2023-03-31-accounts

• your charity’s name, registration number, address and trustee names

• its structure and details of how it is managed, including how it recruits trustees

• its activities and objectives in the year

• its achievements and performance, including reporting on its public benefit

• a financial review including any debts and details of your reserves policy (if applicable)

• details of any funds held as a custodian trustee

Hanslope Community Orchard Annual Trustee Report 2022/23 Registration number: 1200266

Registerde Charity Address: 18 Park Road, Hanslope, MK19 7LT Orchard address: Behind Hanslope Village Hall, Newport Road, MK19 7NZ

Charity Structure:

We are comprised of 3 Trustees who meet every 6-8 weeks throughout the year. The Trustees are Nici Wilcox, Avril Francome and Vicky Crawford.

The Trustees are accountable for decisions made. We also have a Committee structure that feeds intro trustee decision making; comprised of a Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Trustees and members of the Orchard Maintenance Team. This committee is called Hanslope Members Meetings; and we also meet every 6-8 weeks throughout the year.

The Trustees approve or decline decisions and recommendations made by Hanslope Community Orchard Members Meetings, and are ultimately accountable for the Orchard’s operation in accordance with health and safety, financial viability and the rules of our constitution.

We hold open meetings 2-3 times per year in Hanslope Village Hall, and regularly send out an email newsletter via our mailing list and social media, whereby we aim to recruit more volunteers and trustees from within the parish boundary of Hanslope village.

Activities and objectives in the year:

Having only been established as a CIO in September 2022; our initial aims for the remainder of this financial year were to:

• Identify a viable piece of land in Hanslope Village for planting trees.

• Involve the village community in sponsoring and planting trees.

• Set up a bank account and register for gift aid.

• Choose heritage tree varieties to encourage cross pollination and a revival of ancient species diversity.

• Fundraise the cost of compost, fertiliser and 39 fruit trees.

• Pay for public liability insurance for the orchard site and risk assess orchard events such as the tree planting day.

All of the above objectives were achieved, with further detail provided below:

During 2022/2023 Robert Beesley, a local landowner, offered to lease us a portion of his farmer’s field behind Hanslope Village Hall for 50 years for a peppercorn amount. However, in order to ensure that this position is maintained without ambiguity, the trustees and Robert Beesley verbally agreed that a formal lease was necessary. Securing the lease is an aim for 2023/24.

In February 2023 39 heritage fruit trees were sponsored and planted on the site. We were able to register for Gift Aid, and secured £800 fundraising from tree sponsorship which paid for the cost of the trees. The orchard planting day was well attended and covered by a local photographer; resulting in publicity in Milton Keynes Citizen and a local magazine.

We gave a talk to the local Horticulturalists group explaining our plans to encourage heritage species diversity; with background info on some of these ancient varieties of apple, pear, plum, medlar, hazelnut and cherry.

Achievements for public benefit:

• 2800 Hanslope village residents now have free access to an environmentally considered and managed village space. The space is inclusive and accessible to all, regardless of income or social status.

• 50+ local residents young and old were involved in the planting day and community fair held in the Village Hall on 26th February 2023.

• Local residents with properties backing on to the orchard were consulted individually; with their views and preferences incorporated in the orchard design.

• A village meeting was held in early February and was well attended by interested

villagers.

Financial review:

Expenses 2022/23:

Expenses:				Income:
				Charity Calendar sponsorship		£200.00
Publicity for planting day		£50.00
Invoice for Trees		£725.00
Tree stakes and guards		£114.00		Tree sponsorship		1738
Engraved tree label mock up		£8.50
1 tonne bag of Horticultural Loam		£90.00
Public Liability Insurance		£90.72				£1,938.00
Cost of professional tree labels		£185.00
		£1,263.22
Balance:	£674.78

All funds are held in our charity bank account with Metro Bank. No other funds are held by custodian trustees.