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2024-03-31-accounts

Barn Owl Trust Annual Report 2022- 2024

WATERLEAT, ASHBURTON, DEVON TQ13 7HU - (01364) 255256 - www.barnowltrust.org.uk Charity No: 1201419

Trustees :

Keith Grant, Frances Jaine Ramsden, Kevin Keatley, Simon Wilson, Ed McNeil

Hon Treasurer: Mark Pountney, Secretary: Gillian Gant

The Barn Owl Trust (1201419) was entered onto the Charity Register on 21st December 2022 as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).

The aims of the charity are - The conservation of the Barn Owl, other wildlife species and the natural environment through practical conservation, education, provision of information and research.

The Trust was set-up to take over the work of The Barn Owl Trust, registered charity, number 299835, this charity was registered in 1988 - 36 years ago. During the financial year 2023-2024 the Trustees, who are the same for both charities, met regularly and preparations were made for the transfer of the assets, including the staff, from one charity to the other. This was authorised by the Charity Commission on 25th July 2023 and happened on 31st March 2024. Barn Owl Trust will begin operating on 1st April 2024.

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ORDER OF
THE CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
To authorise the transfer of assets and liabilities and the granting of an indemnity under section
105 of the Charities Act 2011
dated the
25 July 2023
for the charities known as
THE BARN OWL TRUST: 299835
and
BARN OWL TRUST: 1201419
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This report covers the period from 21st December 2022 to 31st March 2024. There was no financial activity for the Barn Owl Trust (1201419). The assets transferred from The Barn Owl Trust (299835) on 31st March 2024 are listed in the Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating income and expenditure account) and the Balance Sheet on pages 2 & 3.

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Charity No: 1201419
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Barn Owl Trust - Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating income and expenditure account)

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

Unrestricted Restricted Total
Note Funds Funds Funds
£ £
£
INCOME: - -
-
Donations from old Charity 1,457,842 15,715
1,473,557
––––—— ––––——
––––——
Total 1,457,842 15,715
1,473,557
––––—— ––––——
––––——
EXPENDITURE ON:
Charitable Activities
Raising Funds - - -
Charitable activities - -
-
––––—— ––––——
––––——
Total - - -
––––—— ––––——
––––——
Net income/(expenditure) and net
movement in funds 1,457,842 15,715
1,473,557
Transfers between funds - - -
Total funds brought forward - - -
––––—— ––––——
––––——
Total funds at 31 March 2024 1,457,842 15,715
1,473,557
══════ ══════
══════

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Charity No: 1201419
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Barn Owl Trust Balance Sheet

At 31 March 2024

2024
Note £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 3 273,768
–––––––
273,768
Current assets
Stock 4 14,670
Debtors 5 54,943
Cash at bank and in hand 1,151,021
–––––––
1,220,634
Current liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 6 (20,845)
–––––––
Net current assets 1,199,789
–––––––
Net assets 1,473,557
══════
Funds
Unrestricted income funds
7 1,457,842
Restricted funds
8 15,715
–––––––
Total funds 1,473,557
══════

Please see the annual report and accounts of The Barn Owl Trust - registered charity no: 299835 for details of our activities, income and expenditure during the last financial year.

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Charity No: 1201419
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Barn Owl Trust Annual Report Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024 Charity Number 1201419 TRUST <

Barn Owl Trust

Contents

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

Contents Page
Report of the Trustees 1
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees 6
Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) 7
Balance Sheet 8
Notes to the Financial Statements 9

Barn Owl Trust

Trustees’ Report

Period from 21 December to 2022 31 March 2024

The Trustees have pleasure in presenting their report and the financial statements of the charity for the Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024.

Reference and Administrative Information

Principal Address Waterleat
Ashburton
Devon
TQ13 7HU
Trustees as at the date of approval of the report Keith Grant (Appointed 21 December 2022)
Frances Ramsden (Appointed 21 December 2022)
Simon Wilson (Appointed 21 December 2022)
Kevin Keatley (Appointed 21 December 2022)
Edward McNeil (Appointed 21 December 2022)
Secretary Gillian Gant (Appointed 21 December 2022)
Hon Treasurer Mark Pountney_MAAT_(Appointed 21 December 2022)
Management Team David Ramsden_MBE_
Head of Conservation
Bankers Triodos Bank UK Lloyds Bank
Deanery Rd, 31 Fore Street
Bristol Totnes
BS1 5AS Devon
TQ9 5HH
Accountants and Independent Examiners Martin Hobbs BSc ACA
Francis Clark LLP
Sigma House
Oak View Close
Edginswell Park
Torquay Devon
TQ2 7FF
Solicitors Wollens
The Harbour Side
At, 67 The Terrace
Torquay
TQ1 1DP

This is the first Trustees’ Annual Report of Barn Owl Trust since becoming a Charity Incorporated Organisation.

