Docusign Envelope ID: DCCDA36F-EEEF-49D4-B46E-B8FC0189730C
Charity Registration Number 1203176 (England and Wales)
BLACKBURN FARM NURSERIES AND WILDLIFE CENTRE
Annual Report and Accounts
For The Period Ended 31 March 2025
Docusign Envelope ID: DCCDA36F-EEEF-49D4-B46E-B8FC0189730C
BLACKBURN FARM NURSERIES AND WILDLIFE CENTRE
CONTENTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Charity reference and administrative details | 1 |
| Trustee’s Report | 2 |
| Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees | 5 |
| Statement of Financial Activites (incorporating the income and expenditure account) |
6 |
| Balance Sheet | 7 |
| Notes to the accounts | 8 |
Docusign Envelope ID: DCCDA36F-EEEF-49D4-B46E-B8FC0189730C
BLACKBURN FARM NURSERIES AND WILDLIFE CENTRE
CHARITY REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
Trustees Trustees Bernard Pendleton Sam Pywell George Reed Charity Registration Number 1170068 Principal address Blackburns Farm Nurseries Ribby Road Wrea Green Preston PR4 2PA Accountants MHA Richard House 9 Winckley Square Preston PR1 3HP
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Docusign Envelope ID: DCCDA36F-EEEF-49D4-B46E-B8FC0189730C
BLACKBURN FARM NURSERIES AND WILDLIFE CENTRE
TRUSTEE’S REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
The trustees have pleasure in presenting their report together with the accounts for the period ended 31 March 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” (FRS 102) (effective October 2019) in preparing the annual report and financial statements of the charity. Blackburn Farm Nurseries and Wildlife Centre is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, registered on 22 May 2023, governed by its Constitution of Charitable Organisation.
Purpose
Promoting for the benefit of the public the conservation protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment. Educating children and adults on how we can improve our own physical and mental wellbeing by being in the outside world. Blackburns Farm educates people of all ages on how they can improved BNG, whilst also improving their own mental health and wellbeing
Appointment of Trustees
The trustees as listed on page 1 served during the year.
Trustees must be appointed via a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity’s trustees. When selecting new appointments for the role of charity trustee, the charity must assess and ensure that the individuals involved have the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO.
Public Benefit
That Charity’s Trustees have all complied with the duties outlined in the Charities Act 2011, to have due regard to Public Benefit guidance by the Charity Commission. All Trustees contribute their time voluntarily and have received no benefits from the Charity.
Achievements and performance
During the past year, Blackburns Farm has continued to deliver meaningful environmental and social impact. We planted a further 1.5km of hedgerow and over 150 native trees, strengthening wildlife corridors and long-term biodiversity. The farm supported Fylde Foodbank for 24 consecutive weeks, reinforcing our commitment to local community need. Through a series of volunteer days, more than 650 volunteer hours were contributed, with many volunteers returning from previous years, demonstrating sustained community engagement.
In partnership with the River Ribble Trust, United Utilities and Fylde Bird Club, we delivered two species survival wetland areas, designed to support amphibians, invertebrates and wetland birds, improve water quality and enhance natural flood management. In addition, the farm played a key role in a major flood alleviation scheme to protect the local village by dedicating three acres to a wetland attenuation area. Fylde Bird Club also established feeding stations across the farm to further support bird populations.
Educational and engagement activities included amphibian days, bat walks, and the continued development of the Wrea Green Remembrance Woods. We also worked with Fleetwood School, funded by UCLan, to deliver green social prescribing programmes aimed at improving mental health and social outcomes. The findings from these programmes were extremely positive, highlighting the powerful benefits of nature-based interventions for wellbeing and connection.
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Docusign Envelope ID: DCCDA36F-EEEF-49D4-B46E-B8FC0189730C
BLACKBURN FARM NURSERIES AND WILDLIFE CENTRE
TRUSTEE’S REPORT
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
These achievements reflect our ongoing commitment to sustainability, community wellbeing, and biodiversity, and we are excited to build on this momentum in the coming year.
Financial Performance
The Charity’s total income for the period was £59,446 (2024 £7,027) with a surplus of £44,548 (2024 £7,017) for the period.
Reserves Policy
The reserves as at 31 March 2025 were £51,565 (2024 £7,017). The Trustees are in the process of establishing their reserves policy.
Going Concern
With the financial foundations of the charity increasing in strength this year, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity will continue to maintain the necessary resources to ensure the continuance of its charitable operations for the foreseeable future.
The charity remains well-positioned, with a robust pipeline of impactful projects and strong community engagement. Our ongoing initiatives, including the development of the Remembrance Woods, wetland creation in partnership with the Ribble Rivers Trust, and the continued success of our volunteer-led programmes, reflect a sustainable approach to achieving our objectives. The expansion of our Education Building activities and the launch of the Commando Mentoring Programme further demonstrate our commitment to fostering wellbeing and environmental stewardship. Additionally, our collaboration with UCLan on the green social prescribing programme highlights our dedication to innovation and long-term impact. With a strong foundation of volunteer support and growing partnerships, the charity is well-equipped to continue delivering significant benefits to the community and environment.
