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2022-03-31-accounts

Trustees’ Report & Annual Accounts 2021-22

Sussex Wildlife Trust Woods Mill, Henfield West Sussex BN5 9SD Tel: 01273 492630

Email: enquiries@sussexwt.org.uk Website: sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk Reg Charity No. 207005 36

Nightingale © Lisa Geoghegan

TRUSTEES’ REPORT & ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2021 ­ 22

Reference and Administrative Details

Charity name: Sussex Wildlife Trust

Directors and Trustees:

The Directors of the charitable company (the Charity) are its Trustees for the purposes of charity law and throughout this report are collectively referred to as the Trustees.

Charity number: 207005

Company number: 698851

The elected Trustees serving during the year and since the year-end were as follows:

Registered and Principal Office Address:

Woods Mill, Henfield, West Sussex, BN5 9SD

Nitin Pasricha Chair

Auditor :

Linda Clark Treasurer and Chair of the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee

RSM UK Audit LLP Portland 25 High Street Crawley West Sussex RH10 1BG

Simon Linington Secretary

Dr Sean Ashworth

Mark Braithwaite (from 30th June 2022)

Jon Cooper (until 26th June 2022)

A resolution to appoint auditors to the charitable company will be proposed at the Annual General Meeting.

Martin Kyndt

Helen Marshall

Bank:

Emma Montlake

Barclays PLC The Old Bank High Street Lewes East Sussex BN7 2JP

Dr Alan Stewart

President: Dr Tony Whitbread

Vice Presidents:

Mr Robin Crane CBE Dr Lisbet Rausing

Mr David Streeter OBE

Senior Management Team:

Tor Lawrence CEO (until 31st July 2022)

Steve Aldridge Director – Finance (until 31st July 2022)

Henri Brocklebank Director – Conservation Policy and Evidence

Caroline Pearce Director – Fundraising and Communications

Dan Ross Director – Land Management

Emma Forward Director – Operations (until 21st May 2021)

Maria Jonsson Director – Business Operations (Acting 1st June to 1st December 2021; confirmed in post 1 December 2021)

Amy Clark Director – Communities & Wildlife (from 28th October 2021 until 10th March 2022)

Chair’s Report

Nitin Pasricha © Miles Davies

It is with great pleasure I present my second report as Chair of Council of the Sussex Wildlife Trust. Wildlife continues to face challenges, which are now depressingly familiar; climate change, fragmented habitats, intensive agriculture practices, poor development decisions, disease and invasive species are all impacting our ecosystems, causing species decline and natural processes to be disrupted. Despite these stark realities, Sussex Wildlife Trust, its volunteers and members have continued to take positive action to protect nature and wildlife sites, and to ensure a greener future by connecting people with the wildlife around them. We also welcome the new Environment Act, the most groundbreaking piece of environmental legislation in many years that includes the target to reverse the decline in species abundance by the end of 2030.

Highlights of the year include the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, enabling the Communities and Wildlife department to restart face-to-face activities across Sussex. We opened our flagship Discovery Centre at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, which has helped us inspire and connect thousands of visitors to this unique and special place.

Sussex Wildlife Trust joined with others to create the

Sussex Kelp Restoration Project; a pioneering marine rewilding project set-up to restore almost 200 square kilometres of lost kelp forest along the coast of Sussex. We also saw the implementation of the Sussex Nearshore Trawling Byelaw ensuring Sussex seas are now better protected for generations to come. We stood up for nature through responding to critical Local Plan documents, attending examinations in public and, for the first time in our history, initiating a judicial review process. We led on a number of exciting partnerships delivering projects throughout Sussex, we developed Nature Recovery Networks, and we agreed priority landscapes to focus our attention whilst our Land Management teams continued to manage our downland, woodland, heathland and coastal reserves so that wildlife continues to thrive on them.

Despite a significant period of financial uncertainty our members, donors and supporters have continued to show incredible generosity. Even with the cost of living increase and stretched budgets seen by many in 2021 - 2022 our membership numbers increased over the year for which we are very grateful. Every gift, no matter how large or small, makes a crucial difference and thanks to you all, SWT remains financially stable. Generous legacies and donations received last year have allowed us to extend our nature reserve at Ebernoe Common through the acquisition of Willand Wood and The Warren. This reserve forms part of one of the largest ancient woodland complexes in Britain and plays an important role for wildlife and the storage of carbon.

The Trust has been championing wildlife and wild places in Sussex for over 60 years, deepening people’s understanding of the beauty and importance of our natural world and 2021 - 2022 has once again shown what a great organisation it is. I have seen this first-hand in the way staff, volunteers and members have pulled together and united with a shared ambition for wildlife in Sussex. I am incredibly proud of the staff and volunteers who have dedicated their time to keep the Trust going and demonstrated their continued commitment to the wildlife and wild places in Sussex. I remain positive in our belief that our 39,013 members, 694 active volunteers and 119 staff who show appreciation of the wildlife around us, can and do make a difference.

On behalf of my fellow Trustees, we are proud to have played our part in protecting the wildlife of Sussex for all to enjoy and thank you for your continued support. With all this in mind, I am pleased to present the Annual Report for the year ending 31 March 2022.

Nitin Pasricha Chair

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT & ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2021 ­ 22

Willand Wood © Mark Monk-Terry

Objectives and Activities

to promote the protection and enhancement of the natural environment; and

During 2021 the Trustees underwent a process of revising and modernising the Trust’s memorandum and Articles, approved by members at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) November 2021.

to promote and advance public education about, understanding of, connection to, and action in support of, the natural environment and its benefits.

Sussex Wildlife Trust's objects, as detailed in our Articles of Association 2021, are for the benefit of both wildlife and the public:

With regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit, the Trustees believe that the provision of such benefit is an integral part of each of the charitable objectives.

To conserve, restore and enhance the wildlife of Sussex including that in its coastal waters. In particular, to conserve species and the habitats and landscapes in which they occur, including the restoration, creation and interconnection of such habitats;

The Trustees are pleased to present their annual Trustees’ report together with the consolidated financial statements of the charity for the year ending 31 March 2022. These are also prepared with the purpose of meeting the legal requirements for a Trustees’ report and accounts in accordance with the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing document

committee system. They are advised of appropriate Trustee training courses and are encouraged to attend.

The Sussex Wildlife Trust is a company limited by guarantee under the Companies Act and is governed by its Articles of Association adopted on 13[th] November 2021.

Trustee review and evaluation

During the year, we undertook an internal review of our governance policies and procedures, following Charity Commission best practice.

Organisation

The Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT) is governed by its Council, which is responsible for setting policies, ensuring legality and good practice in accordance with the Articles of Association of SWT and the Companies Act 2006. The CEO under delegated powers undertakes the routine management of SWT.

Remuneration of Senior Management Team

During the year we undertook a complete job evaluation and salary benchmarking review, led in conjunction with our HR advisors, Aspiring HR. Trustees delegate the management of the Trust to the CEO. The CEO heads a Senior Management Team that includes operational directors. These are considered to be the key management personnel of the Trust. Remuneration for the SMT is reviewed annually and includes a benchmark review of all 46 Wildlife Trusts and where available other similar sized charities operating in the South East managing similar levels of operational complexity.

Recruitment and appointment of Trustees

In accordance with the Articles of Association, Trustees are elected by the Membership at the AGM. At each AGM, one third of the Directors must retire by rotation, with those who have been longest in office since their last appointment retiring first. Directors can offer themselves for re-election but no Director shall serve for a period of more than nine consecutive years. On the expiration of such a period and the retirement of the relevant director, a further year must lapse before that person shall be eligible for re-election to the Council. Nominations for new Trustees are considered each year prior to the AGM and are put forward for election at the AGM. When considering co-opting Trustees, the SWT Council has regard to the requirement for any specialist skills needed.

The Wildlife Trusts partnership

SWT is a member of The Wildlife Trusts Partnership (registered as the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, registered charity number 207238) which acts as an umbrella body carrying out lobbying and public relations on behalf of all Wildlife Trusts. The charity has the use of The Wildlife Trusts logo and benefits from the resources, best practice and speciality experience of other member Trusts. Membership gives us a national voice and profile, as well as being known by association for those unfamiliar with our particular work. However, each member of the partnership remains entirely independent in terms of governance and operations.

Trustee induction and training

New Trustees undergo an induction programme. During the induction they meet the Senior Management Team and other employees and gain an understanding of their legal obligations with regards to charity and company law, the Articles of Association and the structure of the

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Strategic Report

Achievements and performance

A coherent ecological network Our focus for a coherent ecological network has been both on land and at sea.

On land our Nature Reserves are providing core areas for a broader ecological network with some important wildlife gains. We extended our land ownership at Ebernoe Common, with the purchase of Willand Wood and The Warren, made possible through legacies and donations.

During the past year, there were many ecological highlights from across our Nature Reserve network. Field Crickets had an exceptional year in 2021 at both Iping Common and Burton Pond, expanding from their release site. There are approximately 20 Nightingale territories at Ebernoe and Butcherland, as well as the recently purchased Willand Wood. Saproxylic beetle surveys at Ebernoe Common found two nationally rare species on one tree within The Warren. The heathland bird assemblage at Stedham and Iping Common had a good year in 2021, with Nightjar occupying nine territories, and Woodlark, Tree Pipit and Dartford Warbler all doing well. The very rare Red Hemp Nettle was again found at Malling Down. At Rye Harbour the Sussex Emerald Moth was confirmed breeding with caterpillars found on Wild Carrot in June, Black-winged Stilts nested and produced chicks, 12 Large Coneheads were heard on Rye Harbour Farm in August and the Millennium Seed Bank collected 859 seeds of Slender Hares-ear and 1640 seeds of Frogbit.

As grazing is a critical tool for biodiversity enhancement on our nature reserves, we were able to secure important additional “layback land” in West Sussex needed to manage our sheep and cattle year round. During 2021 – 2022, we calved 64 cows and over 500 lambs, increasing capacity of our grazing operations across the reserves.

We undertook a wide range of habitat management projects for example diversifying densely planted sweet chestnut plantation and making space for natural woodland regeneration at Eridge Rocks. We completed a capital investment programme of ditch maintenance and new gates at Pevensey Levels. We fenced a shingle island at Rye Harbour providing more space safe from predators for ground nesting birds. We tackled the spread of invasive Cotoneater at Seaford Head helping to increase the population of Moon Carrot at Hope Gap. We continued a programme of Hazel coppicing at West Dean Woods, continuing many years of phased coppicing, creating wonderful Bluebell displays in the spring.

