2025-12-31-accounts

GREAT WITCHINGHAM FUEL ALLOTMENT CHARITY

Registered Charity No.: 210554 A/1

Trustees’ Annual Report April 2025

Charity Report

The Charity was formed in 1811 by the provision of land under the Act of Enclosure and has provided residents of Great Witchingham who are in need, hardship or distress with charitable benefit in one form or another. Since that time, benefit has taken the form of a winter fuel payment in money or in kind and applications for benefit are sought from September onwards. Charitable benefit is not limited to this period as need, hardship and distress has no such calendar boundaries. The Trustees will consider any written request for relief at any time.

The Trustees would like to thank all the people who give their time freely, particularly those who act as volunteer Bailiffs, without whose contributions the benefits that our charity is able to offer would be greatly reduced.

The work of our Fishery Manager and his team of volunteer Bailiffs continues to be invaluable to the Trustees, managing both the land and the fishery in accordance with the Trustees rules and wishes, and in a wholly professional manner. The Trustees are exceedingly grateful to our team of bailiffs who have worked so hard in providing members a safe environment to enjoy.

Income is derived from the Charity’s land, which is vested in The Charity Commission and governed by the Trustees. Contrary to popular belief, the land is private. Access to Charity land is, and has always been, by permission of the Trustees. Presently and for the foreseeable future, granting of that permission, by way of an annual permit, is delegated by a Management Agreement issued to the Fishery Manager.

Once the core aim of the Charity has been satisfied, The Charity Commission permits the Trustees to grant aid to groups or individuals in the Great Witchingham Parish to satisfy a particular need, which may exist in the Parish.

The Charity is not permitted to relieve rates, taxes, or any other public funds but may supplement relief provided by public funds. The Charity is also not permitted to commit to repeating or renewing benefit granted on any occasion. The Trustees will consider all individual applications upon their merit.

The Trustees were pleased to make beneficial payments to 26 eligible applicants £10400 and village activities £1000 - totalling £11,400. The Trustees will continue to accept requests for support from parishioners at any time of year. This financial year gave rise to a net income from the sale of fishing permits of £10,368 from which 20% in the form of rent, is paid to Great Witchingham Church Lands Charity. The Charity also holds a permanent endowment in the form of COIF shares, which provides an income of approximately £2,000 p.a.

Although delayed due to unforeseen circumstances the toilet and shower.unit is up and running, many thanks to the fishery manager and his team for making this happen. This facility improves and enhances our fishery which continues to be held in high regard throughout the fishing community. The Charity continues to maintain contingency funds to withstand a prolonged loss of income without detriment to the benefit to those people and organisations we serve.

We look forward to being able to continue to enjoy another near normal year, which we very much hope will allow us to continue and indeed improve upon our good work in the Parish.

Our thanks to Clare Morton, Chair of Weston Longville Parish Council, for kindly carrying out the annual audit of our accounts. A copy of the Audit Report and the Charity’s audited accounts is appended.

Trustees: Mark Pead (Chair), Peter Dilloway, Freda Bunton, Daniel Stolady, Maeve Sykes, Helen Davison, Sally Acloque

Fishery Report

The fishery at Great Witchingham provides the Charity’s main source of income for the distribution of benefit.

Season 2025 again proved a difficult period for some parts of the fishery with such a warm summer and light winds allowing an algal bloom to form in the Tench Lake. This type of weather and climate change is arguably one which will form our management plans for years to come contending with dry warm conditions which affect oxygen levels, fish spawning and feeding cycles. Also, with an unseasonably dry winter we didn’t thankfully suffer from the constant flooding the Wensum valley has seen in recent years although this could prove an issue come the summer unless we experience some significant rain over the next few months.

Much work has been completed around the fishery this spring and the environment is looking in a superb condition for the year ahead. We are also pleased our new welfare facilities are completed and functioning as planned which will be a long-awaited benefit to the fishery members.

As we start the new season the fishing has been brisk with some good catches especially following the recent warmer days.

Our fishery remains arguably one of the best mixed specimen syndicate fisheries of its type in this region and especially for big carp, with many of our fish in the 30 – 40lbs range.

Continued stocking & investment has provided our members with the fishing they look for when choosing the waters they want to join season after season, in a safe well managed environment.

The fishery is managed as a mixed species fishery, and on any day, members can not only catch large carp, but large Bream, huge Tench into double figures, or large catches of smaller fish. The fishery has something for everyone, and an enjoyable day’s fishing or pleasant walk along the river can always be had. We endeavour to continue with our aim to grow the fishery in stature and prominence as a superb place to fish.

The fishery will continue to be developed on an environmentally sustainable basis, to provide an excellent outdoor experience and most importantly, meet the aims and needs of the Charity in supporting the community.

Mark Pead Chair of Trustees

Trustees: Mark Pead (Chair), Peter Dilloway, Freda Bunton, Daniel Stolady, Maeve Sykes, Helen Davison, Sally Acloque

ql
to
o(
$ .t[s JT J- Cj TJ	.-s s\ rc q{ ;tr -) GL ) .g''\ ry'J		eq d .fr ?t =J |z 6F4q .E lrr
			**cc	u,

ql
to
o(
$ .t[s JT J- Cj TJ	.-s s\ rc q{ ;tr -) GL ) .g''\ ry'J		eq d .fr ?t =J |z 6F4q .E lrr
			**cc	u,