2025-12-31-accounts - Friends Of Trent Vale Trail

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Friends of Trent Vale Trail Trustee Annual Report

For the period 01 January 2025 to 31 December 2025

1. Introduction

We are pleased to present the Trustee Annual Report for Friends of Trent Vale Trail (FoTVT) for the financial period ending 31 December 2025. This report provides an overview of the charity's activities, achievements, and financial performance during the year.

2. Governance Structure

The FoTVT is governed by a board of trustees, who are responsible for overseeing the charity's operations and ensuring that it fulfils its charitable objectives. The board meets regularly throughout the year to review performance, set strategic direction, and ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The regular meetings also include management volunteers who provide input and expertise. The trustees during the reporting period were,

Bindy Dadswell John Ford, Chair Karen Grundy, Treasurer Andrew Hindmarsh (resigned July 2025) Alan Hudson Steve Lee Richard Sargent

Management volunteers active during the period were, Alvin Wiggins Chris Thompson Peter Knox (Minutes Secretary) Steve Blagg

3. Charitable Activities

During the year, FoTVT continued to deliver on its objectives for the public benefit, to develop and promote the ‘Trent vale trail’ as a safe long distance publicly available transport route for cycling, walking and other forms of low energy transport and so secure the trail as a public amenity and a facility for recreation and other leisuretime occupation in the interests of social welfare with the object of improving the quality of life for the inhabitants of North-East Nottinghamshire and other users of the trail.

Our charitable activities included:

a) to raise funds to complete the Trent Vale Trail as a safe route for cyclists, walkers and, where possible for horse riders and mobility aid users, to access the villages and nature reserves between Newark and South Clifton.

b) to maintain and enhance sections of the Trail once built and to facilitate the Trail's use by people of all ages and abilities.

In the reporting period the FoTVT achieved the following,

Trail Development

Assisted Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) diversion and upgrade order for the South Clifton section. Now published and in place.
Following a competitive tender process CF Construction (Collingham) were contracted to construct the surface of the last section of the trail from Green Lane, Spalford to Coal Yard Lane, South Clifton at a quoted cost of £272,445.18 including VAT. Construction, fencing and gates were finally completed in early June 2025.
The last section of the Trent Vale Trail, from the Northern end of Green Lane, Spalford to Coal Yard Lane, South Clifton was officially opened on 28[th] June 2025 with a celebration being held at South Clifton Sports Pavillion.

Funding

The grants reported in the 2024 trustee report were used to fund the construction with payments made to CF Construction Limited (surface construction) and Professional Paddock Care (fencing and gates). TFM Country Store donated £750 of fencing materials with the balance supplied at cost. A very generous gesture that enabled the last section to be completed within budget

Impacts

The surface improvements will make rights of way accessible to more in our community whereas previously these sections were not easy for casual walkers and cyclists to navigate.
There is now a safe accessible walking, cycle, and horse-riding trail (except 2 sections in Besthorpe) from Newark to North Clifton to connect with the Fledborough to Lincoln trail.
In the Summer of 2025 Nottinghamshire County Council adopted the last section at the same time taking responsibility for the maintenance and upkeep of the surface. Landowners retain responsibility for boundary fences.

4. Financial Performance

FoTVT is committed to ensuring the responsible stewardship of funds entrusted to us by our donors and supporters. Highlights of our financial performance for the year include:

Opening bank balance at 01/01/25 £115,136

Total income: £190, 258 Comprising - Donations |& legacies £2,690 Grants £187,568

Total expenditure: £301,201

Comprising - Cost of charitable activities £301,201 Year-end Bank Balance at 31/12/25 £4,193

The FoTVT commitment is to use the majority of kind donations and grants toward the development, construction, and maintenance of the Trent Vale Trail while minimising charity operating expenses. We are pleased to report that through 2025 we continued to minimise the money spent on operating the charity (insurances and expenses) while maximising investment in our mission. We also minimised expenses with less than 0.5% spent on administration and the expense of running the charity.

