# **FRIENDS OF REGENT’S PARK & PRIMROSE HILL CHARITY COMMISSION REPORT** **For the period since incep�on star�ng 23 January 2023 and ended at 31 March 2024 (the “financial period”) Charity number 1201666** ## **Aim and purposes** The objects of the Friends of Regent’s Park & Primrose Hill (“the Friends”) are: 1. To promote and encourage the conserva�on, preserva�on and improvement of Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill (“the Park”), to ensure that the Park remains and is enhanced as an area of natural beauty, a woodland habitat for wildlife and an a�rac�ve man-made parkland; and 2. To provide or assist in the provision of facili�es in the interests of social welfare for recrea�on or other leisure �me occupa�on of individuals who have need of such facili�es by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances with the object of improving their condi�ons of life. ## **Achievements and Performance** ac�vi�es for the benefit of its members and of the Park. These included: **Corona�on weekend:** On Sunday 7[th] May 2023 we held our Big Lunch on the Broadwalk **,** when nearly 700 people enjoyed lunch at 126 tables on the decorated Broadwalk. 14 interna�onal media organisa�ons gave us huge global coverage as far away as Japan. The London Strollers Band got everyone up dancing, prizes were awarded, and kids and dogs had a great �me! On Monday 8[th] May 2023, at the Bandstand we organised concerts to celebrate the Corona�on. **Events:** our events programme had over 70 events including 45 Bandstand concerts. There were also Walks, 1 Tours, Opera, Shakespeare, a Musical evening and Zoom lectures. For the first �me for many years, we welcomed Opera back to the Nannies Lawn (La Bohème and the Barber of Seville) and in August our wonderful St John’s Lodge (“Secret”) garden was the se�ng for Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet (Saturday 12[th] August 2023) and a “Magical Musical evening” (Sunday 13[th] August 2023). Our season ended with a “Bollywood” Party on the Broadwalk on 24[th] September 2023. ## **Chit Chat** We have established a regular weekly subsidised meetup called Chit Chat for people to meet and talk in one of the park cafes. It has proven very popular especially among people who are isolated, older and wan�ng companionship **Volunteering:** 500 volunteers helped out at the Gazebo visitor centre, at the Bandstand, plan�ng bulbs and li�er picking. **Visitor Centre:** The Royal Parks and their catering contractor kindly donated a food truck to the Friends. A�er recondi�oning, this will be used as a new visitor centre to replace the Gazebo. The cost of refurbishment was to be met out from Friends’ funds, but in mid-2024 a dona�on of £5,000 was secured to help finance the project. The truck will be decorated by the Friends ar�st and will be opera�onal in spring 2025. ## **Financial review** £94,175 and expenditure of £55,776 crea�ng a surplus and funds carried forward of £38,398. These are en�rely represented by cash at bank. All income, expenditure and funds carried forward are unrestricted in nature. 2 ## **Structure, Governance and Management** The Friends is overseen by 3 Trustees and is managed by a Commi�ee of up to 15 people. The Trustees delegate regular management issues to the Commi�ee ( in which the Trustees are members) as allowed by Cons�tu�on and the Rules. but changes in the Commi�ee meant that figure fluctuated somewhat through the year. Commi�ee: |Patron|Linda Lennon CBE|| |---|---|---| |Chair|Mark Ellio�|| |Secretary|Adrian Jackson|le� May 2023| |Secretary|Helen Stevens|from May 2023| |Secretary|Pamela Henry|from March 2024| |Treasurer|Joanna Faktor|| |Newsle�er|Anne-Marie Craven|Le� May 2023| |Volunteering|Rose Malik|Le� September 2023| |History|Peter Darley|Le� March 2024| |Membership|Joanna Faktor|| |Publicity|Jo Lynn|| |Newsle�er|Robin Black|| |Events|Vivian Ward|| |Various|Mike Baker-Munton|| |Art and design|Jesse Brown|| |Natural History|Kennedy Cruickshank|| |Various|Naji Kassir|| The Commi�ee meets 6 �mes each year with at least one mee�ng being online. The average a�endance was about 70%. Subcommi�ees are created to handle specific projects (e.g. the truck, the Big Lunch etc). Commi�ee members o�en volunteer to help with ongoing projects such as the events (walks, talks etc) or with the Visitor Centre or the Bandstand. Every mee�ng has an Agenda and Ac�on items are recorded in the minutes. Financial ma�ers are submi�ed to the Commi�ee for approval. When Commi�ee members leave, the posi�on is adver�sed to the membership and the best candidate is 3 invited to join. Addi�onally, there are the Annual General Mee�ng and the End of Season review to thank the volunteers. With the excep�on of these two larger mee�ngs, all mee�ngs are held at Commi�ee members’ homes to control costs. ## **Approved by the Commi�ee on December 27[th] and signed on their behalf by the Chairman.