1

Barn Owl Trust

Trustees’ Report (continued)

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

Structure, Governance and Management

Barn Owl Trust is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with its constitution being its governing document.

The CIO was registered by the Charity Commission on 21[st] December 2022 on the basis of CIO constitution approved by a Trustees meeting on 27/10/2022.

The Trustees meet at least quarterly throughout the year to evaluate activities, to review financial performance and for forward planning. Day-to-day running of the Trust is handled by the Management Team (David Ramsden and Gillian Gant) who liaise frequently with and are line-managed by individual Trustees as well as attending and reporting to Trustees meetings.

A new Trustee may be appointed by a majority vote of the Trustees recorded in the minutes and signed by the new Trustee. Decisions are taken by a majority of votes, and in case of equality of votes the Chairman has a second and casting vote. New Trustees are inducted through attendance at meetings before official appointment.

Our Deed states that the number of Trustees shall not be less than three nor more than five.

The Trustees have full and unrestricted powers of investing monies as decided by a majority. The major risks to which the charity is exposed have been reviewed and systems have been established to mitigate those risks; these include annually reviewing our Financial Reserves Policy.

Objectives and Activities

The main object of the Trust is to promote the conservation of the Barn Owl, other wildlife species and the natural environment. The main areas of the Trust’s work are practical conservation, education, provision of information and research; the Trust also provides training courses for ecological consultants from around the UK, a live owl emergency service, and a sanctuary and rehabilitation facility for injured owls. Practical conservation and rehabilitation work takes place mainly in Devon and Cornwall, but all other areas of work have national (and even international) significance. For instance, the free information and advice service is available via the worldwide web and by post and telephone. We are the main source of Barn Owl training for Ecological Consultants across the UK, enabling them to accurately assess site occupation and achieve mitigation and enhancement through the creation of clear recommendations. The Trust also manages 26 acres of land known as the Lennon Legacy Project (owned by the Barn Owl Legacy Trust - BOLT) which is a nature reserve for wildlife. What was once intensively grazed pasture has become a haven for birds, butterflies, flowers and insects under BOT management. The Trust encourages local people to become involved in the upkeep and monitoring of the ever-increasing biodiversity, offering a place of quiet solitude for those who need it.

Barn Owl Trust CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

The Pandemic in 2020 halted our plans to convert The Barn Owl Trust to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). However, at a Trustee meeting on 27/10/2022 a draft CIO constitution was approved and submitted to the Charity Commission, the Barn Owl Trust (CIO) was registered on 21/12/2022. During this financial year, with the consent of the Charity Commission we transferred the assets of The Barn Owl Trust (299 835) in their entirety to Barn Owl Trust CIO (1201419) at the financial year end – 31[st] March 2024 and facilitated a smooth and seamless transition of legal status from a registered charity to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.

Achievements and Performance

The Trustees have given careful consideration, based upon the Charity Commission’s guidance, to ensure that the Trust’s activities are to the public benefit. This includes providing information and advice by email, telephone and via our website both on a national and international scale; dealing with enquiries is an essential and substantial part of the work by our team.

Change of Entity

The Trustees agreed to convert the Trust from a Registered Charity to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) thereby future proofing the organisation and making it easier to recruit future Trustees by limiting personal liability. Following approval at the Trustee Meeting of 27/10/2022 of a draft CIO constitution, a new CIO was registered by the Charity Commission on 21/12/2022. During the year, we worked towards transferring the assets and facilitating a smooth and seamless transition of legal status from the Charitable Trust called The Barn Owl Trust (Charity Number 299835) to a CIO called Barn Owl Trust (1201419). All of the assets, including the staff who all had to have new contracts, were transferred on the 31[st] March 2024.

2

Barn Owl Trust

Trustees’ Report (continued)

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

Financial Review

The operating results, together with the Balance Sheet and notes, are shown on pages 11 to 19.

At 31 March 2024 all assets were transferred from the Barn Owl Trust Charity to the new CIO, as a Donation of £1,473,557. This was made up of unrestricted funds of £1,457,842 and Restricted funds of £15,715. Other than this transfer, no operations took place within the CIO this financial year.

Of the unrestricted funds available to the CIO, the Trustees have allocated £484,249 as a reserve for the next financial year, and £685,733 for other projects including the funding of our new Education Officer role and Assistant Conservation Officer role, as well as several research projects, leaving a general fund of £287,860. Fixed assets and stock account for £288,432 of this and, considering a likely shortfall in income vs. expenditure (excluding legacies), will have to be drawn on.

The Trustees continue to look carefully at all outgoings, it is a difficult balance - holding reserves to ensure you can continue through the lean times often makes your appeals to Charitable Trusts less attractive than those from charities with smaller reserves, particularly in difficult economic times. It is these reserves that will allow us to continue in these post lockdown times and to work out a way forward.

Plans for Future Periods

Our upgraded website is scheduled the early part of the new financial year. This involves creating hundreds of new pages in a new style (theme) and transferring the content which will result in a ‘new-look’ mobile-friendly site.

We are planning to purchase an electric 4WD vehicle, supplied via National Grid later in the year. As well as being used for off-road fieldwork, the vehicle will have the capacity for 300+ miles and for towing the Trust’s display trailer which we use at shows and events.

The Creeping Thistle research project, in which we are comparing the most effective way to deal with this invasive species, is due to be completed in the coming financial year as should the long-awaited Advanced Barn Owl Surveying and Mitigation (ABOSM) course, which will then be available on-line.

Dates are organised for guided walks around our nature reserve this year and we will be able to invite visitors back to the Meeting Room. The Winter Bird Crop area will be ploughed and seeded as soon as the weather allows.

The second and third Field Shelters should be completed by the winter. All three provide shelter for the resident goats, and they also provide provision for Swallows, Bats, small bird nestboxes and a small mammal feeding station.

Our Reserves Officer & Volunteer Co-ordinator will continue to organise and lead practical tasks on the Lennon Legacy Project (LLP) reserve.

The £700,000 legacy from Gillian Grimwood, notified to us in the previous financial year, has allowed us to create two new posts, this will allow us to carry out more practical and educational work. We will continue work on the four new research projects;

The legacy has been ring-fenced by the Trustees under Other Projects in Designated Funds (note 9. in the accounts).

3

Barn Owl Trust

Trustees’ Report (continued)

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

With 20 staff currently the Trustees feel the Trust has reached the optimum size. Our new office can comfortably accommodate the team and the focus should be sustainability and consolidation. We have a great team here of both staff and volunteers. Together we have achieved a tremendous amount over the last three decades. To ensure that the team can continue its work of Conserving the Barn Owl and its Environment we need to find people with the skills, passion and enthusiasm to guide the organisation through the next thirty years! We hope the conversion to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) will make this easier.

Being a Trustee is a voluntary (unpaid) position with the legal and moral responsibility for overseeing the direction of the organisation. The day-to-day responsibility for running the Trust is delegated to the senior staff, the Management Team, who are recruited and managed by, and report regularly to, the Trustees. If you are interested in becoming a Trustee, please write to our Chairman Keith Grant telling us about your suitability for the role.

With the retirement of David Ramsden (one of the original co-founders of the Trust) from his post as Head of Conservation at the end of March 2025, a staged handover will continue during the year with existing staff receiving the training and support they need to take on new roles and responsibilities.

There will be a focus on reviewing our governance to ensure full compliance with Charity Commission recommendations.

In addition to our general work of dealing with enquiries, we will continue our practical conservation work such as annual monitoring, site visits and nestboxing, school visits, adult talks, and caring for resident and casualty birds. We will also maintain our Barn Owl Directory to find local contacts for Barn Owl conservation, Barn Owl casualties and local Barn Owl surveys. We will continue to use our social media presence to raise awareness both of the species and our work. We will continue to pull UK figures together and publish the ‘State of the UK Barn Owl Population’ results annually.

Wherever possible we will work with other groups both in the UK and abroad to promote Barn Owl conservation and we will be working at a local level to promote and support our local authorities, town, district and county who have all declared a Climate Emergency.

We will continue to monitor the Health & Safety Executive’s (HSE) position on the future of second-generation rodenticides (SGAR’s) and the industry-led Stewardship Regime that has so far failed to reduce wildlife poisoning. We will also continue to lobby for the implementation of recommendations from research projects, and to develop educational and training activities and resources, to target practical conservation projects (e.g., the provision of nestboxes) whilst trying to ensure that any development is sustainable, thereby reducing the Trust’s dependency on legacy income to support core costs.

We aim to attract more grant funding and donations to fund our work, this despite the challenging financial situation and the forthcoming election.

Financial Reserves Policy

Prudence dictates that because expenditure generally exceeds income (excluding legacies), financial reserves have been allocated (based on the last year’s ‘unrestricted’ expenditure) to ensure that the Trust can function during the forthcoming year.

4

Barn Owl Trust

Trustees’ Report (continued)

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the Trust Deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Signed on behalf of the Trustees

……………………………. …………………………….

Trustee

Trustee

Date: ………………………

5

Barn Owl Trust

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Barn Owl Trust for the Period from 21 December 2022 31 March 2024, which are set out on pages 7 to 12.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the Charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

Since the CIO’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  2. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair” view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Martin Hobbs BSc ACA Francis Clark LLP Chartered Accountants Sigma House Oak View Close Edginswell Park Torquay Devon TQ2 7FF

…………………….