We continued to seek new funding opportunities to help us to improve our sites for wildlife, through agri-environ - mental schemes, for example applying for new Countryside Stewardship schemes at Filsham Reedbed and Butcherland.

Our approach to tree safety management continues to be significantly impacted by the extent of Ash Dieback across Sussex, with high levels of intervention needed over the past year. Sites such as Ditchling Beacon, Malling Down and The Mens are particularly affected, where we have undertaken extensive tree safety work in response to our annual Ash Dieback and tree safety surveys.

We have agreed priority landscapes to focus our attention – Arun Valley, Rye to Hastings, Pevensey Levels and Ebernoe to The Mens, and we have been working with key stakeholders to set out our approach to these.

In Horsham District the momentum of the Wilder Horsham District project grew, with communities and landowners/land managers/farmers taking an active role to be part of our ambitions for a District-wide network for nature. The project has delivered beyond its targets for the year and now has focus areas prioritised for action in the District.

In the Ouse catchment, the work of the Sussex Flow Initiative continued to deliver benefits for wildlife through Natural Flood Management and continues to see a great response from communities and landowners/ managers and farmers.

Beyond these geographies we are continually approached by people wanting advice on rewilding and how to work with natural processes to deliver nature-based solutions and we support these enquiries where we can. We reviewed our longstanding landowner advice provision through three focus groups and a survey with farmers and land managers and are now reviewing the outcomes of the feedback, ensuring we are adequately equipped to continue to provide high quality advice as Government policy and payments change. Everyone has a role to play in a network for nature.

At the end of March 2021, it was announced that the Sussex Nearshore Trawling Byelaw had been implemented and Sussex Wildlife Trust joined with others to create the Sussex Kelp Restoration Project. The focus of this group is to enable the recovery of marine ecosystems over 300km2 of Sussex seabed – eventually we hope to see much of this as kelp habitat (large seaweeds that support a multitude of species). Benchmarking and monitoring the process was the priority for the year and we worked with NGOs, public bodies, local sea-users and academics. The enthusiasm for the kelp recovery has brought together existing and new organisations for Sussex marine and coastal restoration work, and we were selected to receive funding from the Environment Agency to establish the best ways for us all to work together. Weather conditions meant that we could not deliver as many Seasearch dives as we would have liked, but those that happened collected eDNA samples to inform the kelp monitoring work.

Volunteers planting for wildlife at Broadwater Cemetery, Worthing © Miles Davies

Biodiversity Record Centre continues to be a fundamental resource not just for the Wildlife Trust, but for numerous organisations across Sussex as it develops its services to deliver outputs that match requirements coming from the Environment Act. Additionally the Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre host the Sussex Local Wildlife Site Initiative which we support financially and which has continued its vital work reviewing the status of these important locally designated sites across Sussex.

Work on broader networks for nature were focussed on both standing up for our existing important areas for wildlife (Marine Conservation Zones, Local Wildlife Sites and our nationally designated terrestrial sites) and working with others to deliver more for nature. We stood up for nature through responding to critical Local Plan documents, and attending examinations in public and our first judicial review process.

The year saw the enactment of the Environment Act, a milestone for policy to support nature. In order to secure the best coherent ecological network into the future we worked through the Sussex Nature Partnership to develop principles and pilots around Nature Recovery Networks and Biodiversity Net Gain. In future, we will have a new raft of county level responsibilities called Local Nature Recovery Strategies and much of this year has been spent ensuring that in Sussex we are working collectively to be prepared for this new way of working.

People inspired by, connected to and valuing nature

2021-2022 saw the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, enabling the Communities and Wildlife department to restart face-to-face activities across Sussex. At the same time the Wild Coast Sussex project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, entered its second year of delivery. The project worked with five primary schools to deliver programmes of Wild Beach sessions and funded 15 teacher places on the Wild Beach training course to enable schools to deliver regular coastal visits. New events were

Behind all our work for coherent ecological networks sits the requirement for high quality evidence. The Sussex

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trialled for 16-25 year olds to attract new audiences, including an LGBTQ+ Beach Clean and Clothes Swap event. The project worked with commercial fishermen to send three tonnes of end-of-life fishing gear for recycling as well as six recovery trips to remove Ghost Gear (lost, abandoned or discarded fishing gear) from the seabed off Sussex.

The Trust’s new flagship visitor centre at Rye Harbour opened in May 2021 and has helped us inspire and connect thousands of visitors to this unique and special place. The Rye Harbour Discovery Centre houses a first class education facility where we are able to welcome schools and other groups to learn about local nature, landscape and wildlife. Visitors are also able to discover and learn through excellent interpretation and engagement activities and the Centre houses a café and wildlife themed shop.

Discover Rye Harbour, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF), delivered its first year of activities. Based at the newly-opened Discovery Centre, the project delivered a wide and varied programme of activities, designed to engage a range of audiences, including Guide in the Hide, family trails and activities, Voices of Rye Harbour, Wild Beach training and school sessions, Nature Babies and Wellbeing Wanders. The project also provides over 100 volunteering opportunities at the site in roles across conservation, education and operations. The Trust has recruited staff to NLHF-funded roles to support the delivery of activities, including its first Heritage Trainee.

The Gatwick Greenspace Partnership (GGP) entered its 17[th] year of delivery and retained The Wildlife Trust’s Biodiversity Benchmark Award for the 7[th] year in a row. Considerable progress has been made against Gatwick’s Biodiversity Action Plan, with habitat actions and ecological surveys returning close to pre-pandemic levels. Corporate volunteering returned, as did community engagement work through a combination of online events for larger groups and schools, and in-person events with restricted numbers of people, including Wildlife and Youth Rangers groups and the Wild Wanderers Bushcamp – an immersive week in the woods for eight, 12-16 year olds.

Brighton and Hove Environmental Education (BHee), funded by Brighton and Hove Council focused on Youth & Schools Engagement on Climate Change. BHee has worked with 69 schools in Brighton and Hove, promoting a ‘‘Whole School, Whole City approach to sustainability, environmental education and climate change". The project co-led the strategy across the authority, and offers support to teachers through training, advice and school ground development, and worked directly with students through outdoor workshops, environmental action planning and one-off events, including at the COP26 summit in Glasgow.

In October, the Trust recruited two trainees, funded by The Vera Dalley Lederman Scholarship and Environmental Training Programme. Opportunities include Open College Network West Midlands (OCNWM)

accredited Forest School and Wild Beach Leader training and supporting a wide range of Trust activities.

Schools delivery restarted at Woods Mill with new Flora and Fauna courses developed for students and teachers. Education activity at Seven Sisters paused whilst refurbishment works continued to take place, led by South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA). Staff worked in partnership with PATINA to deliver online lessons to 16 schools (460 children) to support the annual Moving On parade in Lewes. Schools outreach also included the delivery of over 50 Forest School sessions and piloting ‘Schools on Reserves’ – targeted multiple engagement with schools in close proximity to SWT reserves and in receipt of Environmental Stewardship funding. Nature Tots restarted at Woods Mill and Tilgate Park and coordinated ongoing research into the impact of SWT’s activities on Pro-Environmental and Pro-Nature Conservation behaviours in partnership with the University of Sussex.

SWT continued to upskill teachers and educators through formal and informal training, with over 100 participants undertaking accredited training in both Forest School and Wild Beach. INSET and CPD training was also delivered to five schools.

Along with other Wildlife Trusts across the country, we were successful in applying for funding for the Nextdoor Nature project, which is bringing communities together to help nature flourish where they live and work. Made possible by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and thanks to National Lottery players, this project will enable us to work with communities in Hastings, champion a Community Organising approach, provide people with the advice and support they need to help nature on their doorstep, and leave a lasting natural legacy in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

A leading wildlife organisation in Sussex

We continue to develop our relationship with businesses in Sussex, through our partnership schemes and corporate volunteering days, helping organisations to demonstrate their support for the natural environment. In another uncertain year for corporate organisations, our business membership developed well, achieving a 21.9% increase in members and a 20.9% increase in income during the year.

The Sussex Wildlife Trust is proud to host the Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre, which now has over nine million records, continuing to provide an excellent evidence base for local planning authorities, land managers, consultants, local recording groups and individuals interested in the wildlife in their local area.

We led on a number of exciting partnerships delivering projects throughout Sussex, including the Sussex Kelp Restoration Partnership, Gatwick Greenspace Partnership, the Sussex Flow Initiative, Discover Rye Harbour and Wild Coast Sussex and we co-lead Wilder Horsham District. We are also members of the Local

Nature Partnership, the Heritage Coast Partnership and the Cuckmere Estuary Partnership.

Plans for the future

During the year, we continued to contribute to the development of the national Wildlife Trusts’ strategy, whilst refining our own priorities, continuing to emphasise:

that we will focus core resources on key landscapes – Arun Valley, Pevensey Levels, Rye to Hastings and Ebernoe to The Mens – embedding our reserves into wider landscape improvements and influencing partnerships and land managers at a landscape scale

that we will continue to deliver on key externally funded projects such as Wilder Horsham District, Sussex Flow Initiative and Wild Coast Sussex

the Rye Harbour Discovery Centre opened in May 2021 and we will deliver a range of educational activities through the Discover Rye Harbour project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. We will be working to ensure the Centre is financially selfsustaining, primarily through the café and shop. We will continue to work closely with the Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, who have been integral to the success of this project

that we will advise landowners, farmers and practitioners in the creation of resilient landscapes and natural climate solutions

that we will take action to reduce our carbon footprint and embed sustainability practices

that we will ensure an effective and inclusive organisation

Volunteers

Volunteers have been a vital element in every part of the Sussex Wildlife Trust this year. We have expanded the range and type of roles delivered by volunteers to support our work. Sussex Wildlife Trust currently has 694 volunteers, above the number of registered volunteers in the previous pre-Covid-19 years of 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Our traditional volunteering in practical conservation and education has continued with new recruits in Volunteer Reserve Manager roles as well as working with older college students and students joining forest school as part of learning English as a foreign language. The establishment of new projects has created training roles for volunteers: Wilder Horsham District project has ecological survey and conservation volunteers, Wild Coast Sussex has volunteer champions and Wild Beach helpers, BHee project has ecological surveyors and climate change helpers. We also have micro volunteering in the form of our photo posts at nature reserves, recording changes and our two-minute beach cleans, alongside flexible volunteering for one off events at the Sussex Art Fair, summer holiday events and evaluation volunteering.

The opportunity to re-register volunteers due to Covid-19 has also allowed for more anonymised data collection to understand our volunteer demographic and how we can diversify recruitment. Our active volunteers are aged 16 to 84, 57% of whom identify as female. Our education volunteers range from 21 to 75. Our Discovery Centre Café volunteers have the smallest age range between 63 and 72 but this is also an area that has work experience students volunteering for one off weeks.

This year we have also been able to focus on training and refresher training for our volunteers with face-to-face and online courses. This has included First Aid, Walk Leader, Lookerer, Volunteer Reserve Manager, Personal Safety, Forest School Level 2 and general safety inductions.

Donated services

We were pleased to receive pro-bono training and mentoring support during the year from GWiz Learning Partnership. A value of £10,550 has been reflected within the accounts and this Trustees’ Report. SWT did not receive any other donated services during the year (2020/21: £10,620).

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Financial Review

This year saw lifting of a significant number of the Covid-19 restrictions and many of the operations of SWT returning to near normal, with the return of many face to face activities and the opening of the Rye Harbour Discovery Centre including the trading operations located there.

Total income for the year was a commendable £5.3m, however was a drop from the previous years record mainly due to a £2m reduction in legacy income. This is largely as a result of the completion of the Rye Harbour Discovery Centre (RHDC) and the cessation of the fund raising activity for this project. The ending of the government furlough scheme also had a negative impacted on total income. However unrestricted income increased this year to £4.1m and restricted income for charitable activities increased this year to £1.13m.

The resumption of member recruitment activity together with the opening of the RHDC café and shop drove an increase in expenditure on Raising Funds to £1.47m. During the year SWT undertook an organisation wide salary benchmarking exercise to bring salary bands into market alignment. This together with the additional staff roles needed to run the RHDC resulted in additional staff costs during the year.

The full year deficit of £174k after the depreciation charge of £173k means on a cash basis a near breakeven result for the year.

Significant items of cash utilisation in the year were the addition of Willand Wood and The Warren to increase Heritage assets by £0.5m, together with the final expenditure on RHDC of £256k , an increase in biological assets (grazing animals for nature reserve management) and trading stock for RHDC.

The 2021 - 2022 financial year was another challenging one with credit due to the entire staff and leadership team for the enthusiasm and dedication with which they have steered the Trust towards more normal times and embraced new and exciting opportunities as they emerge.

Once again, none of this would be possible without the generosity and dedication of our members, volunteers and Wildlife Guardians whose commitment is paramount. We are particularly grateful for the gifts in memory and legacies left to SWT.

The Trustees have considered the appropriateness of the going concern assumption in the preparation of the financial statements based on forecasts covering the twelve months from the date of approval to August 2023, and believe SWT has sufficient financial reserves.

Principal risks and uncertainties

The Trustees have taken a pro-active approach to risk during the year. We reviewed and improved our organisational risk register and continued regular risk reporting by the CEO to Trustees. We have also ensured a detailed focus on any area that is regarded as high risk.

Examples of mitigation undertaken are:

Ensuring a Health and Safety Action Plan is in place, monitored through the Health & Safety Management Committee with regular reports to the Senior Management Team and Council

Updated Safeguarding Policies and Procedures and a nominated and trained staff/trustee team in place

Appointment of Southern Water and contractors to enable a connection to the mains water supply for the Trust and residents at Southerham Farm

Maintenance plans and infrastructure improvements at Woods Mill, RHDC and Southerham Farm to ensure facilities are safe and fit for purpose

Following of all government guidelines in relation to operating a business during Covid-19 including risk assessments, safety guidelines and a roadmap out of lockdown

Relying on our expert HR advisors to ensure we have up to date, objective and relevant HR support and advice for staff and the organisation

Reviewing our approach to project management, to ensure projects are effectively delivered for the future

Financial reserves policy

During the year, the Trustees reviewed the financial reserves policy in line with current Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) requirements and relevant guidance. The revised policy, in place at the end of the financial year, is:

“The reserves policy which requires unrestricted reserves to be maintained at a level which would allow the core work and activity of SWT to continue during a period of unforeseen difficulty and that the reserves are held in a readily useable form; that is readily available or convertible to cash should the need arise.

The calculation of the reserves level is an integral part of the regular financial management, monitoring and budgeting process. It takes into account items on the risk register, the financial cost of mitigating risks, variability and the potential for fluctuation of budgeted income and expenditure levels and SWT’s future commitments. The main risks to income and expenditure are highlighted and a calculation made of the financial consequences of adverse movements.”

Financial Performance Highlights

Total income £5.33m (2020/21 £7.06m)

----- Start of picture text -----
Income
Restricted
23%
Unrestricted
77%
Expenditure
Non
Charitable
30%
Charitable
70%
Fundraising
Revenue
Cost of
fundraising
31%
Net fundraising
revenue
69%
----- End of picture text -----

Unrestricted income £4.1m (2020/21 £3.8m)

Donations and legacies totalled £900k (2020/21 £2.7m) Legacy income of £773k received during the year Charitable activities £732k (2020/21 £705k)

Restricted income £1.25m (2020/21 £3.26m)

Charitable activities £1.1m (2020/21 £1.1m)

Included in above in 2021 - 2022, was £36k of restricted legacy income

Total expenditure £5.51m (2020/21 £4.36m)

Raising funds £1.6m (2020/21 £1.0m)

£434k increase in staff and other fundraising costs due to launch of Rye Harbour Discovery Centre Charitable activities £3.87m (2020/21 £3.36m)

Membership

We were pleased to achieve growth in membership in 2021 - 2022, despite a slight reduction in the performance of our recruitment and retention activities, due to both the Covid-19 pandemic and, more recently, the economic situation. We ended the year with 39,013 individuals in 21,740 households. Although the number of members recruited and final retention levels were slightly lower than budgeted, we ended the year with £1,928,959 income from membership. A significant increase from £1.69m received in 2021 - 2022. Membership numbers have increased by 7.7% this year, compared to a 1.5% increase in the previous year. The number of members as at 31[st] March 2022 is 39,013 (2020/21 35,685).

Designated funds allocation

There has been a decrease in funds, leaving a Designated Funds balance of £440k. Expenditure during the year was mainly for membership recruitment. There has been a decrease in funds, leaving a Designated Funds balance of £440k. Expenditure during the year was mainly for member - ship recruitment, and for a project to connect Southerham Farm, on our Southerham Nature Reserve to the mains water network, Woods Mill maintenance and IT upgrades.

Capital projects

The primary capital project has been the connection of Southerham Farm to water mains network. This project has been many years in development, and will bring water security to not only the farm itself and its livestock, but also the staff and residents on the site. The project is due for completion mid-summer 2022.

Member numbers

----- Start of picture text -----
40000
2022
39,013
35000
2021
2020
35,685
35,163
30000
----- End of picture text -----

Retained funds £13.88m (2020/21 £14.06m)

The Trustees have considered the appropriateness of the going concern assumption for the preparation of the financial statements, based on forecasts covering the period of twelve months from the date of approval of the financial statements to August 2023.

Details of all our income can be found on page 16 of the Annual Accounts.

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At year-end the reserves policy recommends holding financial reserves of between £700k and £900k. At this level, the Trustees feel that we would be able to continue our current activities of in the event of a significant drop in funding. Our total funds at year-end were £13.88m of which £4.5m are restricted funds and £9.3m unrestricted funds. Unrestricted funds include funds tied up in tangible and heritage assets, funds set aside for specific designated projects and readily usable funds of £1.87m..

Investment powers and policy

Under the Articles of Association, the charity has the power to deposit or invest funds. The investment policy is:

To invest only as permitted by the investment powers of SWT as set out in the Articles of Association

During the year, SWT has continued to retain the majority of its funds on deposit and the Trustees are of the opinion that this policy has been a prudent one. The Trustees review the investment policy from time to time but given our ongoing obligations it has not been felt appropriate to change this approach in the past year.

Professional fundraising practices

Sussex Wildlife Trust uses third party agencies to fundraise on its behalf for specific campaigns. In this financial year this included a third party for recruiting new members to the organisation through private site face-to-face fundraising and a third party for recruiting new members through telephone fundraising. The charity has agreements in place with its partners to ensure that the legal requirements regulating fundraising practices are adhered to.

Council regularly reviews fundraising regulation compliance. Sussex Wildlife Trust is an organisational member of the Institute of Fundraising and is registered with the Fundraising Regulator. Sussex Wildlife Trust and its third party agencies comply with the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice and are signed up to its Fundraising Promise. Sussex Wildlife Trust and its third party agencies follow the sector’s guidance on protecting vulnerable people. Our Complaints Procedure complies with the requirements of the Fundraising Regulator, and during the financial year, we received seven complaints about fundraising activity.

Trustees’ Responsibilities in Relation to the Financial Statements

The Trustees (who are also Directors of Sussex Wildlife Trust Limited for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the

financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law 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 charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

Select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently;

Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;

State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and

Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose, with reasonable accuracy, at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the Trustees are aware:

There is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company's auditor is unaware; and

The Trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information.

The Trustees’ Annual Report is approved by order of the Council of Trustees and the Strategic Report included therein is approved by the Council of Trustees in their capacity as Directors at a meeting on 27[th] July 2022 and signed on their behalf by:

On behalf of the Trustees

Nitin Pasricha

Chair

Woods Mill, Henfield, BN5 9SD

Independent Auditor’s Report to the Members of Sussex Wildlife Trust

Opinion

continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

We have audited the financial statements of Sussex Wildlife Trust (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 March 2022 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities (including the Summary Income and Expenditure Account), the Balance Sheet, the Cash Flow Statement and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the Trustees’ Report other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the Trustees’ Report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In our opinion the financial statements:

give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2022 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended;

Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

the information given in the Trustees’ Report, which includes the Directors’ Report for the purposes of company law, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

the Directors’ Report and the Strategic Report included within the Trustees’ Report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company’s ability to

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material

12

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT & ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2021 ­ 22

procedures to help identify instances of non-compliance with other laws and regulations that may have a material effect on the financial statements, and to respond appropriately to identified or suspected non-compliance with laws and regulations identified during the audit.

misstatements in the Directors’ Report, or the Strategic Report included within the Trustees’ Report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

In relation to fraud, the objectives of our audit are to adequate accounting records have not been kept, or identify and assess the risk of material misstatement of returns adequate for our audit have not been received the financial statements due to fraud, to obtain sufficient from branches not visited by us; or appropriate audit evidence regarding the assessed risks of the financial statements are not in agreement with the material misstatement due to fraud through designing accounting records and returns; or and implementing appropriate responses and to respond certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified appropriately to fraud or suspected fraud identified by law are not made; or during the audit. we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit. However, it is the primary responsibility of management,

However, it is the primary responsibility of management, with the oversight of those charged with governance, to ensure that the entity's operations are conducted in accordance with the provisions of laws and regulations and for the prevention and detection of fraud.

