2024-03-31-accounts

– CROWS Community Rights of Way Service

Charity number 1201645

Annual Report and Financial Statements For the period 01/04/2023 to 31/03/2024

Contents ...................................................................................................................... Page Trustees' report for the period 01/04/2023 to 31/03/2024 .................................................. 3 Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisors .............................. 3 Structure, governance and management .................................................................................... 4 Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees ................................................................. 4 Objectives and activities ............................................................................................................ 4 The charity's objects and public benefit statement ..................................................................... 4 The charity's main activities ....................................................................................................... 4 Achievements and performance ................................................................................................ 5 Risk management ...................................................................................................................... 5 Financial review ........................................................................................................................ 5 Reserves policy.......................................................................................................................... 6 Annual accounts for the financial period 01/04/2023 to 31/03/2024 .................................. 7 Section A - Receipts and payments ............................................................................................. 7 Section B - Statement of assets and liabilities at the year end ..................................................... 7

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Trustees' report for the period 01/04/2023 to 31/03/2024

Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisors

The trustees during the financial period and up to and including the date the report was approved were:-

Name Dates Patricia Brennan Appointed 03/01/2024 Peter Clarke Resigned 24/04/2024 Alice Eleanor Green Appointed 24/04/2024 Linda Joyce Heald Appointed 26/04/2023 Jan Jeremy Langowski Appointed 26/04/2023 David Purcell Appointed 24/04/2024 Richard Guy Stephenson Appointed 26/04/2023

Charity Number

The charity was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, number 1201645, on 19/01/2023.

Principal address

Unit 3 Mount Shed Banksfield Road Mytholmroyd West Yorkshire HX7 5NW

Bankers

Virgin Money Ltd 25 Manchester Road Burnley BB11 1HX

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Structure, governance and management

CROWS is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation governed by a constitution adopted in January 2023.

Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees

The trustees of the charity are the founding trustees of the charity or are otherwise appointed by the trustees. Trustee appointments are made in accordance with the constitution of the charity.

Objectives and activities

The charity's objects and public benefit statement

CROWS is a charity working to provide or assist in the provision of facilities in the interest of social welfare for recreation or other leisure time occupation within the upper Calder and Ryburn valleys in the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances with the object of improving their conditions of life by working to maintain and improve public access to the countryside in the area.

In setting our objectives and planning our activities, our Trustees have given serious consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and , in particular, in relation to the charity’s objects .

The charity's main activities

The objectives of the organisation are achieved by:

• Repairing, maintaining and installing signposts, bridges, boardwalks, stiles, steps.

• Improving drainage, cutting back encroaching vegetation.

• Liaising with, and making representations to, Calderdale Council, path users, landowners, statutory authorities and local community organisations.

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Achievements and performance

Most of our work involved small jobs that had been reported by the general public, but we also completed a few milestones, e.g:-

• We made several improvements on the Pennine Way that were identified by Natural England.

• The Todmorden Moor Geology trail had deteriorated and was completely refurbished with new waymarks and boardwalks. CROWS is helping to get this fascinating walk re-published.

• Waymarks on the Calderdale Way were renewed and the current set of directions checked. CROWS has helped with the publication on the Heart of the Pennines website.

• Significant repair work was carried out on the popular riverside path in Cragg Vale. The work included replacing two bridges at Castle Gate Dam which had become unsafe.

• We have repaired and improved the routes for a new 3 Walks Around Pecket Well leaflet produced by Friends of Calderdale Countryside.

• The large flight of steps above Scaitcliffe Woods leading to Flailcroft was rebuilt.

Over 900 days were worked by around 30 volunteers. We have working parties volunteering on three days a week (in nearly all weathers).

Risk management

The Trustees have introduced and documented a risk management process to assess business risks and have implemented systems to mitigate these risks. Internal risks are minimised by the implementation of procedures or authorisation of all transactions and projects. This also ensures consistent quality of delivery for all operational aspects of the Charity. Procedures are in place to ensure compliance with health and safety of staff, volunteers, clients and visitors to relevant sites. These procedures are periodically reviewed to ensure that they still meet the needs of the Charity.

Financial review

Net receipts for the year were £26,232 and net payments were £22,340. This resulted in an increase over the previous year of £3892 in cash funds.

Sources of income are well spread with no reliance on any one source and controls are in place to monitor income and expenditure on a regular basis.

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Reserves policy

The charity's free cash reserves at the year end were £22,832. It is the charity’s policy to maintain a reserve to provide working capital in the region of £15,000 to fund its general activities for the year ahead.

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CROWS - Community Rights ofway Service Annual Accounts 2023-2024 Section A Receipts and payments (All the money held in a single un￿Stricted fund. This year Lasi yeèr Receipts Indwidual donattons Foi work (Jone for Caklerdale MBC For work done fortown and p8ith councfls Other recelpls for￿th done Bank interest Other recei ts 8,089 855 8.870 5,882 S,850 4.653 11.268 163 2.492 21 Total Receipts £ 26.231 21.918 Payments M8terials Tools and Eouipment Volunteer expenses Admin and fued costs Bankcharges Olh8r 10,768 1.644 4.141 5,666 109 12 9.761 1.454 3.943 4,12B Total payments £ 22,339 19,286 Net receipts £ 3,892 2,633 16.307 18 939.68 Cash funds 311312023 Cash fvnds 3113r2024 £ Section B - Statement of assets and liabilities at the year end Cash funds Current Account ￿irgin thneyl Savin s Account 6,639 16,192 22,831 10,910 8,029 18,939 Total cash funds £ Other monetary assets Assets used by the charity Tools al the depot Stocks of materials Aud([￿ and f￿n correct with no issues by: nature Print name Approved by Board of Trustees and signed on ￿S behalf by: &gnature Print name Date of approval 1*1111202F