## **Trustees' Annual Report** For the Year Ended 31.10.2025 ## **Reference and Administrative Information** Charity Name: **From The Brink** Charity Registration Number: **1209609** Principal Address: 28 Clarendon Street, Cambridge, CB1 1JX ## **Trustees** who served during the year were: Patrick von Heimendahl (Chairperson) Sue Hewitt Bruce Pearson Anne Page ## **Treasurer** Luke Brereton ## **Independent Examiner/Auditor** Janine Barber ## **Bankers** Metro Bank, One Southampton Row, London, C1B 5HA The Trustees present their annual report and financial statement of the charity for the year ended 31.10.2025. The financial statement has been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies, the Charities Act 1993 and the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities published in 2005. ## **Structure, Governance and Management** The charity ‘From The Brink’ is registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and is governed by a constitution adopted on 13.08.2024. The Charity was established as a small conservation charity by Patrick von Heimendahl. The charity seeks to raise funds for small conservation projects. Trustees are appointed in accordance with the charity's constitution. However, this being the first year after registration no new trustees have been appointed. New trustees would receive an induction covering: - The charity's objectives and activities - Trustee duties and responsibilities - Financial management and reporting - Charity Commission guidance - Safeguarding and other key policies At biannual trustees meetings, the trustees agree the broad strategy and areas of activity for the charity. The Trustees look in particular at grant making, performance and the few charitable activities the trustees and volunteers have undertaken. The Trustees consider the strategic direction of the charity. The day-to-day management and running of is overseen by the chairperson who is supported by the trustees and volunteers where applicable. Assisting and advising the trustees are four distinguished conservation scientists. They counsel on grant applications and monitoring performance. This being the charity’s first year the trustees found it helpful to link up with the UK charity, ‘Synchronicity Earth’ for occasional advice, guidance and help. All Trustees give their time freely and no Trustee remuneration was paid in the year. No Trustee has received expenses. Trustees are required to disclose all relevant interests and register them at Trustee meetings. No relevant interests were registered. ## **Risk Management** The Trustees have considered the major risks to which the charity is exposed and have established systems and procedures to manage those risks. Areas reviewed include, financial sustainability, governance compliance, safeguarding, data protection and operational and reputational risks. The Trustees are satisfied that appropriate controls are in place to mitigate identified risks. ## **Objectives and Activities for the public benefit** The object of the CIO is: To advance the conservation of wildlife for the public benefit in Ghana and such other parts of the world as the trustees shall determine, including but not limited to the giant squeaker frog ( _Arthroleptis krokosua_ ) and such rare or endangered species at risk of extinction, by providing grants of financial assistance to individuals and organisations to support research, the useful results of which will be published, and sustainable conservation work undertaken to protect such species and their habitats. The Trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives and in planning future activities and setting the grant making policy for the year.. The charity delivered public benefit through: Supporting the reintroduction of the Large Marsh Grasshopper ( _Stethophyma grosssum_ ) to East Anglia (Grant: £2000) and aiding the habitat restoration of the Sui Forest River Reserve to save the Giant Squeaker Frog ( _Arthroleptis krokosua_ ) from extinction (Grant £3700). The charity carries out its programme through the partnership with other well established conservation organisations, in particular, Synchronicity Earth, Save Ghana Frogs and Citizen Zoo. Services are provided to beneficiaries without discrimination and are designed to advance the charity's charitable purposes. ## **Volunteers** The charity occasional draws on and benefits from a handful of unpaid volunteers. During the year volunteers supported the charity through - Fundraising activities - Administrative social media support The Trustees would like to thank all volunteers for their commitment and contribution. ## **Achievements and Performance** ## **Overview** The Trustees are pleased to report a first year of progress towards the charity's objectives. Key achievements during the year included: - setting up the charity - opening a bank account with Metro Bank - first steps into social media presence - supporting two conservation projects ## **Impact** During the year the charity: - Supported two beneficiaries - Recruited two regular volunteers - Formed partnerships with the conservation organisations Feedback from beneficiaries demonstrates the positive impact of the charity's work, including improvements in habitat restoration and species reintroduction ## **Case Study** We provided a grant to Citizen Zoo supporting the project to reintroduce the Large Marsh Grasshopper (LMG) to Cambridgeshire. In fact volunteers of ‘From The Brink’ participated in hatching the eggs, raising the juvenile and releasing the adult LMG gaining first eye insight into the