6

Barn Owl Trust

Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating income and expenditure account)

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

Unrestricted Restricted Total
Note Funds Funds Funds
2024
£ £ £
INCOME: - - -
Donations from old Charity 1,457,842 15,715 1,473,557
––––—— ––––—— ––––——
Total 1,457,842 15,715 1,473,557
––––—— ––––—— ––––——
EXPENDITURE ON:
Charitable Activities
Raising Funds - - -
Charitable activities - - -
––––—— ––––—— ––––——
Total - - -
––––—— ––––—— ––––——
Net income/(expenditure) and net
movement in funds 1,457,842 15,715 1,473,557
Transfers between funds - - -
Total funds brought forward - - -
––––—— ––––—— ––––——
Total funds at 31 March 2024 1,457,842 15,715 1,473,557
══════ ══════ ══════

7

Barn Owl Trust

Balance Sheet

At 31 March 2024

At 31 March 2024
2024
Note £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 3 273,768
–––––––
273,768
Current assets
Stock 4 14,670
Debtors 5 54,943
Cash at bank and in hand 1,151,021
–––––––
1,220,634
Current liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 6 (20,845)
–––––––
Net current assets 1,199,789
–––––––
Net assets 1,473,557
══════
Funds
Unrestricted income funds 7 1,457,842
Restricted funds 8 15,715
–––––––
Total funds 1,473,557
══════

Approved by the Board of Trustees on …………………… and signed on its behalf by:

……………………. (Trustee)

…………………… (Trustees)

8

Barn Owl Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

1. Accounting Policies

(a) Basis of preparation and assessment of ‘going concern’

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these accounts. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) – (Charities SORP (FRS102)) the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011. The financial statements have been prepared on a ‘going concern’ basis.

The trust constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

The functional and presentational currency of these financial statements is sterling.

At 31 March 2024 all assets of The Barn Owl Trust (Charity Number 299835) were transferred to Barn Owl Trust (CIO 1201419). Please refer to the ‘Change of Entity’ and ‘Financial Review’ section of the Trustees’ Report on page 3 for more details.

(b) Income recognition

All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.

Donations are recognised when the Trust has been notified in writing of both the amount and settlement date.

Legacy gifts are recognised on a case-by-case basis following the granting of probate when the administrator/executor for the estate has communicated in writing both the amount and settlement date.

(c) Expenditure recognition

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and includes irrecoverable VAT.

(d) Tangible fixed assets and depreciation Tangible fixed assets were transferred from the old charity to the new CIO on 31 March 2024 at their Net book Value at that date.

Subsequent additions will be included at cost.

Tangible fixed assets except freehold land will be depreciated by equal annual instalments over their expected useful lives at the following rates:

Units 10% to 20% Straight line, leaving residual values Vehicles 25% Straight line, leaving residual values Others 33% Straight line

(e) Stock

Stock was transferred from the old charity to the new CIO on 31 March 2024. It is valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value, after making due allowance for obsolete and slow-moving items. There was no stock take of sales goods at Year End.

(f) Pension contributions

(g)

Fund accounting

9

Barn Owl Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

(h) Financial instruments

Financial instruments are classified and accounted for, according to the substance of the contractual arrangement, as financial assets, financial liabilities or equity instruments. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities. The charity holds the following financial instruments, all of which are considered to be basic:

- Short term debtors and creditors

2. Income

March
2024
£
Donations from old charity 1,473,557

At 31 March 2024 a total of 20 staff, 7 full time and 13 part time were transferred to the CIO.

No employee received employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) of more than £40,000.

None of the trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from an employment with the charity or a related entity.

3 Tangible fixed assets

Furniture Fixtures &
Units Property Fittings Total
£ £ £ £
Cost/Valuation
Additions 226,697 11,580 35,491 273,768
––––—— ––––—— ––––—— ––––——
At 31 March 2024 226,697 11,580 35,491 273,768
══════ ══════ ══════ ══════
Depreciation
Charge for the period - - - -
––––—— ––––—— ––––—— ––––——
At 31 March 2024 - - - -
══════ ══════ ══════ ══════
Net book value
At 31 March 2024 226,697 11,580 35,491 273,768
══════ ══════ ══════ ══════

10

Barn Owl Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

4 Stock March
2024
Promotional Goods 13,264
Nestboxes 1,406
––––——
14,670
══════
5 Debtors
2024
£
Trade debtors 1,138
Prepayments and accrued income 47,321
VAT receivable 6,484
––––——
54,943
══════
6 Creditors: amount falling due within one year
2024
£
Trade Creditors 13,550
Accruals and deferred income 2,700
Taxation and social security 4,595
––––——
20,845
══════

7 Trustees’ remuneration and related party transactions During the year, no remuneration was paid to any trustee. No expenses were reimbursed to any of the trustees.

11

Barn Owl Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

8 Unrestricted funds of the charity

Period from 21 December 2022 Fund Fund to 31st Fund to 31st
March 2024 Balance Income Expenditure Transfers Balance
B/fwd C/fwd
£ £ £ £ £
Designated funds:
Reserves Policy - 484,249 - - 484,249
Other Projects - 685,733 - - 685,733
––––—— ––––—— ––––—— ––––—— ––––——
Total designated funds - 1,169,982 - - 1,169,982
Unrestricted general fund - 287,860 - - 287,860
––––—— ––––—— ––––—— ––––—— ––––——
Total unrestricted funds - 1,457,842 - - 1,457,842
══════ ══════ ══════ ══════ ══════
9 Restricted funds
Period from 21 December 2022 Fund Balance Income Expenditure Transfers Fund
To 31st March 2024 B/fwd C/fwd
£ £ £ £ £
Fixed Assets - 6,549 - - 6,549
Barn Lift £3,000 - 1,131 - - 1,131
retained for 5 years servicing
Field Shelters - 7,218 - - 7,218
Volunteers and LLP - 817 - - 817
––––—— ––––—— ––––—— ––––—— ––––——
Total restricted funds - 15,715 - - 15,715
══════ ══════ ══════ ══════ ══════

The Barn Lift servicing, Field Shelters, Remote Monitoring and Volunteers/LLP funds of £9,166 are held in current assets. The remaining restricted funds of £6,549 are held in fixed assets

10. Related Party Transactions

Other than the transfer of operations and assets from the old charity there were no related party transactions during the period.

11 Analysis of net assets between funds

Unrestricted Restricted 2024
Funds Funds Total
£ £ £
Tangible assets 267,219 6,549 273,768
Other current assets 69,613 - 69,613
Cash at bank and in hand 1,141,855 9,166 1,151,021
Other current liabilities (20,845) - (20,845)
––––—— ––––—— ––––——
1,457,842 15,715 1,473,557
══════ ══════ ══════

12

Barn Owl Trust Annual Report Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024 Charity Number 1201419 TRUST <

Barn Owl Trust

Contents

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

Contents Page
Report of the Trustees 1
Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees 6
Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) 7
Balance Sheet 8
Notes to the Financial Statements 9

Barn Owl Trust

Trustees’ Report

Period from 21 December to 2022 31 March 2024

The Trustees have pleasure in presenting their report and the financial statements of the charity for the Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024.

Reference and Administrative Information

Principal Address Waterleat
Ashburton
Devon
TQ13 7HU
Trustees as at the date of approval of the report Keith Grant (Appointed 21 December 2022)
Frances Ramsden (Appointed 21 December 2022)
Simon Wilson (Appointed 21 December 2022)
Kevin Keatley (Appointed 21 December 2022)
Edward McNeil (Appointed 21 December 2022)
Secretary Gillian Gant (Appointed 21 December 2022)
Hon Treasurer Mark Pountney_MAAT_(Appointed 21 December 2022)
Management Team David Ramsden_MBE_
Head of Conservation
Bankers Triodos Bank UK Lloyds Bank
Deanery Rd, 31 Fore Street
Bristol Totnes
BS1 5AS Devon
TQ9 5HH
Accountants and Independent Examiners Martin Hobbs BSc ACA
Francis Clark LLP
Sigma House
Oak View Close
Edginswell Park
Torquay Devon
TQ2 7FF
Solicitors Wollens
The Harbour Side
At, 67 The Terrace
Torquay
TQ1 1DP

This is the first Trustees’ Annual Report of Barn Owl Trust since becoming a Charity Incorporated Organisation.

1

Barn Owl Trust

Trustees’ Report (continued)

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

Structure, Governance and Management

Barn Owl Trust is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with its constitution being its governing document.

The CIO was registered by the Charity Commission on 21[st] December 2022 on the basis of CIO constitution approved by a Trustees meeting on 27/10/2022.

The Trustees meet at least quarterly throughout the year to evaluate activities, to review financial performance and for forward planning. Day-to-day running of the Trust is handled by the Management Team (David Ramsden and Gillian Gant) who liaise frequently with and are line-managed by individual Trustees as well as attending and reporting to Trustees meetings.

A new Trustee may be appointed by a majority vote of the Trustees recorded in the minutes and signed by the new Trustee. Decisions are taken by a majority of votes, and in case of equality of votes the Chairman has a second and casting vote. New Trustees are inducted through attendance at meetings before official appointment.

Our Deed states that the number of Trustees shall not be less than three nor more than five.

The Trustees have full and unrestricted powers of investing monies as decided by a majority. The major risks to which the charity is exposed have been reviewed and systems have been established to mitigate those risks; these include annually reviewing our Financial Reserves Policy.

Objectives and Activities

The main object of the Trust is to promote the conservation of the Barn Owl, other wildlife species and the natural environment. The main areas of the Trust’s work are practical conservation, education, provision of information and research; the Trust also provides training courses for ecological consultants from around the UK, a live owl emergency service, and a sanctuary and rehabilitation facility for injured owls. Practical conservation and rehabilitation work takes place mainly in Devon and Cornwall, but all other areas of work have national (and even international) significance. For instance, the free information and advice service is available via the worldwide web and by post and telephone. We are the main source of Barn Owl training for Ecological Consultants across the UK, enabling them to accurately assess site occupation and achieve mitigation and enhancement through the creation of clear recommendations. The Trust also manages 26 acres of land known as the Lennon Legacy Project (owned by the Barn Owl Legacy Trust - BOLT) which is a nature reserve for wildlife. What was once intensively grazed pasture has become a haven for birds, butterflies, flowers and insects under BOT management. The Trust encourages local people to become involved in the upkeep and monitoring of the ever-increasing biodiversity, offering a place of quiet solitude for those who need it.

