## **TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT** ## **16 APRIL 2024 TO 30 JUNE 2025** **Prepared by** Sarah Kersey ## **INTRODUCTION FROM OUR CHAIR** As current Chair of Transition Exmouth (TrEx), I am delighted to present this annual report to our members. It’s our first as a Charitably Incorporated Organisation (CIO), so it will be submitted to the Charity Commission and be available online to anyone who wishes to see it. That’s why some of the report is more formal than it has been in previous years, and also why it covers an odd period - from our inception as a CIO in April 2024 until the end of our first financial year in June 2025. Of course, this is not the first year of TrEx as a community organisation; we are working in fertile soil that has been tended well over many years. I hope that members new and old enjoy reading the report. The process of creating it has been a collaborative effort between our Core Group, and this is a good example of the way we work. There is no ‘Chairs Report’ because we have a flat structure which empowers and supports each of us to work with autonomy and genuine collaboration. In explaining how it feels to be part of TrEx, and how we work as an organisation, we often use the analogy of a fire. Our Transition Exmouth fire has been burning for over 15 years now. I imagine it as an open fire on shared land where we can meet together. We may find warmth and safety, but can also cook, craft and develop our work. At times we may sing, tell stories or plan our next endeavours, but there is also space for people to rest and above all to feel that they belong. I like to imagine our Affiliated Groups as people who use our fire for a time and then may choose to take some of our embers and set up their own fire somewhere nearby. There have been times over these many years when our TrEx fire has burnt very brightly and at other times it may feel as if it barely has any warmth left in it at all. But we have all worked to keep the fire going and benefited from it in so many different ways. And we all share the hope it will continue to burn long into the future. Finally, my grateful thanks to everyone who has contributed to TrEx over the years and particularly to the current Core Group and Affiliated Groups who it has been my pleasure and privilege to get to know over the last two years. Lou **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE CHARITY** ## Charity name: Transition Exmouth Charity registration number: 1207868 Registered address: Flat 4 Ardenny Court, 24 Douglas Avenue, Exmouth, EX8 2HA ## Trustees: - Adrian Toole (Treasurer) - Lou Doliczny (Chair from September 2024) - Sarah Kersey (Secretary) - Carol Jay (resigned as Chair in September 2024, but remains a trustee) - Christopher Yeo (resigned October 2024) - Florence Lock (appointed January 2025) ## Core Group Members: - Sarah Ward - Mike Cherry **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** ## **Type of governing document:** Foundation Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Constitution, registered as a CIO on 16 April 2024. ## **Trustees:** Are registered with the Charity Commission and legally responsible for the CIO. Trustees meet in small working groups and carry out tasks that ensure we are fit for purpose and that all our work is within our remit and objectives. This includes: setting an annual budget, maintaining accounts records, producing annual accounts and the annual return, reviewing procedures, identifying and managing any risks. Trustees are elected by members at the AGM or can be appointed by resolution of the other trustees. All trustees are also members of the Core Group. ## **Trustees induction:** All new trustees are given an induction which begins with a meeting with the Chair and another trustee. The meeting will go through current activity and key recent decisions, challenges, long term plans. The new trustees skills, experience and interests and where they could start to get involved is also discussed. They are given electronic access to key governance documents which include the governing document, annual accounts and key policies. ## **Core Group:** We actively encourage members to get involved in tending to the development of the charity. This group is made up of people who would like to help shape the ideas we have, contribute to the projects we manage and take care of the relationships and networks we are building. The Core Group meets bi-monthly. All trustees are part of the Core Group but depending on their role they might not attend every Core Group meeting but will be updated by other trustees. People who are interested in joining as a trustee are invited to attend Core Group meetings as an observer. ## **Affiliated Groups:** Groups that share our goals can register as an Affiliated Group. We offer support services to these groups. This includes providing: - Public liability insurance and risk assessment support - Website events calendar and support - Banking through our bank account where needed and use of our card payment machine - Grant advice and applying for