5. Governance and Risk Management

The trustees continue to monitor and manage risks affecting the charity's operations while at all times complying with known legal and regulatory requirements. We are confident that our governance framework enables us to effectively manage risks and fulfil our obligations as a charity. A significant moment in the reporting period was the adoption of the last section of the Trent Vale Trail by Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) and thus assuming responsibility for surface maintenance and repairs that will be delivered by VIA on behalf of NCC. This has removed the risk of the charity having to fund a significant high-cost repair on their own.

6. Future Outlook

2025 was a groundbreaking year for the FoTVT in which we delivered our long-held objective of completing the Trent Vale Trail from Newark along the East Trent to South Clifton. Total investment over 6 years was more than £750,000 all provided by National, County and District Government, private trusts, and foundations. We can now say with confidence that the Friends of Trent Vale Trail have delivered a multi-user trail that will remain a legacy for the communities along the East Trent for many years.

The focus of the trustees is now to promote the use of the Trent Vale Trail to local communities and visitors to the area as well as seeking to enhance its attractiveness and keep a watchful eye on any maintenance issues. An important part of the promotion will be to create an engaging website that facilitates donations and shows users the route and additional information on the trail creation. We expect a new website and the option for membership to be in place in 2026.

Worthy of note in terms of the future are,

The newly constructed section through Spalford Parish to South Clifton has suffered with flooding in consecutive winters as River Trent over topped. This bring two risks the first being users not knowing that this section is flooded and damage to the trail surface.
The closure of flood damaged Carlton Ferry Lane has meant that delivery drivers and residents need to use Northcroft Lane for access. This has led to a degradation of the surface of Northcroft Lane. When the situation with Carlton Ferry Lane is resolved then the FoTVT will engage with NCC to establish a plan to return the surface of Northcroft Lane to its prior condition.

We are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and are grateful for the continued support of our donors, grant providers, volunteers, and stakeholders.

7. Conclusion

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who has contributed to the FoTVT 's success in the year ending 31 December 2024. Your support enables us to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve.

On behalf of the board of trustees, we look forward to another successful year ahead.

Signature:

John Ford, Chair Friends of Trent Vale Trail Date: 29 April, 2026

The Friends of Trent Vale Trail {FoTwr) SLit•mqnt af Nnandld Advhl•s Forthe Year to 315t D•c•nkn 2025 Income of charftablearti¥its Donations aThJ legacles Grants 2.6 161 187.568 11014 Other income £190.258 £110.975 Cost of Chaiitsble actiwties 30L201 9.196 Car ind tro¥d e%peTr5e Staff Costs Insurante tosts and obytheads 96 Equlpment kcOuntan1 le8al and other wofesslonal fees Interest on bahk ind rrethl urd etr. fi-rtanei•l char8es Phone, stadoneryand other offite ¢ost$ £30UOi £9.292 Net SUDefit1 £110.943 £101. The Friends of Trent Vale Trall {FoTVT) 811¢• Shwt•i •t 3ts1 D•Mmb•r 2Q25 2025 4,193 115.136 e4.193 fi,136 RESEAVES 8rought Fciward Istjanuary 2025 Net Surplu$lDeficitl £115,136 -110,943 13,452 101.684 £4.193 £115.136 The Officers of the Friends of Trent Vale Trail community group. as listed in the John Ford- Fom Chair Date.. 241112026 Karen Grundy- FOM Treasur( Date= ,1, |

ACCOUNTANfs REPORT TO THE FRIENDS OFTREpifvALE TRAIL I have ex8mined the attached Statement Of FinanGialActivities togetherwith the underlying books of aecount 8ncl c8n confifm that the Statement 1$ a true rellection of the activities ol the Friends Of Trent Vale Trailforthe year ending 31"December 2025. ROD GEORGE Colllngham Chortered Accountant Nottlnqhamshlre 18" Fobruary 2026