Responsibilities of Trustees

As explained more fully in the Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities set out on page 12, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In identifying and assessing risks of material misstate - ment in respect of irregularities, including fraud, the audit engagement team:

obtained an understanding of the nature of the sector, including the legal and regulatory frameworks that the charitable company operates in and how the charitable company is complying with the legal and regulatory frameworks; inquired of management, and those charged with governance, about their own identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities, including any known actual, suspected or alleged instances of fraud; discussed matters about non-compliance with laws and regulations and how fraud might occur including assessment of how and where the financial statements may be susceptible to fraud.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

As a result of these procedures we consider the most significant laws and regulations that have a direct impact on the financial statements are FRS 102, Charities SORP (FRS 102), Companies Act 2006, Charities Act 2011 and the charitable company’s governing document. We performed audit procedures to detect non-compliances which may have a material impact on the financial statements which included reviewing the financial statements including the Trustees’ Report and remaining alert to new or unusual transactions which may not be in accordance with the governing documents.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

The most significant laws and regulations that have an indirect impact on the financial statements are those in relation to Fundraising Regulations. We performed audit procedures to inquire of management whether the charitable company is in compliance with these law and regulations.

The extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud Irregularities are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. The objectives of our audit are to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding compliance with laws and regulations that have a direct effect on the determination of material amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, to perform audit

The audit engagement team identified the risk of management override of controls as the area where the financial statements were most susceptible to material misstatement due to fraud. Audit procedures performed included but were not limited to testing manual journal

state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

entries and other adjustments, evaluating the business rationale in relation to significant, unusual transactions and transactions entered into outside the normal course of business, challenging judgments and estimates.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Zoe Longstaff-Tyrrell (Senior Statutory Auditor)

For and on behalf of RSM UK AUDIT LLP, Statutory Auditor Chartered Accountants Portland, 25 High Street Crawley West Sussex, RH10 1BG

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to

Date

Conehead © Neil Fletcher

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15

TRUSTEES’ REPORT & ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2021 ­ 22

Statement of Financial Activities

Company Number: 698851

for the Year ended 31 March 2022 (including Income and Expenditure Account)

Notes Unrestricted Restricted Designated 2022 2021
Funds Funds Funds Total Funds Total Funds
Income from: £ £ £ £ £
Donations and legacies 2 2,829,837 125,942 ­ 2,955,779 4,872,020
Other trading activities 3 501,780 ­ ­ 501,780 68,522
Investments 4 408 ­ ­ 408 3,211
Charitable activities 5 731,830 1,127,124 ­ 1,858,954 1,804,475
Other 4 19,224 ­ ­ 19,224 313,910
Total income 4,083,079 1,253,066 ­ 5,336,145 7,062,138
Expenditure on:
Raising funds 6 1,473,623 2,427 160,691 1,636,741 1,000,739
Charitable activities 7 2,566,925 1,166,797 139,808 3,873,530 3,364,933
Total expenditure 4,040,548 1,169,224 300,499 5,510,271 4,365,672
Net income/(expenditure) 42,531 83,842 (300,499) (174,126) 2,696,466
Transfers between funds 17 544,206 (747,802) 203,596 ­ ­
Net movement in funds 586,737 (663,960) (96,903) (174,126) 2,696,466
Reconciliation of funds
Balances brought forward at 1 April 2021 8,316,553 5,206,618 537,596 14,060,767 11,364,301
Balances carried forward at 31 March 2022 8,903,290 4,542,658 440,693 13,886,641 14,060,767

Balance Sheet

Company Number: 698851

at 31 March 2022

Note 2022 2021
Fixed assets £ £
Tangible assets 12 5,539,692 5,328,047
Heritage assets 12 3,818,927 3,327,495
Investments 13 100 100
Total fixed assets 9,358,719 8,655,642
Current assets
Stock 23,785 756
Biological assets 14 216,325 95,360
Debtors 15 1,314,719 1,475,454
Cash at bank and in hand 3,441,054 4,321,847
Total current assets 4,995,883 5,893,417
Liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 16 467,961 488,292
Net current assets 4,527,922 5,405,125
Total net assets 13,886,641 14,060,767
Funds
Unrestricted 8,903,290 8,316,553
Restricted 4,542,658 5,206,618
Designated 440,693 537,596
Total funds 17, 19 13,886,641 14,060,767

The financial statements were approved by the Council of Trustees and authorised for issue on 27[th] July 2022 and signed on their behalf by:

The notes on pages 19 to 35 form part of these financial statements

Mr N. Pasricha

Ms L. Clark

Chair

Honorary Treasurer

The notes on pages 19 to 35 form part of these financial statements

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT & ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2021 ­ 22

Cashflow Statement

Notes to the Accounts 31 March 2022

Year ended 31 March 2022

Notes 2022 2021
Net cash inflow from operating activities £ £
Operating activities a) (4,458) 2,611,916
Cash flows from investing activities
Dividends, interest and rents from investments 408 3,211
Proceeds from sale of tangible fixed assets ­ 114,994
Purchase of property, plant and equipment (876,743) (1,558,239)
Net cash used in investing activities (876,335) (1,440,034)
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period b) (880,793) 1,171,882

Notes to the cashflow statement

a) Reconciliation of net incoming resources to net cash flow from operating activities 2022 2021
£ £
Net income for the reporting period (174,126) 2,696,466
Dividends, interest and rents from investments (408) (3,211)
Proceeds on sale of fixed assets ­ (101,394)
Depreciation 173,666 90,120
(Increase)/Decrease in stock (23,029) 747
(Increase)/Decrease in biological assets (120,965) (1,977)
Decrease/(Increase) debtors 160,735 (152,477)
Increase/(Decrease) creditors (20,331) 83,642
Net cash provided by operating activities (4,458) 2,611,916
b) Analysis of changes in cash and cash equivalents 2022 2021
£ £
Balance at 1st April 2021 4,321,847 3,149,965
Net cash (outflow)/inflow in year (880,793) 1,171,882
Balance at 31st March 2022 3,441,054 4,321,847

1. Accounting Policies

The principal accounting policies adopted, judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:

a) Accounting convention

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) – (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Sussex Wildlife Trust (“SWT”) is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. In the event of the charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charity.

Sussex Wildlife Trust meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.

As at 31 March 2022 the Sussex Wildlife Trust has £13.88m in Total Net Assets including £3.4m Cash at Bank of which £1.7m is restricted funding for future years’ project activity. The Trustees have considered the appropriate - ness of the going concern assumption for the preparation of the financial statements, based on forecasts covering the period of twelve months from the date of approval of the financial statements to August 2023.

b) Income

Income is recognised in the period in which the charity is entitled to receive it, and that the receipt of said income is measurable, and probable. Income is deferred only when the charity has to fulfil conditions before becoming entitled to it or is subject to unmet conditions wholly outside its control.

Grants from local authorities and other agencies have been included as income from activities in furtherance of the charity's objects where these amount to a contract for services, but as donations where the money is given in response to an appeal or with greater freedom of use.

Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only recognised when its receipt is considered probable, when the amount can be measured reliably and the charity is entitled to the amount. Where legacies have been notified to the charity or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the

criteria for income recognition have not been met, the legacy is disclosed as a contingent asset.

Subscriptions are dealt with on a cash receipts basis. Subscriptions of life members are included as a liability on the Balance Sheet in accordance with the SORP. One twentieth of this is transferred to income each year.

Corporate Support includes annual subscriptions, sponsorship and donations received, while advertising revenue is generated through SWT’s Wildlife magazine produced twice each year.

Investment income is recognised on a receivable basis, where the amount can be measured reliably.

c) Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised in the period when the charity is obliged to pay it, and the payment of said expenditure is measurable, and probable. Where payments are in respect of a future period they are categorised as such.

Raising funds includes expenditure on the recruitment of new members, the employee costs of the marketing and membership departments, the publication and delivery of SWT’s magazine three times per year, the costs of the annual appeal and the administration costs of the membership department together with publicity costs and legacy development

Charitable activities include expenditure associated with the main objects of the charity – these are wildlife conservation, public awareness, the management of nature reserves and the collation of wildlife information

Support Costs represent the cost of staff and overheads incurred in providing centralised services for the charity at its offices at Woods Mill and include the finance, human resources, office services departments and buildings maintenance. Support costs are allocated to departments on the basis of staff numbers

d) Donated services and volunteers

Where services are provided to the charity as a donation that would normally be purchased from suppliers this contribution is recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably.

Volunteers play a critical role in SWT and contribute substantial time to its work. However, in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), volunteer time is not recognised in these financial statements.

The notes on pages 19 to 35 form part of these financial statements

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT & ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2021 ­ 22

e) Tangible fixed assets

SWT’s interests in tangible fixed assets other than land designated as nature reserves are stated at cost with an allowance for depreciation as stated below. Individual IT fixed assets costing £500 or more are capitalised at cost, for other asset classes this rises to £1,000.

Assets under construction are not depreciated until the asset is in use.

f) Heritage assets

SWT's interests in land designated as nature reserves are stated at cost; these have been classified as heritage assets and are held by SWT in pursuit of its conservation objectives. Valuations are made by professional valuers – the Valuation Office Agency – and any gifts of land will be treated as heritage assets and will be included at valuation. No depreciation is charged on nature reserves.

g) Investments

SWT had no Equity investments during the year other than its investment in its subsidiary company Sussex Wildlife Enterprises Ltd.

h) Depreciation

Tangible fixed assets are depreciated on a straight line basis over their estimated useful lives as follows:

Land Nil
Buildings, car park & services 2-10%
Temporary structures, fencing, etc 20%
Motor vehicles 20%
Furniture, fixtures and equipment 20%
Bird Hides 10%

i) Stock

Stocks are valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value.

j) Livestock (biological assets)

Livestock is stated at fair value less estimated costs to sell in accordance with the fair value model in FRS 102. Movements in fair value are taken to the SOFA in the year in which they arise. Fair value is based upon the estimation of values from the land management team and is considered by the Trustees to be fair reflection of the estimated value at the year end.

k) Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the Trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the Charity’s work. The funds held in each of these categories are disclosed in Note 17.

l) Pension schemes

The employees of SWT are eligible to join either the Royal London Wildlife Trust Group Pension Scheme. This is a

defined contribution scheme. Employees contributions will be enhanced by a contribution from SWT which is at least twice the employee contribution. Contributions are charged to the SOFA as they become payable in accordance with the scheme rules.

The Wildlife Trust category 5 Scheme is a multi-employer defined benefit scheme administered for the benefit of Wildlife Trusts and is managed in accordance with the Pensions Act 2004 Regulations.

The Trustees are unable to confirm the charity’s share of the underlying assets and liabilities of the Wildlife Trust Pension Scheme and therefore the Scheme is accounted for as a defined contribution scheme. As a result, the amount charged to the Statement of Financial Activities represents the contributions payable to the scheme in respect of the accounting period.

A liability is recognised by SWT, where material, for the charity’s share of the deficit of the scheme as per the agreed schedule of contributions.

m) Operating leases

In categorising leases as finance leases or operating leases, management makes judgements as to whether significant risks and rewards of ownership have transferred to the Company as lessee, or the lessee, where the company is a lessor.

Rentals paid under operating leases are charged on a straight line basis over the life of the lease.

n) Non ­ recoverable VAT

Where possible non-recoverable VAT is charged against the category of resource expended for which it was incurred. Otherwise it is charged to support costs.

o) Consolidation

The financial statements present information about the company as an individual undertaking and not about its group. The subsidiary undertaking is dormant.

p) Cash at hand

Cash at bank includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with short maturity of three months or less.

q) Financial instruments

SWT 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.

r) 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.

A provision for impairment of trade debtors is established when there is evidence that the amounts due will not be collected according to the original terms of the contract. Impairment losses are recognised in the SOFA.

Nature Tots © Kt Bruce

s) Creditors/liabilities

employment of an employee, or provide redundancy and termination benefits.

Creditors and provisions 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 and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

v) Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement

Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

t) Taxation

The Charity makes estimates and assumptions concerning the future. The resulting accounting estimates and assumptions will, by definition, seldom equal the related actual results. The estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year are discussed below:

The Charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 471 to 489 of the Corporation Tax

Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 and is exempt from corporation tax to the extent that they are applied to its charitable objects.

u) Redundancy and termination payments

There are no estimates and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year.

Expenditure required to settle an obligation for redundancy and termination benefits is recognised as an expense when the charity is committed to terminate the

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT & ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2021 ­ 22

Income and endowments from:

2
3
4
5
Donations and legacies
Unrestricted
Restricted
Designated
2022
2021
Funds
Funds
Funds
TOTAL
TOTAL
£
£
£
£
£
a Income from members
1,928,959
­
­
1,928,959
1,694,723
b Donations
127,454
4,697
­
132,151
119,540
c Legacies
773,384
36,394
­
809,778
2,840,305
d Public appeals
40
84,851
­
84,891
217,452
2,829,837
125,942
­
2,955,779
4,872,020
Other trading activities
a Corporate support
30,860
­
­
30,860
17,531
b Other fundraising income
470,920
­
­
470,920
50,991
501,780
­
­
501,780
68,522
Investments
a. Deposit interest
408
­
­
408
3,211
408
­
­
408
3,211
Other
b. Other income
19,224
­
­
19,224
313,910
19,224
­
­
19,224
313,910
Charitable activities
Wildlife conservation
a. Project grants and income
500
400,981
­
401,481
109,444
b. Other income
28,637
121
­
28,758
74,346
29,137
401,102
­
430,239
183,790
Working with people
c. Grants and income
­
309,090
­
309,090
260,148
d. Schools, events and courses
157,964
4,357
­
162,321
24,182
e. Other income
­
­
­
­
­
157,964
313,447
­
471,411
284,330
Nature reserves management
f. Rents, grazing income, sales of meat and timber
53,278
­
­
53,278
69,440
g. Land management grants and stewardship income
440,733
128,614
­
569,347
962,017
h. Other income
50,718
­
­
50,718
53,297
544,729
128,614
­
673,343
1,084,754
Collating information on wildlife
i. Contract funding
­
283,961
­
283,961
251,601
­
283,961
­
283,961
251,601
Total income from charitable activities
731,830
1,127,124
­
1,858,954
1,804,475
TOTAL INCOME
4,083,079
1,253,066
­
5,336,145
7,062,138

5 Charitable activities continued

Last year's total income of £7,062,138 was made up of £3,797,180 unrestricted, £3,264,958 restricted split between the following:

the following:
Unrestricted Restricted
£ £
Donations and legacies 2,706,876 2,165,144
Other trading 68,522 ­
Investments 3,211 ­
Charitable activities 704,661 1,099,814
Other 313,910 ­

The Sussex Wildlife Trust has benefited from a small number of government grants and financial contributions during the year that support our conservation activity. The funding received, incorporates levels of conditional service and supports the management of our nature reserves.

2022 2021
During the year this amounted to: £ £
Single Farm Payment 145,878 164,002
Higher Level Stewardship grant income 212,057 322,238
Coronavirus job retention scheme 21,520 227,461

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT & ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2021 ­ 22

Expenditure on:

6
7
Raising funds
Unrestricted
Restricted
Designated
2022
2021
Funds
Funds
Funds
TOTAL
TOTAL
£
£
£
£
£
a. Staff costs
606,699
­
­
606,699
421,519
b. Membership promotion
233,228
­
135,380
368,608
171,313
c. Magazine publication and delivery
79,490
­
­
79,490
82,681
d. Appeals and legacies
13,546
­
­
13,546
8,549
e. Membership administration and publicity
36,686
­
­
36,686
21,116
f. Interpretation and website development
46,266
1,927
­
48,193
105,070
g. Other fundraising costs
248,764
500
­
249,264
­
h. Depreciation
19,341
­
2,664
22,005
2,912
i. Allocated support costs
189,602
­
22,647
212,249
187,579
1,473,623
2,427
160,691
1,636,741
1,000,739
Charitable activities
Wildlife conservation
a. Staff costs
279,821
178,607
­
458,428
254,247
b. Conservation work
56,531
155,976
­
212,507
160,417
c. Other
5,356
5,935
­
11,291
10,330
d. Depreciation
­
­
­
­
­
e. Allocated support costs
145,349
­
­
145,349
112,288
487,057
340,518
­
827,575
537,282
Working with people
f. Staff costs
364,074
310,921
­
674,995
689,406
g. Interpretation, education and other costs
62,058
8,057
­
70,115
37,577
h. Project overhead costs
21,589
79,366
18,333
119,288
32,644
i. Depreciation
76,979
­
­
76,979
­
j. Allocated support costs
280,763
­
­
280,763
279,683
805,463
398,344
18,333
1,222,140
1,039,310
Nature reserves management
k. Staff costs
569,289
19,258
­
588,547
508,940
l. Equipment, vehicles and other costs
111,617
77,114
­
188,731
180,834
m. Land management
220,530
60,548
121,475
402,553
459,567
n. Legal and professional fees
28,936
­
­
28,936
47,473
o. Depreciation
58,752
15,120
­
73,872
72,373
p. Allocated support costs
181,536
­
­
181,536
198,130
1,170,660
172,040
121,475
1,464,175
1,467,317
Collating information on wildlife
q. Staff costs
­
234,338
­
234,338
204,092
r. Depreciation
­
811
­
811
609
s. Data recording
­
15,164
­
15,164
13,356
t. Other costs
­
5,582
­
5,582
2,678
u. Allocated support costs
103,745
­
­
103,745
100,289
103,745
255,895
­
359,640
321,024
Total expenditure on charitable activities
2,566,925
1,166,797
139,808
3,873,530
3,364,933
TOTAL EXPENDITURE
4,040,548
1,169,224
300,499
5,510,271
4,365,672

7 Charitable activities continued

Charitable activities_continued_
Unrestricted Restricted Designated
£ £ £
Raising funds 920,131 19,783 60,825
Charitable activities 2,221,504 1,040,556 102,873

Trustees' Liability Insurance

SWT pays an annual insurance premium to:

a) protect the charity from loss arising from the defaults of its Trustees, employees or agents

8 Allocation of support cost

SWT allocates its support costs as shown in the table below and then further apportions those costs between the four charitable activities undertaken.

Support costs are allocated on the basis of staff numbers per department and where appropriate a percentage of time worked.

Charitable Activities Charitable Activities
Nature Collating
Working Reserves Wildlife Charitable
Wildlife with Manage­ Inform­ Activities Raising Total Total
Conservation People ment ation Total Funds 2022 2021
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
Management and central overheads 37,848 73,110 47,271 27,015 185,244 49,372 234,616 333,987
Finance department 25,700 49,644 32,099 18,344 125,787 33,525 159,312 125,020
Information technology 21,986 42,468 27,459 15,692 107,605 28,679 136,284 122,210
Human resources 17,601 34,000 21,984 12,563 86,148 22,960 109,108 84,820
General administration 5,926 11,449 7,403 4,231 29,009 7,732 36,741 3,544
Health and Safety/Buildings maintenance 27,776 53,652 34,690 19,825 135,943 36,232 172,175 159,560
Governance 8,512 16,440 10,630 6,075 41,657 11,102 52,759 48,827
145,349 280,763 181,536 103,745 711,393 189,602 900,995 877,968

9 Staff costs

Staff costs
2022 2021
Analysis of staff costs: £ £
Salaries and wages 2,547,129 2,147,708
Social security costs 225,133 192,073
Pension costs 149,888 129,058
Redundancy and termination costs 23,801 ­
2,945,951 2,468,839

­ 2022: One employee, in the £80 £90k band, earned more than £80,000 p.a. Key management personnel are considered to be: the Trustees, the Chief Executive Officer, and the further members of staff that make up the Senior Management Team ­ (2021: One employee in the £60 £70k band). In total they received £366,811 (2021: £341,060) in employee benefits, including pension contributions. Employer's National Insurance paid £38,834 (2021: £35,910). Redundancy and termination costs include settlement costs in respect of the termination of employment. There were no outstanding liabilities at the balance sheet date.

Staff numbers

The average number of employees was 102 (2021: 88) with an average FTE of 81 (2021: 78).

2022 2021 Management 7 6 Other 74 72

Other costs

Last year's total expenditure of £4,365,672 was made up of £3,141,635 unrestricted, £1,060,339 restricted and £163,698 designated, split between the following:

During the year travel expenses and training costs of NIL (2021: £NIL) were reimbursed to 0 Trustees (2021: 0 Trustees). Subsistence expenses of £NIL were reimbursed (2021: £NIL).

The Trustees have not received any remuneration in the year (2021: £NIL).

24

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT & ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2021 ­ 22

10 Pension costs

SWT operates two pensions schemes for it's current staff, only one of which is open to new entrants. SWT has liabilities associated with a former, closed, defined benefit scheme.

The pensions schemes are listed below:

2) Standard Life ­ Stakeholder pension scheme, closed to new members 31.03.14, but with active employees

3) Wildlife Trust ­ Defined Benefit pension scheme, closed to new entrants 31.03.05, no active employees

Life assurance is now provided under separate cover.

None of the current employees of the Sussex Wildlife Trust are members of the Defined Benefit scheme. This scheme is a multi ­ employer scheme and the Trust is unable to identify its share of the assets and liabilities of the scheme. Contributions to the scheme are therefore treated as if it were a Defined Contribution scheme.

As a result of a triennial valuation of the assets of the Defined Benefits scheme in April 2013 the scheme actuary agreed a past service shortfall of £7,752,000. In April 2019 the actuarial assessment has been valued at a deficit of £4,658,000. The previous actuarial valuation April 2016 was at £5,900,000 The total shortfall attributable to the Trust has not been reflected in these financial statements.

SWT has been advised by the pension scheme Trustees that its share of this shortfall would amount to £3,692 per year exclusive of expenses from 1 August 2022, increasing by 3% per annum until 2026.

The liability for the Defined Benefit scheme is calculated at the net total of the present value at the reporting date of our obligation to the scheme (as per the actuarial valuation) and the fair value, at the reporting date, of any plan assets out of which the obligation is to be settled directly.

Due to the inability to identify SWT's exact share of assets and liabilities of the Defined Benefit scheme, and its immateriality (calculated at approx. £16k at 31 March 2022), that liability has not been included in this set of financial accounts.

Pension contributions

The pension charge shown in the accounts is the amount payable by the Trust during the financial year. It is analysed as follows:

follows:
2022 2021
£ £
Category 1­Life assurance only ­ ­
Category 3­Defined Contribution scheme ­ 0
Category 5­Defined Benefit scheme 3,575 3,637
Total contributions to The Wildlife Trusts' Pension Scheme 3,575 3,637
Category 1­Life assurance only (Standard Life) ­ ­
Standard Life Stakeholder Pension scheme 37,589 34,471
Royal London Group Pension scheme 113,297 94,546
Life Assurance Costs 5,069 7,534
159,530 140,188

Pension contribution liabilities

The following pension contributions were payable at the year ­ end and are included within creditors:

2022 2021
£ £
Royal London Group Pension scheme 14,388 12,386
Standard Life Stakeholder Pension scheme 7,006 6,448
21,394 18,834

11 Net income/(expenditure) for the year

Net income/(expenditure) for the year
This is stated after charging: 2022 2021
£ £
Operating lease rentals (471) 33,379
Depreciation 173,666 90,120
Auditors remuneration 21,000 17,650
Profit on sale of assets ­ 101,394

12 Tangible and heritage fixed assets

Furniture, Assets Total
Land & Fixtures & Plant & Motor Under Tangible Heritage
Buildings Equipment Machinery Vehicles Construction Assets Assets TOTAL
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
Cost
At 1 April 2021 1,073,411 394,272 44,216 143,632 4,875,581 6,531,112 3,327,495 9,858,607
Additions 256,369 13,427 29,364 86,151 ­ 385,311 491,432 876,743
Disposals ­ (40,667) ­ ­ ­ (40,667) ­ (40,667)
Transfers 4,875,581 ­ ­ ­ (4,875,581) ­ ­ ­
At 31 March 2022 6,205,361 367,032 73,580 229,783 ­ 6,875,757 3,818,927 10,694,683
Depreciation
At 1 April 2021
Charge for year
715,359
122,032
350,909
18,664
14,023
13,248
122,774
19,722
­
­
1,203,065
173,666
­
­
1,203,065
173,666
Disposals ­ (40,667) ­ ­ ­ (40,667) ­ (40,667)
At 31 March 2022 837,391 328,906 27,271 142,496 ­ 1,336,064 ­ 1,336,064
Raising funds
Net book value
31 March 2022 5,367,971 38,126 46,309 87,287 ­ 5,539,692 3,818,927 9,358,619
Net book value
31 March 2021 358,052 43,363 30,193 20,858 4,875,581 5,328,047 3,327,495 8,655,542

Gift of land

SWT has received no gifts of land during the year (2021: £NIL).

Heritage assets

Heritage assets consist of land designated as nature reserves by SWT and acquired either by purchase, gift or lease.

SWT currently owns, leases or manages 32 nature reserves, all classified as heritage assets, which have been acquired since the early 1960s and cover a total 1,960 hectares of Sussex downland, woodland, wetland, heath, meadow, and farmland. Many are Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

Included are five sites designated as nature reserves that were given to SWT between 1964 and 1981 for which no cost or conventional valuation is currently available.

A nature reserve will be considered for acquisition if:

a) its ownership will enhance the viability or conservation value of an existing SWT reserve or simplify its management b) the land is required: 1) to demonstrate best conservation practice, 2) for education, 3) for the local community or, 4) to achieve a joint conservation project with other agencies

c) ownership of the land will help to achieve one or more targets as set out in the Trust's Nature Reserves Acquisition Strategy

­ SWT maintains a register of title deeds for all nature reserves in its ownership and land management is carried out to pre agreed management plans.

Disposal of any nature reserve will only be considered if the original objectives for ownership have been met or the site no longer meets the Trust's Nature Reserves Acquisitions and Disposals Policy. The Trust has a policy of allowing open access to all its nature reserves unless this is impossible to achieve due to physical location or will compromise the Trust's conservation objectives.

Five year financial summary of heritage asset transactions

2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
Purchases at cost or valuation £ £ £ £ £
Streels Lane 78,406 ­ ­ ­ ­
Willand Woods 413,026 ­ ­ ­ ­
Donations
Rye Harbour ­ ­ ­ 75,000 ­
Total additions 491,432 ­ ­ 75,000 ­

There have been no disposals of heritage assets in any of the last five years and no impairment is considered necessary. The addition in 2019 was the donated amount.

26

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT & ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2021 ­ 22

13 Fixed asset investments

Fixed asset investments
2022 2021
Subsidiary Company­Sussex Wildlife Enterprises Ltd. £ £
Cost
At 31 March 2021 and at 31 March 2022 100 100
Net book value at 31 March 2021 and at 31 March 2022 100 100

SWT owns 100% of the ordinary share capital of Sussex Wildlife Enterprises Ltd, a company incorporated in the UK. The company has not traded since its incorporation.

14 Biological assets

Biological assets
2022
£
Fair value at 1 April 2021 95,360
Purchases 101,065
Sales (26,090)
Gain/Loss 45,990
Fair value at 31 March 2022 216,325

Livestock were valued during the year to 31 March 2022 at £1,500 (cows in calf) and at £1,200 (breeding heifers) and at £1,000 (store cows) per head of cattle (2021: £1,000) and at £105 (ewes) (2021: £180) and £194 (rams) (2021: £5,000) and £121 per head of lamb (2021: £60).

15 Debtors

Debtors
2022 2021
£ £
Trade debtors 128,687 82,442
Other debtors 1,086,403 1,337,031
Prepayments 99,629 55,981
1,314,719 1,475,454

16 Liabilities: amounts falling due within one year

Liabilities: amounts falling due within one year
2022 2021
£ £
Trade creditors 222,943 283,510
Other taxes and social security costs 64,349 69,967
Other creditors and accruals 109,758 99,128
Deferred income 49,512 13,162
Life membership subscriptions 21,399 22,525
467,961 488,292
Deferred income:
Balance as at 1 April 2021 13,162 38,177
Amount released to income (13,162) (38,177)
Amount deferred in year 49,512 13,162
Balance as at 31 March 2022 49,512 13,162

Deferred income comprises memberships and charitable income received for use in future financial years.

17 Funds

Funds Balance Balance
1 Apr 2021 Income Expenditure Transfers 31 Mar 2022
Restricted £ £ £ £ £
Nature reserves 2,324,238 ­ ­ ­ 2,324,238
Projects 2,882,380 1,253,066 1,169,224 (747,802) 2,218,420
5,206,618 1,253,066 1,169,224 (747,802) 4,542,658
Designated 537,596 ­ 300,499 203,596 440,693
Unrestricted 8,316,553 4,083,079 4,040,548 544,206 8,903,290
Total all funds 14,060,767 5,336,145 5,510,271 ­ 13,886,641

The transfer of (£747k) in respect of restricted projects is comprised of (£491k) of land purchase for Heritage Assets in the year, and (£256k) of capital construction in the year for the Rye Harbour Discovery Centre. This reflects the value of tangible fixed assets financed by restricted fund donations but held for general, not restricted purposes.

The transfers to designated funds are comprised of £243,596 of new designations for specific projects during the year, £40K of transfers back to general funds where projects are now completed.

Balance Balance
1 Apr 2021 Income Expenditure Transfers 31 Mar 2022
Analysis of restricted projects funds movements £ £ £ £ £
Badger Appeal 843 25 868 ­ ­
Behaviour Change 8,000 ­ 2,940 ­ 5,060
Brickfield Southern Water ­ 10,000 ­ ­ 10,000
Chalk Downland Fund 1,098,044 ­ ­ ­ 1,098,044
Climate Change ­ 10,700 10,700 ­ ­
Creating Space ­ 6,070 ­ ­ 6,070
Culvert Project at Rye Harbour ­ 15,907 ­ ­ 15,907
Deneway Nature Reserve 3,760 ­ ­ ­ 3,760
Gatwick Greenspace Partnership 54,276 84,190 97,348 ­ 41,118
Holiday Activities and Food Programme 2021
from East Sussex County Council ­ 422 195 ­ 227
Heathlands Reunited Fund ­ 7,156 7,156 ­ ­
National Lottery Heritage Fund­
Heritage Emergency Fund 4,321 ­ 4,020 ­ 301
Kelp 14,237 214,187 141,397 ­ 87,027
Legacies 110,369 ­ ­ 78,406 31,963
National Lottery Heritage Fund­Lost Woods
of the Low Wealds and Downs Project ­ 5,041 5,330 ­ (290)
Natural Capital 20,791 26,590 23,653 ­ 23,728
People's Postcode Lottery­Team Wilder ­ 10,000 ­ ­ 10,000
People and Wildlife 10,784 ­ 750 ­ 10,034
Portsmouth Water Fund 4,692 ­ 1,100 ­ 3,592
Rapid Response Fund 21,718 1,000 1,927 ­ 20,791
Rye Harbour Nature Reserve 13,088 ­ 2,500 ­ 10,588
Rye Harbour Discovery Centre 359,287 91,745 62,341 256,370 132,321
Rye Harbour Discovery Centre Appeal 1,269 1,190 2,459 ­ ­
Rye Harbour Discovery Centre Operational Grant (22,067) 98,538 106,628 ­ (30,157)
3 C's (Championing Coastal Coordination) ­ 20,807 14,352 ­ 6,455
ScottishPower Foundation 16,857 ­ 2,770 ­ 14,087
Southerham Barn 62,412 ­ 11,350 ­ 51,062
Southern Water 25,000 ­ ­ ­ 25,000
Summer Appeal 20.21 5,349 605 ­ ­ 5,954
Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre 217,425 272,320 234,530 ­ 255,215
Sussex by the Sea Appeal 19,215 ­ 17,501 ­ 1,714
Sussex Downland Appeal 10,125 ­ 10,125 ­ ­
Sussex Local Wildlife Site Initiative 80,742 24,618 21,363 ­ 83,997
Sussex Ornithological Society (SOS)­
Amberley Wildbrooks Wader Project 2020 ­ 11,300 11,300 ­ ­
Sussex Wetlands 42,574 61,700 88,650 ­ 15,624
The Leysdown Conservation Trust 46,155 30,000 27,442 ­ 48,713