** 4 **Independent examiner's report on the accounts** ## **Independent Examiner’s Report** **Report to the trustees/** Charity Name **members of** Friends of Regent’s Park & Primrose Hill **On accounts for the** 31[st] March 2024 **Charity no** 1201666 **period ended (if any) Set out on pages** 7 & 8 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the CIO”) for the period ended 31[st] March 2024 **Responsibilities and** As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation **basis of report** of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. **Independent** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have **examiner's statement** come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:  accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or  the accounts do not accord with the accounting records I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ## **Tyler Jeffs** T Jeffs Accounting Services Limited 36 Dean Close Banbury OX16 3WA Date: 31[st] January 2025 5 **----- Start of picture text -----**
The Friends of Regent's Park & Primrose Hill 1201666
Receipts and payments accounts CC16a
For the period 23-Jan-23 31-Mar-24
To
from
Section A Receipts and payments
Unrestricted Restricted Endowment
Total funds Last year
funds funds funds
to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £
A1 Receipts
Members' subscriptions 24,146 - - 24,146 -
Sponsorship received 10,500 - - 10,500 -
Donation received 3,161 - - 3,161 -
Postcard and map sales 2,218 - - 2,218 -
Income from events 9,119 - - 9,119 -
Other income 2,749 - - 2,749 -
Income from old association 42,282 - - 42,282 -
- - - - -
Sub total (Gross income for AR) 94,175 - - 94,175 -
A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table).
n/a - - - -
- - - - -
Sub total - - - - -
Total receipts 94,175 - - 94,175 -
A3 Payments
Cost for charitable spending
- Adapted bike 5,400 - - 5,400 -
- Bulbs planting 8,189 - - 8,189 -
Donation paid 5,750 - - 5,750 -
Cost of events 12,196 - - 12,196 -
Annual meeting cost 3,003 - - 3,003 -
Operating expenses - - - -
- Administration 2,793 - - 2,793 -
- IT systems and Technology 11,648 - - 11,648 -
- Printing and Postage 2,047 - - 2,047 -
- Website and communication 449 - - 449 -
- Professional fees (insurance and consultanting fees) 1,013 - - 1,013 -
- Other expenses 3,288 - - 3,288 -
- - - - -
Sub total [ 55,776 ] - - 55,776 -
A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table)
- - - -
- - - -
Sub total [ - ] - - - -
Total payments 55,776 - - 55,776 -
Net of receipts/(payments) 38,398 - - 38,398 -
A5 Transfers between funds - - - - -
A6 Cash funds last year end - - - -
Cash funds this year end 38,398 - - 38,398 -
**----- End of picture text -----**
31/01/2025 CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 1 ## **Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period** |**Categories**
Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees
**B1 Cash funds**
**B2 Other monetary assets**
**B3 Investment assets**
**B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use**
**B5 Liabilities**|(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
**Details**
Bank Current Account
**_Total cash funds_**
**Details**
n/a
**Details**
n/a
**Details**
**Details**
n/a
n/a
Signature|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**38,398**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**38,398**
**-**
OK
OK
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**asset belongs**
**Cost (optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Fund to which**
**liability relates**
**Amount due**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
Print Name|**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
OK
**Endowment**
**funds**
**to nearest £**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Current value**
**(optional)**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**Current value**
**(optional)**
**-**
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**-**
**-**
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**-**
**-**
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**-**
**When due**
**(optional)**
Date of
approval| |---|---|---|---| 31/01/2025 CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 2