**Registered number: 00078001 Charity number: 237771**
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
**TRUSTEES' REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **CONTENTS**
||Page|
|---|---|
|**Reference and Administrative Details of the Company, its Trustees and Advisers**|1|
|**Trustees' Report**|2 - 8|
|**Independent Auditors' Report on the Financial Statements**|9 - 12|
|**Statement of Financial Activities**|13|
|**Balance Sheet**|14|
|**Statement of Cash Flows**|15|
|**Notes to the Financial Statements**|16 - 29|
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE COMPANY, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
|**Trustees**|Professor Hugh Gordon Dickinson, Principal|
|---|---|
||Professor Roderick Hunt|
||Professor Philip Mark Gilmartin|
|**Company registered**
**number**
00078001
**Charity registered**
**number**
237771
**Registered office**
1 Emperor Way
Exeter Business Park
Exeter
EX1 3QS
**Company secretary**
Professor Roderick Hunt
**Chief executive officer**
The Company Secretary and Treasurer is delegated by the Trustees to conduct
most of the day to day affairs of the Company.
**Independent auditors**
Bishop Fleming LLP
Chartered Accountants
2nd Floor Stratus House
Emperor Way
Exeter Business Park
Exeter
EX1 3QS
**Bankers**
National Westminster Bank plc
Exeter Business Centre
Vantage Point
Pynes Hill
Exeter
EX2 5FD
Bank of Scotland plc
8 Lochside Avenue
Edinburgh
EH12 9DJ
Santander UK plc
Bridle Road
Bootle
GIR 0AA
**Solicitors**
Ashfords LLP
Ashfords House
Grenadier Road
Exeter
EX1 3LH||
Page 1
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
The Trustees present their Annual Report together with the audited financial statements of the Annals of Botany Company for 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023. The Annual Report serves the purposes of both a Trustees' Report and a Directors' Report under company law. The Trustees confirm that the Annual Report and Financial Statements of the charitable company comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the charitable company's governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (effective 1 January 2019).
Since the company qualifies as small under section 382 of the Companies Act 2006, the Strategic Report required of medium and large companies under the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors' Report) Regulations 2013 has been omitted.
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
## **a. Policies and objectives**
The Annals of Botany Company aims to deliver public benefit by supporting the publication of original plant science in the serial publications Annals of Botany, AoB PLANTS and in silico Plants, and in the weblog BotanyOne and the newsletter The Week in Botany. Scientific research papers are at the heart of science itself. They are the principal method of communication of results and ideas, both among scientists and to the world more generally. The contents of the Company’s journals cover all areas of plant science, include those applying molecular, analytical, mathematical, and statistical techniques to examine topical questions at any level of biological organization ranging from cell to community, from tissue culture to crop production, and from microclimate to ecosystem. The journals’ scope extends to all flowering and non flowering taxa, and to taxonomic and evolutionary questions particularly when these are addressed using molecular tools.
The Company pays close regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when interpreting its aims and objectives and in planning future activities which will contribute to them.
Publication in the Annals of Botany is available in hard copy and online, both free of charge, to any author submitting what is in the judgement of the Editors an original and substantial manuscript of general interest. Published papers are personally accessible free of charge to any reader worldwide after a maximum of two years from publication and are accessible immediately to all paying subscribers and users of public libraries.
Publication in AoB PLANTS is available in online format only to any author submitting what is in the judgement of the Editors an original and substantial manuscript of at least specialist interest. All published papers in AoB PLANTS are ‘open access’, that is, they are immediately accessible online and free of charge to any reader worldwide. The journal is sustained by article processing charges which are levied upon its authors. A scheme exists to waive or reduce these charges in certain cases of hardship.
Publication in in silico Plants is available in online format only to any author submitting what is in the judgement of the Editors an original and substantial manuscript of general interest within the field of computational plant science. All published papers in in silico Plants are ‘open access’, that is, they are immediately accessible online and free of charge to any reader worldwide. The journal is sustained by article processing charges which are levied upon its authors. A scheme exists to waive or reduce these charges in certain cases of hardship.
Publication and commenting within the medium of BotanyOne is moderated by an Academic Editor and freelance specialists appointed by the Company. Acceptable posts are immediately accessible online and free of charge to any reader worldwide. Items appearing within the free newsletter The Week in Botany are selected by an Editor from material culled mechanically from the world’s plant science literature.
In setting objectives and planning for activities, the Trustees have given due consideration to general guidance published by the Charity Commission relating to public benefit, including the guidance 'Public benefit: running a charity (PB2)'.
Page 2
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (CONTINUED)**
## **b. Strategies for achieving objectives**
1. To produce about 2,688 pages of articles reporting peer reviewed, edited, original and substantial plant science within twelve monthly issues of the journal Annals of Botany, averaging 192 pages each, plus at least two additional special issue of similar length.
2. To produce a body of articles reporting peer reviewed, edited and original plant science within the online journals AoB PLANTS and in silico Plants, limited in number only by the quality and quantity of submissions received from paying authors.
3. To produce an online body of articles and commentaries reporting topics of general news interest to plant scientists within the free weblog BotanyOne and the free newsletter The Week in Botany.
## **c. Activities undertaken to achieve objectives**
The Members of the Annals of Botany Company, up to a maximum of ten, sustain and monitor the performance of an organization designed expressly to achieve its main objectives. This organization comprises a three person Company Executive, four Chief or Academic Editors, three Managing Editors, one or more Editorial Assistants, ten specialist or advisory Editors, more than forty Subject Editors and (over any six month period) more than five hundred International Review Board members. Both the Company and its journals maintain informative web pages with the addresses annalsofbotanycompany.com, academic.oup.com/aob, academic.oup.com/aobpla, academic.oup.com/insilicoplants, and aobblog.com.
The three members of the Company's Executive (the Charitable Trustees) manage the Company's affairs without remuneration in the intervals between the Company’s full meetings. The Chief Editors oversee their respective Editorial Offices and control all editorial affairs. The Managing Editor and the Assistant Managing Editor serving in the Annals of Botany Editorial Office are employed by the University of Oxford using funds supplied by the Company. The Chief Editors of Annals of Botany, AoB PLANTS and in silico Plants, and the Managing Editor of In silico Plants, are US nationals with offices in the USA. The Editor of the weblog BotanyOne is employed by the University of Oxford using funds supplied by the Company. Four Sectional Editors, a Social Media Editor, and an Outreach editor provide an specialist services to Annals of Botany. They each receive a flat rate honorarium from the Company. Four Sectional Editors within in silico Plants also receive a flat rate honorarium. Fifty Subject Editors, across both Annals of Botany and AoB PLANTS, recommend decisions on submitted manuscripts to their Chief Editors after arranging for peer review. Certain of these Editors receive a small honorarium per manuscript handled. More than five hundred International Review Board members (in each six month period) conduct peer reviews of the submitted manuscripts. They work without payment.
## **d. Grant-making policies**
The Trustees are empowered by Company's Memorandum of Association to make grants and donations to botanical scientists and organizations with a view to forwarding botanical science, to assist in relevant research or allow suitable individuals to attend relevant conferences, particularly when they also either present a paper to the journal or will present one as a result of their attendance. However, support for freely distributed products such as BotanyOne and The Week in Botany are now seen as offering greater and more general benefit to plant science than the awarding of single grants for small projects, which are now generally being reduced in number and value.
Page 3
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE**
## **a. Key performance indicators**
The Trustees pay special regard to seven KPIs.
(1) Level of revenue.
(2) Level of expenditure.
(3) Number of articles published.
(4) Reach of titles.
(5) Impact of titles.
(6) Level of Grants Fund.
(7) Level of freely distributed benefit.
## **b. Review of activities**
In the calendar year 2023 the journal Annals of Botany appeared for the 137th year in unbroken succession. Seven issues within Volume 131 and seven within Volume 132 were published. The total number of edited pages in 2023 was 2,450 (1,967 in 2022). Two ‘Special Issues’ appeared in 2023 (two in 2022), dealing with ‘Polyploidy in Ecology and Evolution’ and CAM at the Crossroads’. Three examples of the less exhaustive ‘Focus Issue’ (containing smaller collections of special topic papers) appeared in 2023, ‘Focus on Plant Reproductive Biology’, ‘Focus on Pollination and Floral Regulation’, and ‘Focus on Plants and their Soil Communities’ (none in 2022). Eight ‘Review’ articles appeared (eight in 2022); two ‘Viewpoints’ were published (four in 2022); nine ‘Research in Context’ articles (nine in 2022); and two ‘Technical Articles’ (one in 2022). Sixteen examples of ‘Commentary’ articles discussing selected recent articles from the journal appeared in 2023 (17 in 2022). As usual, original research articles comprised the bulk of the journal, with 149 being published in 2022 (119 in 2022). The total number of pages published was 9 % below the available maximum (27 % below in 2022). The practice of including a different full colour illustration on the outside cover each month was continued, together with a full colour Content Snapshot preview of every article. The cover design itself was refreshed during 2023. Publication of the journal remained in the hands of Oxford University Press.
AoB PLANTS, also with Oxford University Press, maintained its high quality of production and level of service to authors. The journal published six issues within Volume 15. There were 87 articles in 2023, across 1,090 pages (63 and 684 in 2022) and continued to levy Article Processing Charges, with 38 exemptions being awarded (eight in 2022). The output in 2023 included eighteen ‘Viewpoint’ articles, published as part of the journal’s ‘Emerging Voices’ initiative. In 2023 its total revenue decreased 4% below that of the previous year (41% decrease in 2022).
The Company’s latest open access, online only journal, in silico Plants, appeared for its fourth complete year in 2023. It deals with all aspects of computational plant science and Oxford University Press is again the publisher. Volume 5 appeared 2023, over two issues, and contained 23 articles and 341 edited pages (21 and 292 in 2022). No APC waivers were granted (seven in 2022). Total revenue in 2023 was £28k (£18k in 2022).
The weblog BotanyOne continued to grow in variety and prestige. The electronic newsletter, The Week in Botany continues to be sent out weekly to plant scientists on a free subscription basis. The Company’s own web presence at annalsofbotanycompany.co.uk has been maintained and continues to develop further.
Some grants and donations were distributed in support of individual activities within botanical science, but the Company’s view is now that its support for freely distributed products such as BotanyOne and The Week in Botany offers greater and more general benefit to plant science than does the awarding of single grants. These two free titles together consumed £73k of expenditure in 2023 (£63k in 2022). What grants and donations are now made, as such, are awarded only to activities that are directly helpful to the Company's own titles. These awards are itemised in a Note to the Accounts, which shows that the total value awarded in 2023 was £11k (£14k in 2022).
Page 4
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE (CONTINUED)**
## **c. Investment policy and performance**
A portion of The Annals of Botany Company’s designated Grants Fund is invested with Canaccord Genuity Wealth Management who are instructed to seek a reasonable return, and some capital growth, on a broadly ethical portfolio of UK and Worldwide equities and other stocks. At end 2023 the value of the portfolio (after management charges of £25k) totalled £2,257k, (from charges of £28k and a valuation of £2,059k at end 2022).
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
## **a. Going concern**
After making appropriate enquiries, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements. Further details regarding the adoption of the going concern basis can be found in the accounting policies.
## **b. Reserves policy**
A formal Financial Policy governs the reserves of the Annals of Botany Company. The Policy was established by the Company on 17 July 1998 and has been updated three times since. The Policy governs all the financial activities of the Company in such a way as to achieve prudent and permanent delivery of the Company’s objectives. In outline, after the operating expenses of the Company have been met, all remaining reserves, which totalled £3,895k in 2023 (£3,603k in 2022), are divided into two Designated Funds. The first is a Production Reserve, held on secure deposit and designed as a bridge to support the continued production of the journals in the event of greatest foreseeable financial emergency, namely to finance one year’s production of the journals on premium terms should the Company's usual sources of income and of production both fail completely. The Company invests its Production Reserve in bank deposits and bonds. The value of this reserve in 2023 was £752k (£458k in 2022). The second Designated Fund is a Promotions Fund for Botanical Science, which totalled £2,810k in 2023 (£2,810k in 2022). Approximately half of the long-term annual gains from this fund are applied annually to the benefit of plant science.
## **c. Principal risks and uncertainties**
The Company maintains a detailed Risk Register which is reviewed and updated annually. There is also a section headed ‘Risk Management’ in this Report. Risks are classified within the categories of Governance and Management, Operational, Financial, External, and Compliance. Likelihood of occurrence and severity of impact are estimated for each topic within these categories and appropriate control processes are identified. The only topics for which retained risks are currently rated ‘medium’ rather than ‘low’ are loss of customer satisfaction, loss of business to competition, compromise or failure of IT, dependency (by statute) on limited income sources.
## **d. Principal funding**
The Annals of Botany Company obtains income from four main sources: (i) A share of the three journals’ annual net profit as accounted under contract by the publisher, (ii) interest gained on cash deposits, (iii) gains made on the equities portfolio, (iv) recoverable input VAT. All income is dealt with according to the principles of the Company's Financial Policy.
Page 5
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
## **a. Constitution**
The company is registered as a charitable company limited by guarantee and was set up by a Memorandum of Association on 13 July 1903. The company is constituted under a Memorandum of Association dated 13 July 1903 and is a registered charity number 237771. The principal object of the company is ‘To promote the science of botany … [by means of] the publication known as the Annals of Botany [and other publications], … to make grants for the prosecution of botanical research and botanical travel; and … to employ such other means as [are] … conducive to the promotion of botanical science.’ (From Memorandum of Association 1903, paragraph 3A amended 1948).
## **b. Methods of appointment or election of Trustees**
The management of the company is the responsibility of the Trustees who are elected under the terms of the Memorandum of Association. Trustees are recruited exclusively from among the (maximum ten) members of The Annals of Botany Company. Trustees are appointed or reappointed annually by the members of the Company at the AGM.
## **c. Policies adopted for the induction and training of Trustees**
Induction and training is provided by the outgoing or surviving Trustees.
## **d. Organisational structure and decision making**
The three Trustees are Directors of The Annals of Botany Company and comprise the Company’s Executive. They receive no remuneration for their services either as Trustees or as Directors and are charged by the Company to manage all its affairs in the intervals between AGMs. The Company engages part time Chief or Academic Editors and honorary Editorial Boards to edit the Company's three principal products, the journals known as Annals of Botany, AoB PLANTS and in silico Plants, together with the weblog BotanyOne (an interactive online commentary for plant scientists) and the newsletter The Week in Botany. The Chief Editors are assisted by full time, part time, and certain casual or freelance staff as required. A commercial publisher publishes the three primary journals on behalf of the Company and the Company retains ownership of all titles.
The Company’s Trustees have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the 2006 Charities Act to have due regard to guidance published by the Charity Commission on public benefit.
## **e. Risk management**
A formal Risk Management Register is maintained by The Annals of Botany Company and is reviewed annually at the AGM. The one distant but very major risk, that the publishers become in some way unable to produce the journals and that the annual income derived from the current publisher is no longer available, is safeguarded by the Company's Financial Policy (q.v.).
In that eventuality, the Company would use its Production Reserve to support the costs of one year’s production by a replacement publisher who would likely have to be engaged on premium emergency terms. The Company maintains Public Liability and Trustee Indemnity insurances.
Page 6
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS**
The Annals of Botany Company plans to achieve similar or greater attainments annually over an indefinite period, in particular, to sustain and develop the future of its three primary titles and to continue the delivery of public benefit in support of botanical science more generally.
## **Information on fundraising practices**
The Charity does not undertake any fundraising activities.
## **STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES**
The Trustees (who are also the directors of the Company 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 . Under company law, the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Company and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP (FRS 102);
- make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards (FRS 102) have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Company will continue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the 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 Company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
## **DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO AUDITORS**
Each of the persons who are Trustees at the time when this Trustees' Report is approved has confirmed that:
- so far as that Trustee is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the charity's auditors are unaware, and
- that Trustee has taken all the steps that ought to have been taken as a Trustee in order to be aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charity's auditors are aware of that information.
## **AUDITORS**
The auditors, Bishop Fleming LLP, have indicated their willingness to continue in office. The designated Trustees will propose a motion reappointing the auditors at a meeting of the Trustees.
Approved by order of the members of the Board of Trustees and signed on their behalf by:
Page 7
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
**Professor Roderick Hunt** Trustee
Date: 27 May 2024
Page 8
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY**
## **OPINION**
We have audited the financial statements of Annals of Botany Company (the 'charitable company') for the year ended 31 December 2023 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, the Balance Sheet, the Statement of Cash Flows and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion the financial statements:
- give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company's affairs as at 31 December 2023 and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure for the year then ended;
- have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
- have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
## **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 Auditors' 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 United Kingdom, including the Financial Reporting Council'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.
## **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.
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 continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Page 9
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
**INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (CONTINUED)**
## **OTHER INFORMATION**
The other information comprises the information included in the Trustees' report and financial statements other than the financial statements and our Auditors' Report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the Trustees' report and financial statements. 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. 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.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
## **OPINION 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 for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements.
- the Trustees' Report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
## **MATTERS ON WHICH WE ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT BY EXCEPTION**
In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Trustees' Report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
- adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
- the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
- certain disclosures of Trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or
- we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
- the Trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies' exemptions in preparing the Trustees' Report and from the requirement to prepare a Strategic Report.
## **RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES**
As explained more fully in the Trustees' Responsibilities Statement, 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 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.
Page 10
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (CONTINUED)**
## **AUDITORS' RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE AUDIT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
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 Auditors' 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.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:
In assessing the risk of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, our procedures included the following:
- the nature of the sector, control environment and the Charity’s performance;
- results of our enquiries of management and the Trustees, about their own identification and assessment of the risks of irregularities;
- any matters we identified having obtained and reviewed the Charity’s documentation of their policies and procedures relating to: identifying, evaluating and complying with laws and regulations and whether they were aware of any instances of non-compliance; detecting and responding to the risks of fraud and whether they have knowledge of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud; the internal controls established to mitigate risks of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations;
- the matters discussed among the audit engagement team regarding how and where fraud might occur in the financial statements and any potential indicators of fraud. As a result of these procedures, we considered the opportunities and incentives that may exist within the organisation for fraud, which included incorrect recognition of revenue, management override of controls using manual journal entries and identified the greatest potential for fraud as incorrect recognition of revenue and management override using manual journal entries.
- In common with all audits under ISAs (UK), we are also required to perform specific procedures to respond to the risk of management override.
We identified and obtained an understanding of the laws and regulations that are of significance to the Charity by discussions with Trustees and by updating our understanding of the sector in which the Charity operated in. Laws and regulations that are of direct significance to the Charity and of which non compliance could result in material misstatement are the Charities Act, Companies Act, Charities SORP and tax legislation. In addition, we considered provisions of other laws and regulations that do not have a direct effect on the financial statements but compliance with which may be fundamental to the Charity’s ability to operate or to avoid a material penalty.
Our procedures to respond to risks identified included the following:
- reviewing the financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with provisions of relevant laws and regulations described as having a direct effect on the financial statements;
- reviewing the financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess the recognition of revenue;
- enquiring of Trustees and management concerning actual and potential litigation and claims;
- performing analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships that may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud; and
- reading minutes of Trustee meetings.
We also communicated relevant identified laws and regulations and potential fraud risks to all engagement team members and remained alert to any indications of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations throughout the audit.
Page 11
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (CONTINUED)**
Our audit procedures were designed to respond to risks of material misstatement in the financial statements, recognising that the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from an error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery,misrepresentations or through collusion. There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures performed and the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of it.
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 Auditors' Report.
## **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 state to them in an Auditors' 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 its members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
**Tim Borton FCA DChA (Senior Statutory Auditor)** for and on behalf of
**Bishop Fleming LLP** Chartered Accountants Statutory Auditors 2nd Floor Stratus House Emperor Way Exeter Business Park Exeter EX1 3QS
> Date: 31 May 2024
Page 12
## **ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCORPORATING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
|**Note**
**INCOME FROM:**
Charitable activities
4
Investments
5
**TOTAL INCOME**
**EXPENDITURE ON:**
Investment management costs
6
Charitable activities
7
**TOTAL EXPENDITURE**
**NET INCOME BEFORE NET GAINS ON**
**INVESTMENTS**
Net gains on investments
**NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS BEFORE OTHER**
**RECOGNISED GAINS/ (LOSSES)**
**OTHER RECOGNISED GAINS/ (LOSSES):**
Gains/(losses) on revaluation of fixed asset investments
12
**NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS**
**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**
Total funds brought forward
Net movement in funds
**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**
15|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**513,053**
**65,736**
**578,789**
**25,153**
**459,904**
**485,057**
**93,732**
**52,266**
**145,998**
**146,030**
**292,028**
**3,602,969**
**292,028**
**3,894,997**|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**513,053**
**65,736**
**578,789**
**25,153**
**459,904**
**485,057**
**93,732**
**52,266**
**145,998**
**146,030**
**292,028**
**3,602,969**
**292,028**
**3,894,997**|Total
funds
2022
£
473,328
31,569
504,897
32,577
423,442
456,019
48,878
65,082
113,960
(414,128)
(300,168)
3,903,137
(300,168)
3,602,969|
|---|---|---|---|
The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
The notes on pages 16 to 29 form part of these financial statements.
Page 13
## **ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REGISTERED NUMBER:00078001**
## **BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2023**
|**Note**
**FIXED ASSETS**
Investments
12
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
13
Cash at bank and in hand
19
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one
year
14
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT**
**LIABILITIES**
**TOTAL NET ASSETS**
**CHARITY FUNDS**
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds
15
General funds
15
Total unrestricted funds
15
**TOTAL FUNDS**|**550,821**
**1,194,686**
**1,745,507**
**(108,444)**
**3,561,728**
**333,269**|**2023**
**£**
**2,257,934**
**2,257,934**
**1,637,063**
**3,894,997**
**3,894,997**
**3,894,997**
**3,894,997**|493,939
1,176,943
1,670,882
(127,266)
3,268,018
334,951|2022
£
2,059,353|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||2,059,353
1,543,616|
|||||3,602,969|
||||||
|||||3,602,969|
|||||3,602,969|
||||||
|||||3,602,969|
The Trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and preparation of financial statements.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to entities subject to the small companies regime.
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:
**Professor Roderick Hunt** Trustee
## Date: 27 May 2024
The notes on pages 16 to 29 form part of these financial statements.
Page 14
## **ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
|**Note**
**CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES**
Net cash provided by operating activities
18
**CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES**
Investment income received
Proceeds from sale of investments
Purchase of investments
Interest received
**NET CASH PROVIDED BY/(USED IN) INVESTING ACTIVITIES**
**CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES**
**NET CASH PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES**
**CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS IN THE YEAR**
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year
**CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT THE END OF THE YEAR**
19|**2023**
**£**
**4,557**
**32,736**
**170,062**
**(222,612)**
**33,000**
**13,186**
**-**
**17,743**
**1,176,943**
**1,194,686**|2022
£
178,744
25,114
129,817
(187,804)
6,455
**(26,418)**
**-**
**152,326**
1,024,617
1,176,943|
|---|---|---|
The notes on pages 16 to 29 form part of these financial statements
Page 15
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **1. GENERAL INFORMATION**
Annals of Botany Company is a charitable Company (company number: 00078001), limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales. The Company is also a charity (charity number: 23771). The Company was set up by a Memorandum of Association on 13 July 1903. The registered office is 1 Emperor Way, Exeter Business Park, Exeter, EX2 3QS.
The principal activity of Annals of Botany Company is the publication of learned journals.
## **2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **2.1 BASIS OF PREPARATION OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) - 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), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.
Annals of Botany Company 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.
## **2.2 INCOME**
All income is recognised once the Company has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.
## **2.3 EXPENDITURE**
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
Expenditure on raising funds includes all expenditure incurred by the Company to raise funds for its charitable purposes and includes costs of all fundraising activities events and non-charitable trading.
Expenditure on charitable activities is incurred on directly undertaking the activities which further the Company's objectives, as well as any associated support costs.
