation biology students, in birdsong, and bird sound, and biophonic recording, with field work and tutoring in sound processing;
[3] The advancement of science by promoting study and research into birdsong and biophony, alongside other organisations, and working with those other organisations to publish the useful results of such research
In furtherance of its charitable objectives, the charity carries out a range of activities which are summarised below.
Activities and Achievements
During 2024 Planet Birdsong Foundation’s main UK activity was creating and contributing recordings to a large-scale permanent installation at Raby Castle in Teesdale, which raised welcome funds for the charity and has been visited by thousands of people. We also led a series of birdsong events at venues in Oxfordshire, and continued to refine our birdsong studio and mobile games towards our goal of automatising them in mobile apps for widespread use in citizen science. In July we had a stand at Global Birdfair, where we co-hosted a citizen science recording event with Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which has led to plans for more collaboration in the future.
The Planet Birdsong Rwanda bird sound recording project continued to develop. We concluded an MOU with the Centre of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management at University of Rwanda. One Trustee visited Rwanda and trained young citizen scientists at 6 hubs in the skills of sound recording. Five facilitated Planet Birdsong Recordists were established and at least 20 competent and regular recordists were mentored and encouraged with Certification, materials and training.
284 samples were collected from January to August 2024 and logged on international data sites. In July, the Planet Birdsong project in Rwanda was awarded the African Bird Club Conservation Award 2024 - 2025, to promote audio data collection and locational reach, as well as to test the value of citizen science methodology in an African setting. The data numbers rose to 863 during the project year starting in September 2024, amounting to 95% of the total audio records submitted to eBird during the project period. Significant progress was made on applying citizen science. Local recordists were increasingly active in training other students. We attended Global Birdfair and
promoted our activities with a view to raising funds. Valuable international connections were made and our on-going collaboration with Time and Space Learning UK made good progress, including sales of Parachirp parabolic audio reflectors.
Public Benefit
The Trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty under Section 17 (1) of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit. The Planet Birdsong Foundation carries out a range of activities in furtherance of its charitable objectives, as detailed under Activities and Achievements, which the trustees believe provide benefit to the general public worldwide.
Risk Management
The Trustees have reviewed the risks the charity faces and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate their exposure to the major risks.
The major risk facing the charity during 2024 was the need to raise funding to allow the Charity to continue to operate at this level in future years.
Future Plans
In 2025 Planet Birdsong will continue its work in Rwanda, helped by receipt of the African Bird Club Conservation Award. A push forc scarcer bird records, increased numbers of audio records and locations explored will continue. and Skills continue to grow both in existing and new recordists. The citizen science method is proven to work.
In the UK we will have a stand at Global Birdfair in July, which enables us to make contact with a number of potential partners in Africa and elsewhere. We will continue to develop low cost Parachirp parabolic reflectors with Time and Space Learning. These can be flat packed and used with any mobile phone,
We will run our Birdsong Studio as part of the Migration Festival at Carey’s Secret Garden in Dorset. We will make a short film as part of an ongoing community project at Broughton Sanctuary in Yorkshire. We plan to appoint new trustees to enable us to broaden the scope of our activities and enhance our fundraising capabilities.
Statement of Financial Activities
for the period 1 January 2024 through 31st December 2024
| Unrestricted Funds (£) | Restricted Funds (£) | Total Funds (£) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brought Forward | |||
| Unrestricted Funds | 748.24 | 0 | 748.24 |
| Restricted Funds | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total Forward | 748.24 | 0 | 748.24 |
| Income | |||
| Donations | 925.00 | 1300.00 | 2225.00 |
| Charitable Activities |
5994.74 | 3000.00 | 8994.74 |
| Other Income | 746.61 | 0 | 746.61 |
| Total Income | 7666.35 | 4300.00 | 11966.35 |
| Total | 8,450.39 | 4300.00 | 12,750.39 |
| Expenditure | |||
| Charitable Activities |
5331.61 | 1,108.00 | 6939.61 |
| Total Expenditure | 5331.61 | 1,108.00 | 6939.61 |
| Net Income | 5810.78 |
Reconciliation of Funds
| Unrestricted Funds | Restricted Funds | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brought Forward | 748.24 | 0 | 748.24 |
| Carried Forward | 2334.74 | 3192.00 | 5526.74 |
All of the above results are derived from continuing activities.
There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. The notes on page 7 form part of these financial statements.
Balance Sheet
| nce Sheet | nce Sheet |
|---|---|
| as at 31 December, 2024 | |
| Note 2024 Value (£) | |
| Fixed Assets | NONE |
| Tangible Assets | 0 |
| Cash at bank and in hand | 5789.33 |
| Total Assets | 5789.33 |
| Creditors | NONE |
| Amounts falling due within one year | 0 |
| Net Assets | 5789.33 |
For the financial year in question the company was entitled to exemption under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies and no members have required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006. The directors acknowledge their responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and for the preparation of accounts.
Approved by the Board of Trustees on 29 October 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:
_Peter Cowdrey_29/10/2025_______
Peter Cowdrey, Chair
Notes to the accounts for the period ending 31st December, 2024
1. Principal accounting policies
The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below.
(a) Basis of accounting
These financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities' effective January 2019 (the Charities SORP (FRS 102)), UK accounting standards, including 'Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
The Planet Birdsong Foundation meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated.
(b) Fund accounting
(i) Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
(ii) Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions imposed by the donor as to how they may be used.
(c) Income
Income is recognised and included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income.
(i) Donations are received by way of grants, donations and gifts and the income is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable. Grants receivable are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.
(ii) Donated services and facilities (gifts in kind) are included at the value to the charity where this can be quantified. (iii) The value of services provided by volunteers has not been included as income in these accounts. (iv) Income from charitable activities includes income earned both from the supply of services under contractual arrangements and from performance-related grants. Grants receivable are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.
(v) Investment income is included when receivable.
(vi) Income is deferred when it is received in one financial period but relates to a future period. This may happen for example when a contract includes a mobilisation advance or upfront payment for a period that straddles the year end.
(d) Expenditure
Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred, and includes any VAT which cannot be recovered. (i) Expenditure on charitable activities comprises expenditure related to the direct furtherance of the charity's objectives. Where costs cannot be directly attributed, they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
(ii) Support costs relate to those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Support costs include back office costs, finance, personnel and governance costs. These costs have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
(iii) The value of services provided by volunteers has not been included as expenditure in these accounts.
(e) Tangible fixed assets and depreciation
Tangible fixed assets costing over £500 (including any incidental expenses of acquisition) are capitalized.
2. Trustee remuneration and expenses
None of the Trustees received any remuneration for their services as trustees during the year.
3. Taxation
The charity is exempt from corporation tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes.