## Friends of the Eco Park ## Report for the Charity Commission May 2024 – May 2025 Events and Activities Held in the Park ## 1. Children’s Events: Bushcraft Sessions: We invited a former Headmaster to carry out these in the park for children up to 12 years of age. There were 4 sessions in 2024. Scouts: The local Scouts’ unit regularly use the park for all sorts of outside activities and are often involved in community events. Schools: This January (2025) 58 children and 6 staff from the local primary schools were involved in the planting of hedges at the western border of the park. Children also helped to plant apple and pear trees in a small section of the park we call ‘the orchard’. We encourage local people to bring children into the park and one child minder often brings her charges for adventure trails. We held a Teddy Bears’ Picnic, open to all local children under 5 and their parents. 20 children attended plus mums, dads and grandparents. ## 2. Adults’ Courses: Throughout spring 2025 ‘Art in Nature’ and ‘Movement in Nature’ courses ran for 6 weeks. These were as much about promoting wellbeing as teaching art and movement, nature being recognised as helping people establish good mental health. Training: Our volunteers are signed up with the GAVO Volunteer Recognition Scheme and in May 2024 some of our volunteers received certificates in recognition of their work with the Friends of the Eco Park. One Volunteer was sent on a Chainsaw Training course organised by Caerphilly County Borough Council (CCBC). She continues to lead our small volunteer force in carrying out maintenance of the park and has recruited more members. Groundwork Wales often help out and organise Corporate Days when groups come into the park to learn skills and help with specific tasks, such as clearing invasive species. ## 3. Projects: We installed a defibrillator last July and in November we added a Stop the Bleed unit. Trustees received instruction in the use of this. Steps in the Park were repaired in the autumn and we purchased a Rolla-Ramp to help those with mobility problems to access our cabin and certain areas of the park. Clearing the overgrowth of invasive species, such as nettles, bracken and brambles was necessary to make the southern entrance of the park and the pathway more accessible. ( See above). Last year’s assessment of Keep Wales Tidy on awarding us our Green Flag Award was that we should cut back the wild meadow. This has been done and a row of trees planted to distinguish this area from the events field where we carry out most of our community events. We have an ongoing project which is the provision of water on site. This has been partly accomplished. ## 4. Community Events: Last year’s Dog Show (June 2024) was a new event and was very successful. It was well attended and we hope to keep this as an annual event. Friends of the Eco Park hosted a public talk by a local horticulturist. ## 5. Community Consultation: We hired the Church Hall to hold an exercise called ‘Planning For the Future’. It was open to all residents of Cefn Fforest in order to inform them about ‘The Friends of the Eco Park’ and the work we do, raise their awareness of the park itself, and to find out what they would like us to provide for their benefit. There was a display of photographs of the park, various charts for people to fill in and questionnaires were given out. Although there was a clash with other events, we were pleased with the attendance, and there were many positive comments and interesting suggestions. We will now take these on board in our forward planning. Another such event was held in Fleur de Lys. As our charts are portable, we could take this kind of consultation exercise to various groups and schools in the future. 6. Partnership and Networking: Representatives of Friends of the Eco Park attended a variety of events that bring together voluntary organisations, charities and third sector organisations. Two trustees joined the Cefn Fforest & Pengam Community Partnership which aims to help and support community cohesion. Trustees join in events held by other organisations to promote the Eco Park and similarly we invite local groups to our events. ## 7. Awards: Last year (2024) we were awarded a Green Flag Award from Keep Wales Tidy as in the last few years. Last Autumn our trustees’ work was acknowledged by The Gwent Association for Voluntary Organisations (GAVO) and 2 of our trustees received awards at a local ceremony for charities and voluntary organisations. CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Sectlon A Independeiit Examlner's Report Report to the trusteesl member3 of Friends of the Eco Park On accounts for the year ended 3110512025 Charity no (If any) 1208421 Set out on pages 34 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (llhe Trust.) for the year ended 3110512025. 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. I have compleled my examination. I confirm that no material matters have 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 &cord with the accounting records Independent examiner's statement I have no concems and have coff£ 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. . Please delete the wonls in the brackets if they do not apply. /6/202 Slgned: Date: Name: I no £trttS- Relevant professlonal qualificatlonlsl or body (If any): C//f7 4- /ns &/tru/e ok /fiLLn Address: /nor 6L/n To R/sl // rtoa /vew6r/49e. /Ve&rfp&z& . /yp// ¥ t/J a/0 October 2018 Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of chanty accounts.. directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER October 2018 Frl•nds Of th• Eco Part( 1208421 CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For tho pgrlod from 2810512024 3110512025 To Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds to lh• n••rMI Restrlcted funds Endowment funds Total funds Last yoar ¢0 th• n••r•st £ lo th• n••r••t £ n•ar•st £ to th• n••r•$t £ A1 Recei Donabons. legaoes & gTanls Fundrasing Events sUbS￿pbonS 2,632 1,501 113 271 1,635 15 2.011 2.282 1,635 158 Sub total(Gross income for AR) A2 Asset and Investment sales, (see tabla). 1011 4.075 4,248 Sub total Total recelpts 2.011 4.075 4,246 A3Pa ents Cost ol lun6raislng eYert8 Renuhire ol rooms Repairs and rnaintenant• hl and healing Water ond sewerg Insuranc• Telephone. iniemel and pm Pnnling. postap. sialionery and c4rnwtef supplies Equlpmenl Grarts 8 ￿3￿on$ Pald 477 195 470 17 477 195 389 1$ 866 19 449 860 1.730 17 286 891 183 891 183 110 681 110 704 225 3.683 Sub total 3.612 1.730 5,242 A4 Asset and Inveslrnent urchases, see tabl• Defibnlal¢y Prytsble RBM? 1,674 1.078 1.602 3,280 1.602 1.102 Sub total 8.190 3.332 •,$22 3,583 Net of recelpts1(paymentsJ A5 Transf8rs botweèn funds A6 Cash funds last y•ar Cash funds thls year end 3,126 1,321 4,447 7,718 4.692 2.011 9.729 5,282 CCKX Rl accounls ISSI 041C612025 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrè8trlet•d Restrlcted funds fund$ lo n••ro•1 É to n••r••l t Endowment funds to n•ar•At £ Calo9orios Doiails 81 Cash fund• Bank Balanu as at 31105125 4,570 Cash In Hand 22 Total cash funds 4.$92 690 18gf•e b￿8￿(4$ I￿01p￿ andpaymonls ie