Grants payable are charged in the year when the offer is made except in those cases where the offer is conditional, such grants being recognised as expenditure when the conditions attaching are fulfilled. Grants offered subject to conditions which have not been met at the year end are noted as a commitment, but not accrued as expenditure.
The allocation of expenditure to categories was revisited in 2021 and alternative categories were used in order to more appropriately reflect the nature of the expenditure. These categories have continued to be employed during 2023, This has not resulted in any changes to the disclosures in the Statement of Financial Activities for either the current or prior year.
All expenditure is inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.
Page 16
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
**NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **2. ACCOUNTING POLICIES (continued)**
## **2.4 INTEREST RECEIVABLE**
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the Company; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the institution with whom the funds are deposited.
## **2.5 INVESTMENTS**
Fixed asset investments are a form of financial instrument and are initially recognised at their transaction cost and subsequently measured at fair value at the Balance Sheet date, unless the value cannot be measured reliably in which case it is measured at cost less impairment. Investment gains and losses, whether realised or unrealised, are combined and presented as ‘Gains/(Losses) on investments’ in the Statement of Financial Activities.
## **2.6 DEBTORS**
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
## **2.7 CASH AT BANK AND IN HAND**
Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short-term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.
## **2.8 LIABILITIES**
Liabilities are recognised when there is an obligation at the Balance Sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably.
Liabilities are recognised at the amount that the Company anticipates it will pay to settle the debt or the amount it has received as advanced payments for the goods or services it must provide.
## **2.9 FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS**
The Company 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 with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
## **2.10 FUND ACCOUNTING**
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the Company and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular purposes. The aim and use of each designated fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Investment income, gains and losses are allocated to the appropriate fund.
Page 17
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **3. 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.
Critical accounting estimates and assumptions:
The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported for assets and liabilities as at the balance sheet date and the amounts reported for income and expenses during the year. However, the nature of estimation means that actual outcomes could differ from those estimates. The Trustees do not consider there to be estimates or assumptions that pose a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next year.
## **4. INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
AoB Journal
491,124
AoB Plants Journal
21,929
**TOTAL 2023**
513,053
TOTAL 2022
473,328|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**491,124**
**21,929**
**513,053**
473,328|Total
funds
2022
£
450,600
22,728|
|---|---|---|
|||473,328|
||||
## **5. INVESTMENT INCOME**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
Dividend income
32,736
Bank and other interest
33,000
65,736
TOTAL 2022
31,569|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**32,736**
**33,000**
**65,736**
31,569|Total
funds
2022
£
25,114
6,455|
|---|---|---|
|||31,569|
||||
Page 18
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **6. INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT COSTS**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
Portfolio management fee
25,153
TOTAL 2022
32,577|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**25,153**
32,577|Total
funds
2022
£
32,577|
|---|---|---|
||||
## **7. ANALYSIS OF GRANTS**
|Grants, AoB journal
TOTAL 2022|**Grants to**
**Individuals**
**2023**
**£**
10,598
13,671|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**10,598**
13,671|Total
funds
2022
£
13,671|
|---|---|---|---|
|||||
## **8. ANALYSIS OF EXPENDITURE BY ACTIVITIES**
|AoB Journal
AoB Plants Journal
AoB Blog
ISP Journal
Goverance costs
TOTAL 2022|**Activities**
**undertaken**
**directly**
**2023**
**£**
178,645
30,034
43,716
80,874
-
333,269
334,951|**Grant**
**funding of**
**activities**
**2023**
**£**
10,598
-
-
-
-
10,598
13,671|**Support**
**costs**
**2023**
**£**
21,283
38,110
30,213
9,635
16,796
116,037
74,820|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**210,526**
**68,144**
**73,929**
**90,509**
**16,796**
**459,904**
423,442|Total
funds
2022
£
225,304
37,857
70,762
73,411
16,108|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||423,442|
|||||||
Page 19
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **8. ANALYSIS OF EXPENDITURE BY ACTIVITIES (continued)**
## **Analysis of direct costs**
|Chief Editor fees
Editorial Office
fees & salaries
Editorial Office
Editorial Board
fees
Manuscript