grants using us as a host organisation Networking and publicity support - Volunteer coordination ## **Drop-in Sessions:** Regular drop-in sessions are open to any local resident, member or affiliated group wishing to discuss potential or existing projects, or to work collectively on specific tasks or for collaborative learning on tools or ways of working that improve groups and projects. We encourage potential volunteers to attend these sessions and we provide signposting to other relevant volunteer groups. ## **Transition Network:** Transition means change — a shift from one way of living to another. We are active members of the Transition Movement, which began in Britain and Ireland in 2006. It has since grown into an international network of communities spanning 67 countries. It envisions a world where every individual can become part of a supportive community, feeling safe, welcomed, and empowered to thrive. In practice, Transition groups create renewable energy projects, support local food production, encourage new businesses, bring nature back into cities, and build strong connections between people and organisations.Each Transition group chooses activities based on what local people need and want. This helps make sure the activities are useful and relevant for each community. ## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE** This has been a landmark year for Transition Exmouth as we successfully registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in April 2024. This new structure provides us with a stronger foundation to pursue our charitable objectives: promotion of the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment and promoting the prudent use of natural resources. Throughout the year, our dedicated Core Group and volunteers have focused on developing our capacity and building key partnerships to deliver on our mission. ## **Key achievements and activities include:** - **Charity Registration:** We are thrilled to have successfully registered as a CIO, a significant step that formalises our status and enables us to better serve our community. We are grateful to our trustees and Core Group members for their hard work in making this happen. - **Volunteer Wellbeing:** One of our most significant activities has been developing a culture which promotes wellbeing of volunteers. We are committed to preventing volunteer burnout and acknowledging that many people who want to volunteer will have experienced feelings of climate anxiety and despair. Or will have negative experiences of volunteering, being overwhelmed with the work they have been asked to do. As a charity entirely run by volunteers we have made supporting wellbeing a priority. - **Climate Justice:** We have begun the conversation about what a _Just Transition_ means for our charity and for Exmouth, and are committed to ensuring our climate action benefits the whole community. In 2024, we connected with Exmouth’s LGBTQ+ community at Pride and are continuing to strengthen the diversity of voices shaping our Core Group. We are beginning the work of embedding equity, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our work. - **Supporting Affiliated Groups:** This year, we introduced a formal registration process for affiliated group members. Before becoming a registered charity, Transition Exmouth supported many projects across the town, and we wanted to build on this work. Our charity status brings more formality, but also greater opportunities to support smaller groups and initiatives. New affiliated groups in this period include Mushroom Food Network, Tiny Forest, and Letters for the Earth. We are delighted to support Mushroom’s community baking and shared meal activities (Saturday Loaf and Over a Bowl), tackling food poverty, and to work with Letters for the Earth on bringing the _Zero Hour_ exhibition _Letters from the Global South_ to Exmouth. - **ExeCargo Bike Project:** We have continued to manage and promote the ExeCargo bike, a vital community asset in encouraging low-carbon transport. The loan of the electric cargo bike to 23 members in a textbook example of the workings of the Transition Network ethos of sharing resources. The cargo bike is available to hire via the Exmouth Library of Things, which, again run by volunteers, facilitates the sharing of their inventory of 100s of tools & items of equipment. - **Partnership for Friends of the River Exe (FORE):** Our collaborative relationship with Transition Exeter and Sustainable Tiverton on the FORE project has continued to support the development of a voice for the river and citizen science activities. We have worked closely to ensure that the project is managed effectively and that funds are used appropriately. We have supported the recruitment of new steering group members and developed a strategic plan. Having started in 2023 as a partnership project, FORE is progressing towards being an independent community group before the end of 2025. - **Community Engagement:** With just over 488 people on our mailing list and 1192 annual website visits, we have improved our website and