STRAWBERRY LINE SOCIETY AGM TUESDAY 9.4.24 WINSCOMBE CRICKET CLUB
MINUTES
TRUSTEES PRESENT: Mick Fletcher (chair) , Mandy Turner, Rachel Hayward, Richard Jones, Garry Allen, Doug Warwick, Angela Lacy.
APOLOGIES: Sebastian Johns, Derrick Hunt, Faith Glasgow, Nicola Devitt, Charles Jenkins, Val Major.
WELCOME FROM THE CHAIR: Mick Fletcher welcomed everyone to the meeting and was pleased to see members from all branches between Clevedon and Shepton Mallet. The meeting was quorate with 26 in attendance.
MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS GENERAL MEETING : The minutes of the Extraordinary General Meeting ( 1/3/23) were agreed.
MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES: None
TRUSTEES REPORT: The old Charity has been closed and and its assets finally transferred. Mick thanked Mandy for her patience and hard work changing the bank account with Santander. David was also thanked for his diligence in dealing with the documents and solicitors. Ruth Berry’s work in changing to a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation, registered with the Charity Commission) was appreciated.
The new link at Sandford was opened, funded by the National Grid who also provided fencing.
The new link from Westbury to Easton provides a safe passage between these 2 villages, without having to cross the busy A371.
A short section of path has been opened north of Yatton and Doug Warwick was applauded for his commitment
Garry Allen, representing his team of volunteers was applauded for their hard work cutting back and tidying the Strawberry Line from Sandford to Shute Shelve. The team very much deserved their ‘highly commended’ at the BBC make a difference awards.
There is now a clearly established branch of the Strawberry Line from Shute Shelve to Yatton. North Somerset Council owns the Strawberry Line from Clevedon to the A38 and we keep pressure on the council to keep the path in good condition although we are aware of lack of funds.
The trustees are working with Adrian Read, Sustrans Ranger, the Millennium Green team, YACWAG and Congresbury where volunteers have spent a lot of time clearing the area around the station.
Johnny Latimer and David Parkin have gained sponsorship to install bicycle racks at intervals along the line..
We have a good relationship with our two councils who have committed to a joint bid to complete the Somerset Circle.
Mick emphasised that our most important asset is our brand which attracts many thousand visitors.
Richard Jones has totally revamped the Strawberry Line website and management of our membership system (Membermojo). This makes it much easier for Rachel Hayward, our membership secretary to communicate with members. Rachel and Richard were thanked for their commitment.
Special thanks was given to Lois Brenchley, a founder member who is able to remind us of how and why things have been done.
The trustees need to attract younger members who are passionate about the future of the line. We need a larger, more active membership.
FINANCE REPORT & APPROVAL OF ACCOUNTS: Mandy Turner thanked Mick for taking on chair in this new chapter of being a CIO.
Due to all the recent changes in charitable status and bank, Mandy apologised for not being able to provide the accounts for this meeting. The accounting is complete and she awaits their return from the auditor, who is pooling them together.
The accounts will be presented at an EGM in the near future. The accounts at the end of 2021: £22,000 2022: £20,000. There was no grant that year when maintenance and equipment was purchased. 2023: £26,000. Driven by kind donations, including a generous donation of £5000 after a talk given by Richard Jones. A donation of £3000 was donated by a business project. A grant of £1000 from North Somerset Council, to invest in our maintenance team.
Subscriptions of £300 per year meet mostrunning costs of equipment and also insurance. We hope to increase membership.
REPORT ON MEMBERSHIP: MemberMojo was set up by Richard Jones, making it much less of a task of distributing information to members. Rachel can also look to see which branch they belong to and what expertise they can offer to the SLS. Rachel thanked Richard for introducing MemberMojo which has made the job of Membership Secretary much more straightforward.
A single membership costs £10 per year. During the last year 70 new members have paid up, possibly due to social media adverts oragnised by Johnny Latimer.
REPORT ON WEBSITE: A thank you to Richard Jones for completely redesigning the tired looking website after nine years.
Johnny Latimer has managed a Facebook account in 2023 and all new items are recorded on Facebook which works in tandem with the website. There is a more accurate account of its history and Richard Jones has added Google Maps to show where the Strawberry Line exists. This facility has been accessed by more than 100000 users as counted on Google Maps.
APPOINTMENT OF TRUSTEES: CIO initial Trustees were appointed in 2022 for periods of 3,2 or 1 year and most are prepared to continue. David Parkin, having served his one year has agreed to stand for a further term. Angie Lacy is standing down as a trustee but continues to be secretary for The Sandford to Shute shelve branch.Garry Allen is standing down as a trustee and from the local branch committee. They were both thanked for their services to the Society
Adrian Read Sustrans Ranger and Johnnie Latimer have volunteered to stand as new Trustees. Mandy Turner, Rachel Hayward, Richard Jones, Doug Warwick and Mick Fletcher are willing to continue as trustees.
The changes of trustees were proposed by Rachel Hewson (Westbury) and seconded by Hugh Robson ( Cheddar).