handling
Editorial services
Payroll fees
TOTAL 2022|**AoB journal**
**2023**
**£**
16,113
96,249
-
43,269
13,131
9,743
140
178,645
192,747|**AoB**
**PLANTS**
**journal**
**2023**
**£**
882
-
429
28,723
-
-
-
30,034
27,120|**AoB Blog**
**2023**
**£**
43,716
-
-
-
-
-
-
43,716
48,224|**ISP journal**
**2023**
**£**
-
55,874
-
25,000
-
-
-
80,874
66,860|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**60,711**
**152,123**
**429**
**96,992**
**13,131**
**9,743**
**140**
**333,269**
334,951|Total
funds
2022
£
70,386
167,278
3,949
67,889
16,402
8,825
222|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||334,951|
||||||||
## **Analysis of support costs**
|External travel and meeting costs
Company office costs
Internal travel and meeting costs
Accountancy and other finance related costs
TOTAL 2022|**AoB journal**
**2023**
**£**
-
21,283
-
-
21,283
18,886|**AoB**
**PLANTS**
**journal**
**2023**
**£**
34,532
3,578
-
-
38,110
10,737|**AoB Blog**
**2023**
**£**
-
5,208
25,005
-
30,213
22,538|**ISP journal**
**2023**
**£**
-
9,635
-
-|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||
|||||9,635|
||||||
|||||6,551|
Page 20
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **8. ANALYSIS OF EXPENDITURE BY ACTIVITIES (continued)**
## **Analysis of support costs (continued)**
|**Goverance**
**costs**
**2023**
**£**
External travel and meeting costs
-
Company office costs
-
Internal travel and meeting costs
-
Accountancy and other finance related costs
16,796
16,796
TOTAL 2022
16,108
**AUDITORS' REMUNERATION**
Fees payable to the Company's auditor for the audit of the Company's
annual accounts
Fees payable to the Company's auditor in respect of:
All non-audit services not included above|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**34,532**
**39,704**
**25,005**
**16,796**
**116,037**
74,820
**2023**
**£**
**7,500**
**7,524**|Total
funds
2022
£
8,080
32,819
17,813
16,108|
|---|---|---|
|||74,820|
|||2022
£
5,870
7,524|
## **9. AUDITORS' REMUNERATION**
## **10. STAFF COSTS**
The average number of persons employed by the Company during the year was Nil (2022: nil):
No employee received remuneration amounting to more than £60,000 in either year.
Key management personnel comprise the Trustees who received no remuneration benefits during the year.
## **11. TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION , FEES AND EXPENSES**
During the year, no Trustees received any remuneration or other benefits (2022 - £NIL).
During the year ended 31 December 2023, expenses (for travel and purchases on behalf of the Company) totalling £3,025 were reimbursed or paid directly to 3 Trustees (2022 - £3,864 to 3 Trustees).
Page 21
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **12. FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS**
|**COST OR VALUATION**
At 1 January 2023
Additions
Disposals
Revaluations
At 31 December 2023
**NET BOOK VALUE**
At 31 December 2023
AT 31 DECEMBER 2022
**HISTORICAL COST**|**Listed**
**investments**
**£**
**2,036,721**
**222,612**
**(261,243)**
**146,030**
**2,144,120**
**2,144,120**
2,036,721|**Cash**
**dealing**
**account**
**£**
**22,633**
**-**
**91,181**
**-**
**113,814**
**113,814**
22,633|**Total**
**£**
**2,059,354**
**222,612**
**(170,062)**
**146,030**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**2,257,934**|
|||||
||||**2,257,934**|
||||2,059,354|
|||||
The historic cost of investments reflected in the balance sheet valuation as above was £1,507,977 (2022: £1,431,487).
## **13. DEBTORS**
|**DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**
Trade debtors
VAT debtor
Prepayments and accrued income|**2023**
**£**
**513,053**
**30,878**
**6,890**
**550,821**|2022
£
473,331
17,288
3,320
493,939|
|---|---|---|
Page 22
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **14. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**
|Trade creditors
Accruals and deferred income|**2023**
**£**
**7,168**
**101,276**
**108,444**|2022
£
29,103
98,163|
|---|---|---|
||||
|||127,266|
Page 23
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **15. STATEMENT OF FUNDS**
|**STATEMENT OF FUNDS - CURRENT YEAR**
**UNRESTRICTED FUNDS**
**DESIGNATED FUNDS**
Production Reserve
Promotions Fund for Botanical Science
**GENERAL FUNDS**
General Funds - all funds
**TOTAL UNRESTRICTED FUNDS**|**Balance at 1**
**January**
**2023**
**£**
**458,000**
**2,810,018**
**3,268,018**
**334,951**
**3,602,969**|**Income**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**578,789**
**578,789**|**Expenditure**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**(485,057)**
**(485,057)**|**Transfers**
**in/out**
**£**
**21,000**
**74,414**
**95,414**
**(95,414)**
**-**|**Gains/**
**(Losses)**
**£**
**-**
**198,296**
**198,296**
**-**
**198,296**|**Balance at**
**31**
**December**
**2023**
**£**
**479,000**
**3,082,728**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||**3,561,728**|
|||||||**333,269**|
|||||||**3,894,997**|
## **Production Reserve**
Production reserve is a designated fund which has been earmarked by the Trustees to provide finance for one year's production of the journal on premium terms in the event of an emergency.
## **Promotions Fund for Botanical Science**
The Promotions Fund for Botanical Science is to generate income for the purpose of supporting botanical science more generally by means of grants, donations and promotional activity on behalf of the Company's publications.