Future Plans
Looking ahead, the charity will continue to build on strong foundations to deliver projects that benefit both the environment and the local community. The Wrea Green Remembrance Woods will remain a central focus, continuing to grow as a place of reflection, remembrance and connection. It has become an established and valued part of the local landscape, and further planting and stewardship will ensure its long-term legacy.
Our partnership with the River Ribble Trust will continue through the further development of wetland habitats across the farm. These wetlands will enhance biodiversity, create vital habitats for wildlife, improve water quality and play an important role in natural flood management. Alongside this, the flood alleviation scheme will commence, delivering significant benefits to the local village by reducing flood risk and increasing landscape resilience.
Volunteers will remain central to our work. Volunteering not only strengthens environmental outcomes but also supports mental wellbeing, skills development and social connection through time spent outdoors.
The Education Building will continue to develop as a community hub, hosting activities that promote health, wellbeing and inclusion. Alongside existing programmes, we will place increased focus on helping people become more physically active in our natural environment through accessible fitness and wellbeing activities. These initiatives will encourage regular movement, improve physical and mental health, and enable people to experience the restorative benefits of spending time in nature.
Our collaboration with the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) will continue as we progress the green social prescribing programme. This partnership aims to develop sustainable, nature-based models that improve mental and physical health by strengthening people’s connection to the natural environment.
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Docusign Envelope ID: DCCDA36F-EEEF-49D4-B46E-B8FC0189730C
BLACKBURN FARM NURSERIES AND WILDLIFE CENTRE
TRUSTEE’S REPORT
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
Together, these plans reflect our ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship, community wellbeing and creating lasting, positive change.
January 29, 2026
This report was approved by the board of trustees and authorised for issue on …….. and signed on its behalf by
………………… Bernard Pendleton
Trustee
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BLACKBURN FARM NURSERIES AND WILDLIFE CENTRE
INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2025 set out on pages 6 to 11.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity’s trustees 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 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
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:
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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
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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.
………………………. Nicola Mason FCA, DChA Independent Examiner MHA Chartered Accountants Preston
January 29, 2026 Date ……………………….
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Docusign Envelope ID: DCCDA36F-EEEF-49D4-B46E-B8FC0189730C
BLACKBURN FARM NURSERIES AND WILDLIFE CENTRE
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
| Income from: Donations and legacies 2 Charitable activities 3 Total Income Expenditure on: Charitable activities 4 Total Expenditure Net income/(expenditure) Transfers between funds Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds: Total Funds Brought Forward Total Funds Carried Forward 6 |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total Unrestricted funds 2025 £ 2024 £ 52,626 5,000 57,626 - 1,820 - 1,820 7,027 |
|---|---|
| 54,446 5,000 59,446 7,027 |
|
| 9,898 5,000 14,898 10 |
|
| 9,898 5,000 14,898 10 |
|
| 44,548 - 44,548 7,017 - - - - |
|
| 44,548 - 44,548 7,017 7,017 - 7,017 - 51,565 51,565 7,017 |
The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses in the period and therefore a statement of total recognised gains and losses has not been prepared. There were no restricted funds held during the current or prior period.
All of the above amounts relate to continuing activities.
The notes on pages 8 to 11 form part of these financial statements.
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Docusign Envelope ID: DCCDA36F-EEEF-49D4-B46E-B8FC0189730C
BLACKBURN FARM NURSERIES AND WILDLIFE CENTRE
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
| Note Current Assets Cash at bank Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year Net current assets Net Assets Funds Unrestricted income funds 6 Total Funds |
2025 2024 £ £ £ £ 51,565 7,017 51,565 7,017 - - 51,565 7,017 51,565 7,017 51,565 7,017 51,565 7,017 |
2025 2024 £ £ £ £ 51,565 7,017 51,565 7,017 - - 51,565 7,017 51,565 7,017 51,565 7,017 51,565 7,017 |
|---|---|---|
| 51,565 - |
||
| 7,017 | ||
| 7,017 7,017 |
January 29, 2026 The financial statements were approved by the Trustees and authorised for issue on ……………….. and signed on behalf of the Board by:
…………………
Bernard Pendleton
Trustee
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Docusign Envelope ID: DCCDA36F-EEEF-49D4-B46E-B8FC0189730C
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
BLACKBURN FARM NURSERIES AND WILDLIFE CENTRE
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
1 Accounting policies
Charity information
Blackburn Farm Nurseries and Wildlife Centre is a charity registered in England and Wales. The principal office is situated at Blackburns Farm Nurseries, Ribby Road, Wrea Green, Preston, PR4 2PA.
Accounting convention
The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS102. The financial statements have been prepared 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)(October 2019) and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011 and UK Generally Accepted Practice. The Charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The 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 preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standards applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn. The accounts are prepared in sterling which is the functional currency of the Charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £. The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all years presented unless otherwise stated.
Going concern
The Trustees have considered the working capital of the charity and, at the time of approving the financial statements, have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. The Trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds are funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Charity, and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Restricted funds are funds, which are used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors. There were no restricted funds held during the period.
Incoming resources
All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when the Charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
Specifically for grant income, where receipt of a grant is conditional on performance of a specific project, income is accounted for once the Charity earns the right to consideration by its performance. Where no conditions are applied to incoming grants, income is accounted for on receipt.
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Docusign Envelope ID: DCCDA36F-EEEF-49D4-B46E-B8FC0189730C
BLACKBURN FARM NURSERIES AND WILDLIFE CENTRE
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
1 Accounting Policies (continued)
Resources expended
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Expenditure is recognised where there is a legal or constructive obligation to make payments to third parties, it is probable that the settlement will be required, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Charitable activities includes all costs relating to activities where the primary aim is part of the objects of the Charity, along with an apportionment of support costs. Governance costs consist of the costs incurred in the management of the Charity and the costs of meeting its external reporting requirements.
Support costs consist of administration expenses incurred in the day to day management of the Charity, together with the cost of premises used for such activities. These costs are allocated across the categories of charitable expenditure, governance costs and costs of generating funds. Support costs are allocated on a labour basis, using the proportion of staff time allocated to certain activities, on the basis that this forms the fairest method of allocation of such costs.
Tangible Fixed Assets
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Debtors
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand and deposits held at call with banks.
Creditors
Creditors are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.
Financial instruments
The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value. The charity has no bank loans or other more complex financial instruments that require measurement at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
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Docusign Envelope ID: DCCDA36F-EEEF-49D4-B46E-B8FC0189730C
BLACKBURN FARM NURSERIES AND WILDLIFE CENTRE
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
1 Accounting Policies (continued)
Critical accounting estimates and judgements
In the application of the Charity's accounting policies, the trustees' are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
Key assumptions, judgements and estimates
In the opinion of the Trustees’ there have been no significant judgements (apart from those involving estimates) made in the process of applying the above accounting policies.
There have been no key assumptions concerning future and other key sources of estimation uncertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year.
2 Donation and legacies
| Legacy Donations |
Unrestricted Restricted 2025 Total 2024 Unrestricted £ £ £ £ 27,000 - 27,000 - 25,626 5,000 30.626 - 52,626 5,000 57,626 - |
|---|---|
3 Incoming Resources from Other Trading Activities
| UCLAN Green Social funding Dog therapy training |
2025 Unrestricted - 1,820 1,820 |
2024 Unrestricted £ 6,667 360 7,027 |
|---|---|---|
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Docusign Envelope ID: DCCDA36F-EEEF-49D4-B46E-B8FC0189730C
BLACKBURN FARM NURSERIES AND WILDLIFE CENTRE
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
4 Expenditure on Charitable Activities
| Green Social Prescribing Programme Open day Gardening, maintenance and polytunnel Telephone Cleaning Sundry expenses Bank charges |
Unrestricted Restricted Total 2025 Total 2024 Unrestricted £ £ £ £ 1,946 5.000 6,946 - 355 - 355 - 3,575 - 3,575 - 472 - 472 - 1,911 - 1,911 - 1,577 - 1,577 - 62 - 62 10 9,898 5,000 14,898 10 |
|---|---|
5 Trustees' Remuneration and Expenses
No remuneration was paid or payable for the period, directly or indirectly, out of the funds of the Charity, to any Trustee or to any persons known to be connected with any of them, in their capacity as Trustee.
Trustees have received no expenses in the period except for reimbursed charity expenditure.
6 Restricted Income Funds
| Roccia Foundation | Balance at 1 April 2024 Incoming resources Outgoing resources Balance at 31 March 2025 £ £ £ £ - 5,000 (5,000) - - 5,000 (5,000) - |
|---|---|
A donation was received in the year from the Roccia Foundation for the Memorial Wood, Tree planting and the Green Social Prescribing programme.
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Docusign Envelope ID: DCCDA36F-EEEF-49D4-B46E-B8FC0189730C
BLACKBURN FARM NURSERIES AND WILDLIFE CENTRE
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
7 Movement in funds
| 7 Movement in funds |
|
|---|---|
| Unrestricted Funds Prior year Unrestricted Funds |
Balance at 22 May 2024 Incoming resources Outgoing resources Balance at 31 March 2025 £ £ £ £ 7,017 54,446 (9,898) 51,565 7,017 54,446 (9,898) 51,565 |
| Balance at 22 May 2023 Incoming resources Outgoing resources Balance at 31 March 2024 £ £ £ £ - 7,027 10 7,017 - 7,027 10 7,017 |
8 Related Party Transactions
There were no related party transactions during the period.
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