(continued overleaf)

28

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT & ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2021 ­ 22

17 Funds continued

Funds_continued_
Balance Balance
1 Apr 2021 Income Expenditure Transfers 31 Mar 2022
Analysis of restricted projects funds movements £ £ £ £ £
Trailer Fund (formerly Chalk Cliff) 1,502 ­ 1,186 ­ 316
West Weald Landscape 48,101 ­ 48,101 ­ ­
National Lottery Heritage Fund­Wild Coast Sussex ­ 116,613 116,613 ­ ­
Wilder Horsham District 10,968 57,829 62,629 ­ 6,168
Winter Woodland Appeal 85,530 10,856 30,000 ­ 66,386
Winter Reserves Appeal ­ 63,659 ­ ­ 63,659
Woodland Legacy 507,013 ­ ­ 413,026 93,987
2,882,380 1,253,066 1,169,224 747,802 2,218,420

Restricted projects:

Rye Harbour Discovery Centre: The development of a Discovery Centre at Rye Harbour

Badger Appeal: A grazing and vaccination programme against bovine TB

Rye Harbour Discovery Centre Appeal: for the Rye Harbour Discovery Centre project

Behaviour Change Project Funded by Natural England: Looking at behaviour change in Nature Tots and Wildlife Watch Brickfield Southern Water: Compensation Payment from Southern Water for sewage leaks at Brickfield Meadow Chalk Downland Fund: To maintain, restore or purchase Sussex chalk downland

Rye Harbour Discovery Centre Operational Grant: The development of the Operations of the Discovery Centre at Rye Harbour

3 C's (Championing Coastal Coordination): Sussex Marine

Climate Change Project: Funding from People's Postcode Lottery via RSWT for development and delivery of Carbon Reduction Strategies

and coastal nature recovery network developing the strategy ScottishPower Foundation: Wild Side of the Track project at Deneway nature reserve providing community events, schools visits and habitat improvements. Southerham Barn: The development of Southerham Barn Southern Water: Funds from fines received by Southern Water granted for specific aspects of SWT work Summer/Winter/Downland appeal: Conservation campaigning, educating children and managing our nature reserves Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre: The provision of biodiversity information for Sussex

Creating Space: Supporting Work in Ancient Woodlands Culvert Project at Rye Harbour: Funding from Environment Agency for Culvert Work at Rye Harbour Reserve Deneway Nature Reserve: Fund from the Co-op Local Community fund

Gatwick Greenspace Partnership: Enhancing green spaces in the Gatwick, Crawley and Horsham areas and to increase community involvement

Sussex by the Sea Appeal: For the Wild Coast Sussex project Sussex Downland Appeal: For downland management and maintenance

Holiday Activities and Food Programme 2021 from East Sussex County Council: School holiday activities at Rye Harbour for children

Sussex Local Wildlife Site Initiative: Establishing a coherent and resilient ecological network across Sussex

Heathlands Reunited Fund: Partnership agreement towards management and restoration of Sussex Heathlands ­ National Lottery Heritage Fund Heritage Emergency Fund: Grant to support nature reserves during Covid-19 Kelp: People's Postcode Lottery Funding via RSWT and The Pebble Trust to further the regeneration of Sussex kelp forests, plus other funding towards the Help Our Kelp Partnership Legacies: Various bequests for specific projects National Lottery Heritage Fund ­ Lost Woods of the Low Wealds and Downs Project: Partnership with The Woodland Trust to encourage greater access to woodlands Natural Capital: The work of public engagement and reconnection to nature

­ Sussex Ornithological Society (SOS) Amberley Wildbrooks Wader Project 2020: To enable habitat enhancements at Amberley Wildbrooks which will support populations of breeding waders

Sussex Wetlands: Enhancing the awareness of wetland habitats in Sussex

The Leysdown Conservation Trust: Training and

development of the Vera Dalley Ledereman trainees

Trailer Fund (formerly The Chalk Cliff Trust): Depreciation of

trailer

West Weald Landscape: Enhancing the wooded landscape of an area of West Sussex

People's Postcode Lottery ­ Team Wilder: Funding from People's Postcode Lottery via RSWT - a project supporting communitites to take action for nature in Hastings People and Wildlife: Conservation education for schools in Sussex

National Lottery Heritage Fund ­ Wild Coast Sussex: a partnership to inspire and connect people to help protect the Sussex coast and sea

Wilder Horsham District: Fund for delivering a Nature Recovery Network for Horsham District, with funding from Horsham District Council

Portsmouth Water Fund: Biodiversity Grant Scheme for restoring rare habitat at Leythorne Meadow Rapid Response Fund: Land acquisition/response to immediate need Rye Harbour Nature Reserve: A depreciation fund

Winter Woodland Appeal Winter Reserves Appeal Woodland Legacy: Bequest for Woodland Purchase

17 Funds continued

The deficit on the National Lottery Heritage Fund Lost Woods of the Low Wealds and Downs Project funding claim is due to a pending funding claim. The deficit on the Rye Harbour Operational Fund is due to a pending claim.

Unrestricted funds comprise those funds which the Trustees are free to use in accordance with the Trust's charitable objectives.

objectives.
Balance Balance
1 Apr 2021 Income Expenditure Transfers 31 Mar 2022
Analysis of designated funds movements £ £ £ £ £
Southerham Reserve Fund 76,000 ­ 77,925 30,000 28,075
Business Plan strategic development capacity 25,339 ­ 9,833 ­ 15,506
Membership recruitment 228,256 ­ 135,379 132,096 224,973
Integrated software project 23,761 ­ 11,932 ­ 11,829
Strategy development 3,445 ­ 701 ­ 2,744
Land management equipment (sinking fund) 25,000 ­ ­ ­ 25,000
Match funding fund 40,000 ­ 18,333 ­ 21,667
Interpretation 26,691 ­ ­ ­ 26,691
HR system upgrade 2,534 ­ ­ ­ 2,534
Remote access 5,511 ­ 5,511 ­ ­
Ash Dieback crisis 16,059 ­ 16,059 45,000 45,000
Payband Re­evaluation Fund 40,000 ­ ­ (40,000) ­
Woods Mill Repairs 25,000 ­ 24,826 21,500 21,674
Tree Safety Implementation Fund ­ ­ ­ 15,000 15,000
537,596 ­ 300,499 203,596 440,693

The Trustees have designated funds from unrestricted funds for various planned future projects, as well as contingency funds for future eventualities.

Designated funds:

Match funding fund: Project bid match funding Interpretation: Upgrading interpretation on reserves HR system upgrade: Upgrade of HR system Remote access: Developing remote working Ash Dieback crisis: Provision for ongoing work managing disease Payband Re ­ evaluation Fund: Provision for additional costs resulting from re-evaluation

Southerham Reserve Fund: Development of our nature reserve at Southerham

Business Plan strategic development capacity: To allow extra capacity to meet the changing organisational demands Membership recruitment: Future investment in increasing and developing our membership Integrated software project: Development of an integrated IT solution

Woods Mill Repairs: Planned longer term repairs to Woods Mill Tree Safety Implementation Fund: Provision for additional costs to main tree safety on reserves

Strategy development: Investment in the development and implementation of next five year strategy Land management equipment (sinking fund): Equipment purchases

18 Funds - previous year
Balance
Balance
1 Apr 2020
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
31 Mar 2021
Restricted
£
£
£
£
£
Nature reserves
2,324,238
­
­
­
2,324,238
Projects
1,907,353
3,264,958
1,060,339
(1,229,592)
2,882,380
4,231,591
3,264,958
1,060,339
(1,229,592)
5,206,618
Designated
757,369
­
163,698
(56,075)
537,596
Unrestricted
6,375,341
3,797,180
3,141,635
1,285,667
8,316,553
Total all funds
11,364,301
7,062,138
4,365,672
­
14,060,767

30

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT & ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2021 ­ 22

18 Funds - previous year continued

Funds - previous year_continued_
Balance Balance
Analysis of restricted projects funds movements 1 Apr 2020 Income Expenditure Transfers 31 Mar 2021
­previous year £ £ £ £ £
Badger Appeal 5,708 100 4,965 ­ 843
Behaviour Change ­ 8,000 ­ ­ 8,000
Chalk Downland Fund 975,000 123,044 ­ ­ 1,098,044
National Lottery Heritage Fund­Changing Chalk ­ 9,165 9,165 ­ ­
Climate Change ­ 10,000 10,000 ­ ­
Deneway Nature Reserve 3,760 ­ ­ ­ 3,760
Gateway to Nature 4,763 ­ 4,763 ­ ­
Gatwick Greenspace Partnership 28,294 108,638 82,656 ­ 54,276
Heathlands Reunited Fund ­ 30,257 30,257 ­
National Lottery Heritage Fund
­Heritage Emergency Fund ­ 47,300 42,979 ­ 4,321
National Lottery Heritage Fund
­Sussex by the Sea 6,023 ­ 6,023 ­ ­
Kelp 17,175 7,388 10,326 ­ 14,237
Legacies 158,248 10,000 57,879 ­ 110,369
Lost Words Appeal 1,296 ­ 1,296 ­ ­
Natural Capital 12,511 27,375 19,095 ­ 20,791
People and Wildlife 16,834 ­ 6,050 ­ 10,784
Portsmouth Water Fund ­ 4,692 ­ 4,692 ­
Rapid Response Fund 21,718 ­ ­ ­ 21,718
Rye Harbour 18,986 15,090 20,988 ­ 13,088
Rye Harbour Discovery Centre ­ 1,702,065 113,186 (1,229,592) 359,287
Rye Harbour Discovery Centre Appeal ­ 1,269 ­ ­ 1,269
Rye Harbour Discovery Centre Operational Grant ­ 59,135 81,202 ­ (22,067)
ScottishPower Foundation Deneway 16,882 ­ 25 ­ 16,857
Southerham Barn 73,762 ­ 11,350 ­ 62,412
Southern Water 25,000 ­ ­ ­ 25,000
Summer Appeal 12,907 2,989 10,547 ­ 5,349
Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre 178,802 244,446 205,823 ­ 217,425
Sussex by the Sea Appeal 29,910 97 10,792 ­ 19,215
Sussex Downland Appeal 21,625 ­ 11,500 ­ 10,125
Sussex Local Wildlife Site Initiative 77,955 17,699 14,912 ­ 80,742
Sussex Ornithological Society (SOS) ­ 10,650 10,650 ­ ­
Sussex Wetlands 115,859 74,521 147,806 ­ 42,574
The Leysdown Conservation Trust 33,546 30,000 17,391 ­ 46,155
Trailer Fund (formerly Chalk Cliff) 2,688 ­ 1,186 ­ 1,502
West Weald Landscape 48,101 ­ ­ ­ 48,101
National Lottery Heritage Fund­Wild Coast Sussex ­ 83,990 83,990 ­ ­
Wilder Horsham District ­ 39,284 28,316 ­ 10,968
Winter Appeal ­ 90,751 5,221 ­ 85,530
Woodland Legacy ­ 507,013 ­ ­ 507,013
1,907,353 3,264,958 1,060,339 (1,229,592) 2,882,380