working and success of the supported project. Our grant to Citizen Zoo: - Supported wildlife surveys and collections, which are vital for maintaining genetic diversity of animals released into Cambridgeshire. - Contributed to staff time for training and managing volunteer Citizen Keepers. - Helped to engage with landowners and stakeholders in Cambridgeshire to secure permissions for new and existing release sites. - Covered travel and expenses for site visits, releases, and surveys in Cambridgeshire. - Supported the repair and maintenance of captive breeding cages and infrastructure to ensure animal welfare and biosecurity. - Contributed towards equipment and rearing materials, such as UV bulbs, pooters, petri dishes, and mesh. ## **Fundraising Performance** The charity raised funds through: - Individual donations - Community fundraising - Corporate partnership with CamVet Ltd Total fundraising income for the year was £35,162.18 The Trustees acknowledge that the main source of fundings are through the corporate partnership with CamVet Ltd. CamVet Ltd directors have pledged a donation of £15,000/annum. However, the charity received a total of £33,100 from CamVet Ltd due to back payments which had been promised before the trustees were able to establish and register ‘From The Brink’ with the Charity Commission. This donation constitutes a restricted and an unrestricted fund. The Trustees understand the wish of the benefactor that the restricted donations have the purpose to add up to fund of £70,000 over the next years. The interests shall be re- invested. The Trustees acknowledge that future corporate donations will be in the region of £15,000/annum and the total funds raised for ‘From The Brink’ a likely to be less than £25,000/annum. The charity does not undertake intrusive fundraising practices and complies with applicable fundraising regulations. ## **Financial Review** ## **Financial Results** Total income for the year amounted to **£35,162.18** of which **£25,000** are **restricted** and **£10,162.18** are **unrestricted** Total expenditure for the year amounted to **£5,700.61** At the year end, total unrestricted funds stood at **£4,461.57.** ## **Reserves Policy** The charity has presently of £4,461.57 reserve funds. The future expenditure of £5,700.00 grant giving and bank fees are covered by the this reserve fund and the pledge of corporate donations. Together this will provide financial stability and ensure the continuation of charitable activities during periods of reduced income. The Trustees consider this level of secure reserve to be adequate in relation to the charity's needs and the long term support of chosen conservation projects ## **Investment Policy** The restricted fund is presently deposited in it its Metro bank account. In accordance with our main benefactor’s request the Trustees have ring fenced the restricted funds. In future the Trustees will invest the restricted funds with reputable financial institutions. The charity does not currently hold significant investment assets. ## **Going Concern** The trustees have reviewed the charity's financial position, forecasts and cash flow projections and consider it appropriate to prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis. ## **Plans for Future Periods** During the coming year the trustees intend to: - Continue support of the current conservation initiatives - Strengthen governance and operational capacity - Increase social media presence - Approach a possible patron - Chairperson to visit the Sui River Reserve to personally inform trustees about support given to habitat restoration. He will do so at own cost. - Continue monitoring and evaluating progress of current projects - Apply for membership of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) - Acknowledge that our main donor CamVet Ltd has pledged to support the charity for another three years with the amount of £15,000/annum of which £10,000/annum are currently restricted. The trustees remain committed to ensuring the charity achieves its charitable objectives and delivers meaningful public benefit. ## **Trustee Responsibilities Statement** The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Annual Report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards. The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application for resources of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to: - select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; - observe the methods and principals of the Charities SORP; - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; - state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed; - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis. The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records, safeguarding the assets of the charity and taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for raking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information on the charity’s website. The trustees approve the report and confirm that, in their opinion, it presents a fair and balanced review of the charity's activities and performance during the year. ## **Approved by the Board of Trustees on:** 25.08.2026 ## **Signed on behalf of the Trustees** Patrick von Heimendahl Chair of Trustees Section B Statementof assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestri¢i8d funds R¢siiicted funds Endowmtrnt funds to rn4re5t £ Detail$ B1 Cash fvnds 4,462 Total cash funds 4,462 2S,000 Unrtstrided funds to r•arp$i £ Restricted funds EndLvimgnt funds to rwr•st £ t¢ whlch ¥$Sèt Colt lopU(wll c￿￿¢￿1 Yal l(w