Barn Owl Trust CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

The Pandemic in 2020 halted our plans to convert The Barn Owl Trust to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). However, at a Trustee meeting on 27/10/2022 a draft CIO constitution was approved and submitted to the Charity Commission, the Barn Owl Trust (CIO) was registered on 21/12/2022. During this financial year, with the consent of the Charity Commission we transferred the assets of The Barn Owl Trust (299 835) in their entirety to Barn Owl Trust CIO (1201419) at the financial year end – 31[st] March 2024 and facilitated a smooth and seamless transition of legal status from a registered charity to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.

Achievements and Performance

The Trustees have given careful consideration, based upon the Charity Commission’s guidance, to ensure that the Trust’s activities are to the public benefit. This includes providing information and advice by email, telephone and via our website both on a national and international scale; dealing with enquiries is an essential and substantial part of the work by our team.

Change of Entity

The Trustees agreed to convert the Trust from a Registered Charity to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) thereby future proofing the organisation and making it easier to recruit future Trustees by limiting personal liability. Following approval at the Trustee Meeting of 27/10/2022 of a draft CIO constitution, a new CIO was registered by the Charity Commission on 21/12/2022. During the year, we worked towards transferring the assets and facilitating a smooth and seamless transition of legal status from the Charitable Trust called The Barn Owl Trust (Charity Number 299835) to a CIO called Barn Owl Trust (1201419). All of the assets, including the staff who all had to have new contracts, were transferred on the 31[st] March 2024.

2

Barn Owl Trust

Trustees’ Report (continued)

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

Financial Review

The operating results, together with the Balance Sheet and notes, are shown on pages 11 to 19.

At 31 March 2024 all assets were transferred from the Barn Owl Trust Charity to the new CIO, as a Donation of £1,473,557. This was made up of unrestricted funds of £1,457,842 and Restricted funds of £15,715. Other than this transfer, no operations took place within the CIO this financial year.

Of the unrestricted funds available to the CIO, the Trustees have allocated £484,249 as a reserve for the next financial year, and £685,733 for other projects including the funding of our new Education Officer role and Assistant Conservation Officer role, as well as several research projects, leaving a general fund of £287,860. Fixed assets and stock account for £288,432 of this and, considering a likely shortfall in income vs. expenditure (excluding legacies), will have to be drawn on.

The Trustees continue to look carefully at all outgoings, it is a difficult balance - holding reserves to ensure you can continue through the lean times often makes your appeals to Charitable Trusts less attractive than those from charities with smaller reserves, particularly in difficult economic times. It is these reserves that will allow us to continue in these post lockdown times and to work out a way forward.

Plans for Future Periods

Our upgraded website is scheduled the early part of the new financial year. This involves creating hundreds of new pages in a new style (theme) and transferring the content which will result in a ‘new-look’ mobile-friendly site.

We are planning to purchase an electric 4WD vehicle, supplied via National Grid later in the year. As well as being used for off-road fieldwork, the vehicle will have the capacity for 300+ miles and for towing the Trust’s display trailer which we use at shows and events.

The Creeping Thistle research project, in which we are comparing the most effective way to deal with this invasive species, is due to be completed in the coming financial year as should the long-awaited Advanced Barn Owl Surveying and Mitigation (ABOSM) course, which will then be available on-line.

Dates are organised for guided walks around our nature reserve this year and we will be able to invite visitors back to the Meeting Room. The Winter Bird Crop area will be ploughed and seeded as soon as the weather allows.

The second and third Field Shelters should be completed by the winter. All three provide shelter for the resident goats, and they also provide provision for Swallows, Bats, small bird nestboxes and a small mammal feeding station.

Our Reserves Officer & Volunteer Co-ordinator will continue to organise and lead practical tasks on the Lennon Legacy Project (LLP) reserve.

The £700,000 legacy from Gillian Grimwood, notified to us in the previous financial year, has allowed us to create two new posts, this will allow us to carry out more practical and educational work. We will continue work on the four new research projects;

The legacy has been ring-fenced by the Trustees under Other Projects in Designated Funds (note 9. in the accounts).

3

Barn Owl Trust

Trustees’ Report (continued)

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

With 20 staff currently the Trustees feel the Trust has reached the optimum size. Our new office can comfortably accommodate the team and the focus should be sustainability and consolidation. We have a great team here of both staff and volunteers. Together we have achieved a tremendous amount over the last three decades. To ensure that the team can continue its work of Conserving the Barn Owl and its Environment we need to find people with the skills, passion and enthusiasm to guide the organisation through the next thirty years! We hope the conversion to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) will make this easier.