newsletter to better connect with members and the wider community. We regularly update a new local eco-events calendar and create engaging content in our newsletter to strengthen links with affiliated groups. During the year we have been scoping a new door-to-door engagement project to understand residents’ challenges and ideas for living sustainably and taking local climate action. - **Strengthening Relationships:** As the Core Group has been mostly made up of new members we have had to work on building strong working relationships. We have maintained our role on the Exmouth Town Council Climate and Ecological Emergency Working Party (CEEWP). In 2024 we received a small grant from Exmouth Town Council which has helped us set up an events calendar on our website and promote local eco group activities. We have worked with Exmouth’s Climate Officer and SideShore’s Community and Innovation Lead to support the emergence of Exmouth's Climate And Nature Network (CANN) which meets bimonthly at the SideShore Community Hub. - **Developing Policies:** Our commitment to good governance is reflected in the development of new policies and practice. We have worked on a Finance Policy to ensure sound financial controls and improved our Health and Safety and Safeguarding Policy to reflect and guide our work. - **Library Collaboration:** We are particularly looking forward to our role ‘Together for Tomorrow’ which is a bold, five-year collaboration between Libraries Unlimited, CAG Devon, and a wide network of grassroots partners including us! The project aims to transform libraries across Devon and Torbay into vibrant hubs for local climate action and we are excited to be part of it. ## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF TRANSITION EXMOUTH ON THE ACCOUNTS FOR TRANSITION EXMOUTH (CHARITY NO 1207868) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30/06/2025** I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust") for the year ended 30/06/2025. 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 Trust'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. I have examined the following documents: - The objects of Transition Exmouth, taken from the constitution - Information on Projects and Subsidiary Entities (as of August 2025), detailing the functions and/or purposes of all the projects and subsidiary entities which are supported and/or managed by Transition Exmouth. - The accounting records and bank statements related to these projects and SEs between 16/4/24 (= the date Transition Exmouth was registered as a CIO) and 30/06/25 (= end of financial year) - The treasurer's report for this accounting period. - 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. ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** As a small charity, we are committed to being transparent and prudent with our funds. The following financial information provides an overview of our first fiscal year as a CIO. ## **Transition Exmouth** Summary of Accounts for period 16th April 2024 to 30th June 2025 **Opening bank balance as at 16th April 2024 4139.30** of which: Membership 154.59 Execargo 73.14 FORE 925.19 Core 2.13 EcoHub 2,102.50 Mushroom 881.75 **Total income for 16th April 2024 to 30th June 2025 32,211.59** of which: Membership 145.87 ExeCargo 359.98 FORE 16,866.08 Core 13,652.92 EcoHub 1000.00 Mushroom 186.74 **Total expenditure for 16th April 2024 to 30th June 2025 20,847.67** of which: Membership 10.00 ExeCargo 260.91 FORE 17,719.56 Core 1,303.81 EcoHub 1,276.89 Mushroom 276.50 **Closing balance for the period** (= bank balance as at 30th June 2025) **15,503.22** of which: Membership 290.46 ExeCargo 172.21 FORE 71.71 Core 12,351.24 EcoHub 1,825.61 Mushroom 791.99 We reached Year End with a healthy bank balance and no debts. As previously, FORE was the most active project financially. Their team, supported by members of Transition Exmouth’s CORE group, brought in significant donations, most of which had been spent by Year End. In preparation for funding the Exmouth CAN project worker, our CORE budget was pleased to receive a donation of £10000, which will qualify for Gift Aid top up. The other addition to our budget was the sale of our Stride cargo bike; the management of 2 bikes was proving too onerous for current volunteers. We are very grateful for all donations received. ## Adrian Toole Treasurer **PLANS FOR THE FUTURE** This pivotal moment in the development of Transition Exmouth as a CIO is just the beginning. In the coming year, we will continue to strengthen relationships and partnerships, grow our volunteer community, and deliver our projects. In all of our work we will continue to develop a meaningful Equity, Diversity and Inclusion policy, expanding membership, and working with affiliated groups to achieve our shared goals for a more sustainable and resilient Exmouth. Through the way we listen, speak, and act, we aim to reflect the world we want to see. We look forward to another year of positive change and collective action. Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees: Lou Doliczny Trustee and Chair Date: