THE WOLDS AND RIVERBANK COUNTRYSIDE SOCIETY Annual Report 2023
The Wolds And Riverbank Countryside Society [ WARCS ] is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation [ CIO ], a form of charity which is overseen by the Charity Commission for England & Wales. Our Charity number is 1200339 and we are run by the Trustees who are all unpaid volunteers.
The objects of the CIO are to promote for the benefit of the public the conservation protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment in ‘the area of benefit’ including by promoting biological diversity and to advance the education of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment.
Our area of benefit is four ten-kilometre squares from OS grid reference SE800400 to 800200, south of a line drawn from Holme on Spalding Moor to Bishop Burton. This does not exclude CIO events taking place outside the area and there is no geographical limit upon membership of the CIO.
The Society cannot distribute profits and must use all of its income to the furtherance of the objectives above.
We fulfil a public benefit by providing information and education for people in our area and a resource where they can enjoy a natural environment together with the physical and mental welfare benefits that brings.
WARCS began as an unincorporated group of people [the Society ] interested in wildlife and caring for the countryside whose first meeting was on 3 May 1996. This evolved into regular monthly meetings, usually with talks on a variety of topics.
In 2005 the opportunity arose to acquire, with support from Enventure Northern Limited and Elloughton-cum-Brough Town Council, a piece of woodland on the edge of Brough situated next to the Hull Ionian’s ground. In 2014 a further piece of land adjacent to the woodland was acquired and then managed as a wildflower meadow. These two areas constitute our Reserve.
2023 Achievements
In April 2023 the committee of the Society determined to transfer all the activities, assets and liabilities of the society to WARCS, in accordance with the decision of the members at an Extraordinary General Meeting held on 24 June 2022, with effect from 1 May 2023.
During the year we held 8 talks for members and non-members on a wide variety of topics as well as maintaining the Reserve, planting around 1,000 wild flowers grown from seed, and helping keep the general area tidy.
Financial Results
As the activities, assets and liabilities were not transferred until 1 May 2023 WARCS [as a CIO] did not have any income or expenditure. However the Society did with income of £1,791, routine expenditure of £3,792 and professional fees in connection with the transfer of land of £2,171. This resulted in a net deficit of £4,172 and left net funds of £3,980. Subsequently membership subscriptions have been increased.
WELTON VILLAGE MEMORIAL HALL Annual Report 2023 continued
Trustees
The Trustees are all unpaid and are elected by rotation, usually for a three year period. Trustees meet regularly, usually monthly.
Below is a list of Trustees and Officers throughout the year up till February 2024:
| Name | Position | Period | How appointed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dave Russell | Chair | Full period | First Trustee to 31.05.25 |
| Tony Clarke | Vice-Chair | Full period. Tony’s appointment was until 30 May 2023 and he was reappointed at the AGM in May 2023. |
First Trustee to 31.05.23 |
| Rosemary Roach | Secretary | Full period. Rosemary’s appointment was until 30 May 2023 and she was reappointed at the AGM in May 2023 but subsequently decided to resign for personal reasons on 3 October 2023. |
First Trustee to 31.05.23 |
| Paul Tatton | Treasurer | Full period | First Trustee to 31.05.24 |
| John Goodman | Trustee | Full period | First Trustee to 31.05.25 |
| Jane Thompson | Trustee | Full period | First Trustee to 31.05.25 |
| Mike Hewson | Trustee | Full period | First Trustee to 31.05.25 |
| Nicola Bryant | Trustee Secretary from November 2023 |
Full period | First Trustee to 31.05.25 |
| Lesley Farrar | Trustee | Full period | First Trustee to 31.05.24 |
| Neil Smailes | Trustee | Full period | First Trustee to 31.05.24 |
| Coleen Gill | Trustee | Full period | First Trustee to 31.05.24 |
First Trustees are those appointed when the CIO was initially created.
The Trustees are always keen to add to the team who try to make sure that the Hall is operating smoothly through using their skills and experience whether they become a Trustee
WELTON VILLAGE MEMORIAL HALL Annual Report 2023 continued
or not. Especially useful would be anyone with social media, IT or people skills. Please contact any of the Trustees if you feel you could contribute in some way.
THE WOLDS AND RIVERBANK COUNTRYSIDE SOCIETY Income & Expenditure Account Accounts for Year ended 30 April 2023
| £ INCOME Membership Grants Received Other income Total Income EXPENDITURE Reserve expenses Insurances Room Hire Other Routine Routine expenditure Professional Fees Other Total Expenditure Net Income/(Expenditure) CASH & BANK Land Equipment Cash & Bank Net Cash & Bank Funds Brought Forward Net Income/(Expenditure) Funds Carried Forward |
Unincorporated Group 2022/23 324 1,000 467 1,791 ( 2,660) ( 421) ( 377) ( 334) ( 3,792) ( 2,171) (5,963) ( 4,172) - - 3,980 3,980 8,152 ( 4,172) 3,980 |
CIO |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | ||
| - - - |
||
| - | ||
| - - - - |
||
| - - - |
||
| - | ||
| - | ||
| - - 3,980 |
- - - |
|
| 3,980 | - | |
| 8,152 ( 4,172) |
- - |
|
| 3,980 | - | |
Notes
On 12 September 2022 a Charitable Incorprated Organisation [the CIO] called The Wolds And Riverbank Countryside Society was registered with the Charity Commission. Subsequently the unincorporated society known as The Wolds And Riverbank Countryside Society [the Society] transferred all its activities, assets and liabilities to the CIO with effect from 1 May 2023. The assets comprised land, equipment , cash and bank accounts.
The results for the Society have been shown solely for information and transparency.
As the activities, assets and liabilities were not transferred until 1 May 2023, there was no income or expenditure in the CIO for the period ended 30 April 2023
Assets & Liabilities
The land owned by the Society is held for the purpose of meeting the Society's objectives and its use cannot be changed without the agreement of its members and the Charity Commission. Therefore it has no financial value.
The Society equipment is estimated to have no financial value
There were no outstanding liabilities of the Society as at the 30 April 2023
Prepared by Paul Tatton [Treasurer] 1 May 2023