Being a Trustee is a voluntary (unpaid) position with the legal and moral responsibility for overseeing the direction of the organisation. The day-to-day responsibility for running the Trust is delegated to the senior staff, the Management Team, who are recruited and managed by, and report regularly to, the Trustees. If you are interested in becoming a Trustee, please write to our Chairman Keith Grant telling us about your suitability for the role.

With the retirement of David Ramsden (one of the original co-founders of the Trust) from his post as Head of Conservation at the end of March 2025, a staged handover will continue during the year with existing staff receiving the training and support they need to take on new roles and responsibilities.

There will be a focus on reviewing our governance to ensure full compliance with Charity Commission recommendations.

In addition to our general work of dealing with enquiries, we will continue our practical conservation work such as annual monitoring, site visits and nestboxing, school visits, adult talks, and caring for resident and casualty birds. We will also maintain our Barn Owl Directory to find local contacts for Barn Owl conservation, Barn Owl casualties and local Barn Owl surveys. We will continue to use our social media presence to raise awareness both of the species and our work. We will continue to pull UK figures together and publish the ‘State of the UK Barn Owl Population’ results annually.

Wherever possible we will work with other groups both in the UK and abroad to promote Barn Owl conservation and we will be working at a local level to promote and support our local authorities, town, district and county who have all declared a Climate Emergency.

We will continue to monitor the Health & Safety Executive’s (HSE) position on the future of second-generation rodenticides (SGAR’s) and the industry-led Stewardship Regime that has so far failed to reduce wildlife poisoning. We will also continue to lobby for the implementation of recommendations from research projects, and to develop educational and training activities and resources, to target practical conservation projects (e.g., the provision of nestboxes) whilst trying to ensure that any development is sustainable, thereby reducing the Trust’s dependency on legacy income to support core costs.

We aim to attract more grant funding and donations to fund our work, this despite the challenging financial situation and the forthcoming election.

Financial Reserves Policy

Prudence dictates that because expenditure generally exceeds income (excluding legacies), financial reserves have been allocated (based on the last year’s ‘unrestricted’ expenditure) to ensure that the Trust can function during the forthcoming year.

4

Barn Owl Trust

Trustees’ Report (continued)

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the Trust Deed. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Signed on behalf of the Trustees

……………………………. …………………………….

Trustee

Trustee

Date: ………………………

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Barn Owl Trust

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Barn Owl Trust for the Period from 21 December 2022 31 March 2024, which are set out on pages 7 to 12.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the Charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

Since the CIO’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  2. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair” view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Martin Hobbs BSc ACA Francis Clark LLP Chartered Accountants Sigma House Oak View Close Edginswell Park Torquay Devon TQ2 7FF

…………………….

6

Barn Owl Trust

Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating income and expenditure account)

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

Unrestricted Restricted Total
Note Funds Funds Funds
2024
£ £ £
INCOME: - - -
Donations from old Charity 1,457,842 15,715 1,473,557
––––—— ––––—— ––––——
Total 1,457,842 15,715 1,473,557
––––—— ––––—— ––––——
EXPENDITURE ON:
Charitable Activities
Raising Funds - - -
Charitable activities - - -
––––—— ––––—— ––––——
Total - - -
––––—— ––––—— ––––——
Net income/(expenditure) and net
movement in funds 1,457,842 15,715 1,473,557
Transfers between funds - - -
Total funds brought forward - - -
––––—— ––––—— ––––——
Total funds at 31 March 2024 1,457,842 15,715 1,473,557
══════ ══════ ══════

7

Barn Owl Trust

Balance Sheet

At 31 March 2024

At 31 March 2024
2024
Note £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 3 273,768
–––––––
273,768
Current assets
Stock 4 14,670
Debtors 5 54,943
Cash at bank and in hand 1,151,021
–––––––
1,220,634
Current liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 6 (20,845)
–––––––
Net current assets 1,199,789
–––––––
Net assets 1,473,557
══════
Funds
Unrestricted income funds 7 1,457,842
Restricted funds 8 15,715
–––––––
Total funds 1,473,557
══════

Approved by the Board of Trustees on …………………… and signed on its behalf by:

……………………. (Trustee)

…………………… (Trustees)

8

Barn Owl Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

1. Accounting Policies

(a) Basis of preparation and assessment of ‘going concern’

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these accounts. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) – (Charities SORP (FRS102)) the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011. The financial statements have been prepared on a ‘going concern’ basis.

The trust constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

The functional and presentational currency of these financial statements is sterling.

At 31 March 2024 all assets of The Barn Owl Trust (Charity Number 299835) were transferred to Barn Owl Trust (CIO 1201419). Please refer to the ‘Change of Entity’ and ‘Financial Review’ section of the Trustees’ Report on page 3 for more details.

