2024-12-31-accounts

THE OWEN SMITH CHARITABLE TRUST

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

Charity number: 209671

THE OWEN SMITH CHARITABLE TRUST

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

TRUSTEES AND STRUCTURE

Charity number	209671
Trustees	Marina Abel Smith (Appointed on 28 February 2014)
	Emmanuel Stewart (Appointed on 1 September 2022)
	Joy Stewart (Appointed on 1 September 2022)
Objects	Capital and income applicable for such charitable
	purposes as the trustees in their discretion decide.
Address	Knotwood Farm
	Towcester Road
	Old Stratford
	MILTON KEYNES
	MK19 6BA

The affairs of the trust are governed by the Trustees, whose decisions are determined by a majority vote of the Trustees present and entitled to vote. There are currently three Trustees.

The trustees meet as often as deemed appropriate to enable effective running of the Trust.

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THE OWEN SMITH CHARITABLE TRUST

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

The Charity is a Charitable Trust and is governed by a Trust Deed dated 26 November 1960. The object of the Charity, as set out in the Charity Commission, is capital and income applicable for such charitable purposes as the trustees in their discretion decide.

The Trustees declare they have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the 2006 Act to have due regard to guidance on public benefit published by the Commission.

The Charity’s specific aims currently are:

1. Educate and inform the public about nature, wildlife, food & nutrition.

2. Teach people how to grow healthy nutritious food

3. Enhance health & wellbeing through access to true nature

4. Provide habitat for indigenous wildlife to help reverse species extinction

5. Research gardening techniques with the potential to restore soil health and store atmospheric carbon to mitigate climate change

With this in mind the charity has taken steps towards this through the purchase of land to be rewilded for nature, and accessible by the local community. This land will provide public benefit through horticultural therapy, teaching food growing, provision of nutritious local organic food, and volunteering opportunities outdoors in nature.

In Winter 2024, following completion of the land purchase, we welcomed our first volunteers and began planting the new wildlife habitat.

FINANCIAL REVIEW AND RESERVES

The Charity received a donation of £240,000 from a party connected with a trustee. The Charity incurred expenses in the year of £16,761. Land was purchased totalling £855,861 with the assistance of a loan from a trustee and the donation funds, for the purpose of furthering the charity’s objectives.

The Charity’s reserves policy is to maintain reserves of 2-3 months of core operating costs.

Approved by the Board of Trustees on 31 October 2025 and signed on their behalf by:

Signed electronically Marina Abel Smith, Trustee

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THE OWEN SMITH CHARITABLE TRUST

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS

	Unrestricted funds 2024 £	Total funds 2024 £	Prior year total 2023 £
RECEIPTS
Donations	240,000	240,000	-
	240,000	240,000	-
Loans received	604,457	604,457	30,000
	844,457	844,457	30,000
PAYMENTS
Charitable activities	10,673	10,673	-
Governance costs	6,088	6,088	-
	16,761	16,761	-
Purchase of assets	855,861	855,861	-
	872,622	872,622	-
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year	(28,165)	(28,165)	30,000
Cash funds at the start of the year	30,000	30,000	-
Cash funds at the end of the year	1,835	1,835	30,000

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THE OWEN SMITH CHARITABLE TRUST

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

	Unrestricted funds 2024 £	Total funds 2024 £	Prior year total 2023 £
Bank and cash assets
Current account	1,835	1,835	30,000
	1,835	1,835	30,000
Investments
Managed fund	205,119	205,119	181,426
	205,119	205,119	181,426
Fixed assets
Land and buildings	855,861	855,861	-
	855,861	855,861	-
Liabilities
Loan	634,456	634,456	30,000
	634,456	634,456	30,000

The accounts were approved by the Trustees on 7 November 2025, and were signed on behalf of the Trustees by:

Marina Abel Smith Trustee

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THE OWEN SMITH CHARITABLE TRUST

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

BASIS OF PREPARATION

These reports have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis in accordance with section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Charities Act’).

TRUSTEE REMUNERATION AND EXPENSES

None of the trustees, or any persons or parties connected with them, received any remuneration in the year. The trustees were reimbursed travel expenses totalling £254.

RELATED PARTY INFORMATION

A loan totalling £634,456 was due to one of the trustees at period end. This loan is subject to interest at 5% and repayable at the discretion of the trustee. Given that the loan was primarily for the purchase of land used to further the goals of the charity, it was concluded that the loan was for the benefit of the charity.

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THE OWEN SMITH CHARITABLE TRUST

YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of The Owen Smith Charitable Trust

I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2024, which are set out above pages 1-5.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011; to follow the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under that section; and to state whether any matters have come to my attention.

Examiner’s statement:

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention that gives me cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements to keep accounting records and to prepare accounts which accord with those records have not been met.

Signed electronically

Barry Pick St Peter’s Lodges, Knapton Green, Hereford 7 Nov 2025

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