David Parkin agreed to inform the charity commission of these changes.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS : Johnny Latimer has been observing the signage along the North Somerset owned stretch of the Strawberry Line to improve signage and make it consistent throughout the length of the line.
Signs are required with the following information:
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Mandated way markers.
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Code of conduct for the countryside. These were first introduced by Sam Phillips, Parks and Green spaces officer for North Somerset.
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Safety. Where the path meets a Highway and barriers protect path users and traffic.
He has engaged with parish councils to consider signs for villages and is looking for sponsorship of £6000-£9000 to provide informative boards showing local wildlife and sites of interest.
Richard Jones informed us of the history of the Somerset Circle, the brainchild of Paul Harley in 2014 which was then named the Avon Mendip Ring. Richard then showed us the newest map of the route, now called Somerset Circle.
In the future it is hoped to access railway funds and use the track from the old Somerset and Dorset railway to complete Colliers Way into Frome. Another aim is for the track to run from Weston-super-Mare to Castle Cary - rail to rail. Doug reminded us of the old Congresbury to Wrington spur and whether that could be another path.
When the Banwell bypass is finally completed, there will be a route to Weston-super-Mare from the villages.
The Wells to Shepton Mallet section has grown by more than a mile and there is now a tunnel crossing the A371 between Westbury and Easton.
Within the last three years 6 to 7 miles of Strawberry Line have been added.
CYCLING THE SOMERSET CIRCLE : Mandy Turner gave an excellent presentation on a recent three-day trip, cycling around the Somerset Circle – a 76 mile circuit of which the Strawberry Line played a vital part. She began by giving us her opinion that the Somerset Circle is the best cycle route in the world.
Richard Jones presented a newly updated map of the circle and explained the discussions going on to complete it.
Meeting closed at 8:55 pm. Mick Fletcher thanked Mandy and Richard for their presentations.
Strawberry Line Society (SLS) CIO 1201543 Annual Report For the year ending 31 December 2024
Objectives and activities:
As a reminder our objectives under our constitution are to:
provide facilities for recreation or other leisure-time occupation in the interests of social welfare for the general public with the object of improving their conditions of life by the promotion of the use of the disused railway lines and associated land linking Clevedon to Shepton Mallet and nearby communities (including in particular the disused Cheddar Valley Railway Line) as a safe walking and cycling route and nature reserve.
This is the first year the charity has operated as a CIO (charitable incorporated organisation), and during the year some changes were made to our operating structure. We now have four sub-committees (known as Branch Lines; each representing a stretch of the line from Clevedon to Shepton Mallet. This has involved creating a new Yatton to A38 Line Branch, and two previous Line Branches (Axbridge and Strawberry Line Association) have merged to form the Cheddar Valley Branch (CVB). Local committee members run the Line Branches, with at least one full Trustee also on the committee of each.
Finances
It has been a very positive year for the Society with new stretches of line opening between Yatton and the A38, and between the A38 and Wells. The Society has also started a program of improving signage along parts of the line in Somerset, and some repairs have also been carried out on this stretch of line.
The result has been that we have had to draw on reserves to fund some of this activity, with outgo exceeding income for the year by just under £11,000. We thank the continued generosity of doners and new members, with Donations at £1,681, and membership subscriptions significantly higher at £3,188. We also received a grant of £480 from the St Cuthbert Parish for work on the CVB stretch of line.
We are looking at future ways to increase our income stream including having merchandise for sale through our website, and sponsorship opportunities. Project work is mainly funded by bespoke grants. We have also set up specific reserves this year to cover items of expected future expenditure to help with budgeting and fundraising. So, in summary, although a positive year for the Society, reserves have reduced from £40,873 to £29,906, mainly due to works carried out.
Structure, governance and management
We thank Rachel Hayward and David Parkin who are standing down as Trustees, for all their hard work and support over the years. Rachel will remain as a committee membe of her local Line Branch.
Independent Examiners Review
The accounts have been examined in accordance with the general direction given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit. No matters were brought to my attention by the Examiner and I thank Richard Stone for his work.
Amanda Turner, Treasurer
March 2025
The Strawberry Line Society CIO CN 1201543 Income & Expenditure for Period 1/1/2024-31/12/2024
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2024 2023
RECEIPTS Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds TOTAL TOTAL
subscriptions £3,188 £0 £3,188 £1,066
donations £1,681 £0 £1,681 £18,012
grants £0 £480 £480 £1,900
interest £0 £0 £0 £2
other £248 £0 £248 £75
TOTAL £5,117 £480 £5,597 £21,055
PAYMENTS
maintenance (regular) £1,176 £0 £1,176 £2,877
maintenance(project) £4,282 £480 £4,762 £0
insurance £275 £0 £275 £256
Professional Fees £0 £0 £0 £725
administration £340 £0 £340 £609
volunteer training/equip £1,359 £0 £1,359 £0
sundry expenses £110 £0 £110 £409
infrastructure £8,541 £0 £8,541 £0
other £0 £0 £0 £25
TOTAL £16,084 £480 £16,564 £4,902
Net (total) -£10,967 £0 -£10,967 £16,153
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The Strawberry Line Society CIO CN 1201543 Balance Sheet as at 31/12/2024
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2024 2023
CURRENT ASSETS TOTAL TOTAL
Bank Accounts £29,706 £41,037
Cash £200 £200
Debtors £0 £214
Total £29,906 £41,451
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accruals £0 £578
Total £0 £578
NET ASSETS £29,906 £40,873
ACCUMULATED FUND
Balance brought forward £40,873 £24,720
P&L net(prior to transfers) -£10,967 £16,153
Transfers £0 £0
Balance c/f £29,906 £40,873
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The Strawberry Line Society CIO CN 1201543
Notes to accounts
1) Accounting Policies
- a) Basis for accounts preparation
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the historical cost convention (except where otherwise stated in the accounting policy note) and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued in October 2019, and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), and the Charities Act 2011.
The accounts (financial statements) have been prepared to give a ‘true and fair’ view and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a ‘true and fair view’. This departure has involved following Accounting and Reporting by Charities: 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) issued in October 2019 rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn. The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.
b) Income
Income from donations
Income from donations is included in income when it is receivable, except as follows:
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(i) When donors specify that donations given to the charity must be used in future accounting periods
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(ii) When donors impose conditions which have to be fulfilled before the charity becomes entitled to use such income, the income is deferred until the pre-conditions have been met.
Legacies
Income from legacies is recognised when the charity is legally entitled to the legacy and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. Entitlement is regarded as the earlier of the charity being notified of an impending distribution or the legacy being received.
- c) Expenditure
Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis
- d) Debtors
Debtors are measured at their recoverable amount, or in the case of prepayments, as the amount the charity has paid in advance for goods and services it will receive.
- e) Creditors
Creditors are measured as the amounts owed by the charity, including amounts owed for goods and services received but not paid for by the balance sheet date.
2) Debtors and Prepayments
| Debtors | Year ended Year ended 31 December 2024 31 December 2023 £ £ - 214 |
|---|---|
| - 214 |
3) Creditors and Accruals
| Accruals | Year ended Year ended 31 December 2024 31 December 2023 £ £ - 578 |
|---|---|
| - 578 |
The Strawberry Line Society CIO CN 1201543 Income & Expenditure for Period 1/1/2024-31/12/2024
Split out by Line Branches
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Line Branches
RECEIPTS Society (Main) Clevedon Yatton-A38 CVB SL East SLA TOTAL
subscriptions £3,188 £3,188
donations £185 £1,495 £1,681
grants £480 £480
interest £0
other £17 £200 £31 £248
TOTAL £3,373 £17 £0 £1,975 £200 £31 £5,597
transfers £22,052 £4,976 £27,029
PAYMENTS
maintenance (regular) £448 £729 £1,176
maintenance(project) £4,762 £4,762
insurance £275 £275
administration £340 £340
volunteer training/equip £1,359 £1,359
sundry expenses £20 £90 £110
infrastructure £8,000 £541 £8,541
other
TOTAL £9,995 £0 £448 £6,031 £90 £0 £16,564
transfers £4,976 £17,076 £0 £4,976 £27,029
NET(excl transfers) -£6,622 £17 -£448 -£4,056 £110 £31 -£10,967
Net (total) £10,454 £17 -£17,524 £921 £110 -£4,945 -£10,967
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The Strawberry Line Society CIO CN 1201543 Balance Sheet as at 31/12/2024
Split out by Line Branches
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Line Branches
CURRENT ASSETS Society (Main) Clevedon Yatton-A38 CVB SL East SLA TOTAL
Bank Accounts/cash £10,454 £1,371 £8,304 £8,275 £1,302 £0 £29,706
Current assets £200 £200
Total £10,454 £1,371 £8,504 £8,275 £1,302 £0 £29,906
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Total £0 £0 £0 £0 £0 £0 £0
NET ASSETS £10,454 £1,371 £8,504 £8,275 £1,302 £0 £29,906
ACCUMULATED FUND
Balance brought forward £0 £1,353 £26,027 £7,354 £1,192 £4,945 £40,873
P&L net(prior to transfers) -£6,622 £17 -£448 -£4,056 £110 £31 -£10,967
Transfers £17,076 £0 -£17,076 £4,976 £0 -£4,976 £0
Balance c/f £10,454 £1,371 £8,504 £8,275 £1,302 £0 £29,906
FINANCED BY:
General Funds £2,904 £871 £3,704 £275 £1,302 £0 £9,056
Long term Maintenance £0 £0 £1,450 £5,000 £6,450
Equipment Reserve £0 £0 £1,150 £500 £1,650
Special projects £3,700 £0 £500 £4,200
Operational reserve £2,250 £500 £1,700 £2,500 £6,950
Transfers to Line Branches £1,600 £0 £1,600
TOTAL £10,454 £1,371 £8,504 £8,275 £1,302 £0 £29,906
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