Restricted projects:

Badger Appeal: A grazing and vaccination programme against bovine TB

Deneway Nature Reserve: Fund from the Co-op Local Community Fund

Behaviour Change Project Funded by Natural England looking at behaviour change in Nature Tots and Wildlife Watch Chalk Downland Fund: To maintain, restore or purchase Sussex chalk downland

Gateway to Nature: To develop further Youth Ranger work and community involvement

Gatwick Greenspace Partnership: Enhancing green spaces in the Gatwick, Crawley and Horsham areas and to increase community involvement

­ National Lottery Heritage Fund Changing Chalk: Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) and led by the National Trust

Heathlands Reunited Fund: Partnership agreement towards management and restoration of Sussex Heathlands ­ National Lottery Heritage Fund Heritage Emergency Fund: Grant to support nature reserves during Covid-19

Climate Change Project: Funding from People's Postcode Lottery via RSWT for development and delivery of Carbon Reduction Strategies

18 Funds - previous year continued

Summer/Winter/Downland Appeal: Conservation

National Lottery Heritage Fund ­ Sussex by the Sea: To develop a round 2 submission

campaigning, educating children and managing our nature reserves

Kelp: People's Postcode Lottery funding via RSWT to further the regeneration of Sussex kelp forests, plus other funding towards the Help Our Kelp Partnership

Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre: The provision of biodiversity information for Sussex

Sussex by the Sea Appeal: For the Wild Coast Sussex project Sussex Downland Appeal: For downland management and maintenance

Legacies: Various bequests for specific projects Lost Words Appeal: Issuing a nature book about declining use of nature words to all primary schools in Sussex Natural Capital: The work of public engagement and reconnection to nature

Sussex Local Wildlife Site Initiative: Establishing a coherent and resilient ecological network across Sussex

Sussex Ornithological Society (SOS): Amberley Wildbrooks Wader Project

People and Wildlife: Conservation education for schools in Sussex Portsmouth Water Fund: Biodiversity Grant Scheme: Restoring rare habitat at Leythorne Meadow

Sussex Wetlands: Enhancing the awareness of wetland habitats in Sussex

Rapid Response Fund: land acquisition/response to immediate need Rye Harbour: Rye Harbour Nature Reserve Rye Harbour Discovery Centre: The development of a Discovery Centre at Rye Harbour

The Leysdown Conservation Trust: Training and development of trainees Trailer Fund (formerly The Chalk Cliff Trust): Depreciation of trailer

Rye Harbour Discovery Centre Appeal: for the Rye Harbour Discovery Centre project Rye Harbour Discovery Centre Operational Grant: The development of the Operations of the Discovery Centre at Rye Harbour ScottishPower Foundation: Wild Side of the Track project at Deneway nature reserve for community events, schools visits and habitat improvements Southerham Barn: The development of Southerham Barn Southern Water: Funds from fines received by Southern Water granted for specific aspects of SWT work

West Weald Landscape: enhancing the wooded landscape of an area of West Sussex

National Lottery Heritage Fund ­ Wild Coast Sussex: A partnership to inspire and connect people to help protect the Sussex coast and sea

Wilder Horsham District Project: Fund for delivering a Nature Recovery Network for Horsham District , with funding from Horsham District Council

Woodland Legacy: Bequest for Woodland Purchase

The deficit on the Rye Harbour Operational Fund is due to a pending claim.

Unrestricted funds comprise those funds which the Trustees are free to use in accordance with SWT's charitable objectives.

Balance Balance
Analysis of designated funds movements 1 Apr 2020 Income Expenditure Transfers 31 Mar 2021
­previous year £ £ £ £ £
Southerham Reserve Fund 94,208 ­ 18,208 ­ 76,000
Business Plan strategic development capacity 31,088 ­ 5,749 ­ 25,339
Membership recruitment 77,547 ­ 40,441 191,150 228,256
Integrated software project 26,591 ­ 2,830 ­ 23,761
Ecological mapping 3,793 ­ ­ (3,793) ­
IIP staff development 5,000 ­ 5,000 ­ ­
Strategy development 4,146 ­ 701 ­ 3,445
Pensions liability (sinking fund) 15,000 ­ ­ (15,000) ­
Vehicles (sinking fund) 10,000 ­ ­ (10,000) ­
Building maintenance (sinking fund) 9,474 ­ 9,474 ­ ­
Land management equipment (sinking fund) 25,000 ­ ­ ­ 25,000
Rye Harbour Discovery Centre 295,617 ­ ­ (295,617) ­
Conservation­departure from the EU 19,800 ­ ­ (19,800) ­
Match funding fund 40,000 ­ ­ ­ 40,000
Interpretation 26,691 ­ ­ ­ 26,691
HR system upgrade 7,925 ­ 5,391 ­ 2,534
Remote access 7,474 ­ 1,963 ­ 5,511
Bid writing 11,160 ­ ­ (11,160) ­
Business systems development 4,390 ­ ­ (4,390) ­
Filming 2,465 ­ ­ (2,465) ­
Ash Dieback crisis 40,000 ­ 73,941 50,000 16,059
Payband Re­evaluation Fund ­ ­ ­ 40,000 40,000
Woods Mill Repairs ­ ­ ­ 25,000 25,000
757,369 ­ 163,698 (56,075) 537,596

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TRUSTEES’ REPORT & ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2021 ­ 22

18 Funds - previous year continued

The Trustees have designated funds from unrestricted funds for various planned future projects, as well as contingency funds for future eventualities.

Designated funds:

Rye Harbour Discovery Centre: The development of the new Discovery Centre at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve Conservation ­ departure from the EU: Research and development on financial impact of leaving the EU Match funding fund: Project bid match funding Interpretation: Upgrading interpretation on reserves HR system upgrade: Upgrade of HR system Remote access: Developing remote working Bid writing: Extra capacity for bid opportunities Business systems development: Improving organisational

Southerham Reserve Fund: Development of our nature reserve at Southerham

Business Plan strategic development capacity: To allow extra capacity to meet the changing organisational demands Membership recruitment: Future investment in increasing and developing our membership Integrated software project: Development of an integrated IT solution

Ecological mapping: Development of ecological mapping in Sussex

IIP staff development: Project to develop staff performance through the IIP accreditation framework Strategy development: Investment in the development and implementation of next five year strategy Pensions liability (sinking fund): Potential future costs Vehicles (sinking fund): Vehicle purchases Building maintenance (sinking fund): Maintenance of Woods Mill Land management equipment (sinking fund): Equipment purchases

efficiencies

Filming: Equipment to bring film-making in-house Ash Dieback crisis: Provision for ongoing work managing disease Payband Re ­ evaluation Fund: Provision for additional costs resulting from re-evaluation

Woods Mill Repairs: Planned longer term repairs to Woods Mill Tree Safety Implementation Fund: Provision for additional costs to main tree safety on reserves

20Contingent liabilities

There are no contingent liabilities for the repayment of grants and gifts (2021: £NIL).

SWT owns Castle Water, part of the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve. As previously reported SWT carried out an investigation to establish the nature and extent of the contamination based on existing data. This confirmed a source of contamination under part of the nature reserve. Since then discussions have been held with the relevant officers from the Environment Agency at a local level and the work done so far comprises a series of studies on the extent of contamination in other areas of Rye ­ Harbour. Monitoring has continued throughout the 2021 2022 financial year.

The costs of remediation at Castle Water remain unquantifiable. It is unclear to what extent, if at all, SWT will be liable.

21 (a) Operating lease commitments:

­ SWT has commitments in the year to 31 March 2022 to pay minimum rentals on buildings and equipment under non cancellable operating leases.

2022 2021 2022 2021
Buildings Buildings Equipment Equipment
Operating leases which expire: £ £ £ £
Within one year: ­ ­ 5,260 12,067
Within two to five years: ­ ­ 5,731 21,312

b) Capital commitments

19 Analysis of net assets between funds

Capital expenditure contracted for but not paid:

Tangible and Heritage Net Current
Fixed Assets Investments Assets Total
£ £ £ £
Restricted
Nature reserves 2,324,238 ­ ­ 2,324,238
Projects ­ ­ 2,218,420 2,218,420
Unrestricted 7,034,381 100 1,868,809 8,903,290
Designated ­ ­ 440,693 440,693
9,358,619 100 4,527,922 13,886,641

£45k ­ Vehicle Purchase (2021: £NIL)

£87k ­ Rye Harbour Discovery Centre construction (2021: £523k)

22 Related party transactions

During the year to 31 March 2022 related party transactions were NIL (2021: £NIL).

Provision for related party transactions payments are made in the governing document of SWT.

Analysis of net assets between funds 2021 Tangible and Heritage Net Current
Fixed Assets Investments Assets Total
£ £ £ £
Restricted
Nature reserves 2,324,238 ­ ­ 2,324,238
Projects ­ ­ 2,882,380 2,882,380
Unrestricted 6,331,304 100 1,985,149 8,316,553
Designated ­ ­ 537,596 537,596
8,655,542 100 5,405,125 14,060,767

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