Page 24
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
**15. Statement of funds (continued)**
## **STATEMENT OF FUNDS - PRIOR YEAR**
|Balance at
1 January
2022
£
**UNRESTRICTED FUNDS**
**DESIGNATED FUNDS**
Production Reserve
418,000
Promotions Fund for Botanical Science
3,187,863
3,605,863
**GENERAL FUNDS**
General Funds
297,274
**TOTAL UNRESTRICTED FUNDS**
3,903,137|Income
£
Expenditure
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
504,897
(456,019)
504,897
(456,019)|Transfers
in/out
£
40,000
(28,799)
11,201
(11,201)
-|Gains/
(Losses)
£
Balance at
31 December
2022
£
-
458,000
(349,046)
2,810,018
(349,046)
3,268,018
-
334,951
(349,046)
3,602,969|Gains/
(Losses)
£
Balance at
31 December
2022
£
-
458,000
(349,046)
2,810,018
(349,046)
3,268,018
-
334,951
(349,046)
3,602,969|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||3,268,018|
|||||334,951|
|||||3,602,969|
Page 25
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **16. SUMMARY OF FUNDS**
## **SUMMARY OF FUNDS - CURRENT YEAR**
|Designated funds
General funds
**SUMMARY OF FUNDS - PRIOR YEAR**
Designated funds
General funds|**Balance at 1**
**January**
**2023**
**£**
**3,268,018**
**334,951**
**3,602,969**
Balance at
1 January
2022
£
3,605,863
297,274
3,903,137|**Income**
**£**
**-**
**578,789**
**578,789**
Income
£
-
504,897
504,897|**Expenditure**
**£**
**-**
**(485,057)**
**(485,057)**
Expenditure
£
-
(456,019)
(456,019)|**Transfers**
**in/out**
**£**
**95,414**
**(95,414)**
**-**
Transfers
in/out
£
11,201
(11,201)
-|**Gains/**
**(Losses)**
**£**
**198,296**
**-**
**198,296**
Gains/
(Losses)
£
(349,046)
-
(349,046)|**Balance at**
**31**
**December**
**2023**
**£**
**3,561,728**
**333,269**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||**3,894,997**|
|||||||Balance at
31
December
2022
£
3,268,018
334,951|
|||||||3,602,969|
Page 26
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **17. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS**
## **ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS - CURRENT YEAR**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
Fixed asset investments
2,257,934
Current assets
1,745,507
Creditors due within one year
(108,444)
**TOTAL**
3,894,997
**ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS - PRIOR YEAR**
Unrestricted
funds
2022
£
Fixed asset investments
2,059,353
Current assets
1,670,882
Creditors due within one year
(127,266)
**TOTAL**
3,602,969|**Total**
**funds**
**2023**
**£**
**2,257,934**
**1,745,507**
**(108,444)**
**3,894,997**
Total
funds
2022
£
2,059,353
1,670,882
(127,266)
3,602,969|
|---|---|
## **RECONCILIATION OF NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS TO NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING 18. ACTIVITIES**
|Net income for the year (as per Statement of Financial Activities)
**ADJUSTMENTS FOR:**
Investment income
Decrease/(increase) in debtors
Increase/(decrease) in creditors
**NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES**|**2023**
**£**
**145,998**
**(65,736)**
**(56,882)**
**(18,823)**
**4,557**|2022
£
113,960
(31,569)
51,293
45,060
178,744|
|---|---|---|
Page 27
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **19. ANALYSIS OF CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS**
|Cash in hand
**ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN DEBT**
**At 1**
**January**
**2023**
**£**
Cash at bank and in hand
**1,176,943**|**2023**
**£**
**1,194,686**
**Cash flows**
**£**
**17,743**|2022
£
1,176,943|
|---|---|---|
|||**At 31**
**December**
**2023**
**£**
**1,194,686**|
## **20. ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN DEBT**
## **21. OPERATING LEASE COMMITMENTS**
At 31 December 2023 the Company had commitments to make future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases as follows:
||||**2023**|2022|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||||**£**|£|
|Not later than|1|year|**2,592**|30,526|
## **22. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS**
The Company has not entered into any related party transactions during the year, nor are there any outstanding balances owing between parties and the Company at 31 December 2023..
Details of transactions with the Trustees are detailed in note 11.
Page 28
**ANNALS OF BOTANY COMPANY (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE)**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023**
## **23. GRANTS AND DONATIONS**
|Botanical Society of America - Sponsorship for AoB Lecture
ISP, ASPA sponsorship
AoB Plant, GRC sponsorship
AoB Plant, ESA sponsorship
AoB, Other small grants
AoB Lecture sponsorship and registration support
AoB ComBio sponsorship
ISP, Interdrout VII International Conference
ISP, Gordon Research Conference sponsorship
ISP, Converia 7th International Plant Pheonotyping Symposium
ISP, Zollpackhof sponsorship|**2023**
**£**
**4,839**
**1,790**
**368**
**1,661**
**1,940**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**10,598**|2022
£
-
-
-
-
-
1,645
2,200
3,384
841
469
5,132|
|---|---|---|
|||13,671|
Page 29