(b) Income recognition

All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.

Donations are recognised when the Trust has been notified in writing of both the amount and settlement date.

Legacy gifts are recognised on a case-by-case basis following the granting of probate when the administrator/executor for the estate has communicated in writing both the amount and settlement date.

(c) Expenditure recognition

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and includes irrecoverable VAT.

(d) Tangible fixed assets and depreciation Tangible fixed assets were transferred from the old charity to the new CIO on 31 March 2024 at their Net book Value at that date.

Subsequent additions will be included at cost.

Tangible fixed assets except freehold land will be depreciated by equal annual instalments over their expected useful lives at the following rates:

Units 10% to 20% Straight line, leaving residual values Vehicles 25% Straight line, leaving residual values Others 33% Straight line

(e) Stock

Stock was transferred from the old charity to the new CIO on 31 March 2024. It is valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value, after making due allowance for obsolete and slow-moving items. There was no stock take of sales goods at Year End.

(f) Pension contributions

(g)

Fund accounting

9

Barn Owl Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

(h) Financial instruments

Financial instruments are classified and accounted for, according to the substance of the contractual arrangement, as financial assets, financial liabilities or equity instruments. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities. The charity holds the following financial instruments, all of which are considered to be basic:

- Short term debtors and creditors

2. Income

March
2024
£
Donations from old charity 1,473,557

At 31 March 2024 a total of 20 staff, 7 full time and 13 part time were transferred to the CIO.

No employee received employee benefits (excluding employer pension costs) of more than £40,000.

None of the trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from an employment with the charity or a related entity.

3 Tangible fixed assets

Furniture Fixtures &
Units Property Fittings Total
£ £ £ £
Cost/Valuation
Additions 226,697 11,580 35,491 273,768
––––—— ––––—— ––––—— ––––——
At 31 March 2024 226,697 11,580 35,491 273,768
══════ ══════ ══════ ══════
Depreciation
Charge for the period - - - -
––––—— ––––—— ––––—— ––––——
At 31 March 2024 - - - -
══════ ══════ ══════ ══════
Net book value
At 31 March 2024 226,697 11,580 35,491 273,768
══════ ══════ ══════ ══════

10

Barn Owl Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

4 Stock March
2024
Promotional Goods 13,264
Nestboxes 1,406
––––——
14,670
══════
5 Debtors
2024
£
Trade debtors 1,138
Prepayments and accrued income 47,321
VAT receivable 6,484
––––——
54,943
══════
6 Creditors: amount falling due within one year
2024
£
Trade Creditors 13,550
Accruals and deferred income 2,700
Taxation and social security 4,595
––––——
20,845
══════

7 Trustees’ remuneration and related party transactions During the year, no remuneration was paid to any trustee. No expenses were reimbursed to any of the trustees.

11

Barn Owl Trust

Notes to the Financial Statements

Period from 21 December 2022 to 31 March 2024

8 Unrestricted funds of the charity

Period from 21 December 2022 Fund Fund to 31st Fund to 31st
March 2024 Balance Income Expenditure Transfers Balance
B/fwd C/fwd
£ £ £ £ £
Designated funds:
Reserves Policy - 484,249 - - 484,249
Other Projects - 685,733 - - 685,733
––––—— ––––—— ––––—— ––––—— ––––——
Total designated funds - 1,169,982 - - 1,169,982
Unrestricted general fund - 287,860 - - 287,860
––––—— ––––—— ––––—— ––––—— ––––——
Total unrestricted funds - 1,457,842 - - 1,457,842
══════ ══════ ══════ ══════ ══════
9 Restricted funds
Period from 21 December 2022 Fund Balance Income Expenditure Transfers Fund
To 31st March 2024 B/fwd C/fwd
£ £ £ £ £
Fixed Assets - 6,549 - - 6,549
Barn Lift £3,000 - 1,131 - - 1,131
retained for 5 years servicing
Field Shelters - 7,218 - - 7,218
Volunteers and LLP - 817 - - 817
––––—— ––––—— ––––—— ––––—— ––––——
Total restricted funds - 15,715 - - 15,715
══════ ══════ ══════ ══════ ══════

The Barn Lift servicing, Field Shelters, Remote Monitoring and Volunteers/LLP funds of £9,166 are held in current assets. The remaining restricted funds of £6,549 are held in fixed assets

10. Related Party Transactions

Other than the transfer of operations and assets from the old charity there were no related party transactions during the period.

11 Analysis of net assets between funds

Unrestricted Restricted 2024
Funds Funds Total
£ £ £
Tangible assets 267,219 6,549 273,768
Other current assets 69,613 - 69,613
Cash at bank and in hand 1,141,855 9,166 1,151,021
Other current liabilities (20,845) - (20,845)
––––—— ––––—— ––––——
1,457,842 15,715 1,473,557
══════ ══════ ══════

12