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2022-12-31-accounts

© TERRY WHITTAKER

Annual Report and Accounts For year ended December 2022

kentwildlifetrust.org.uk

01622 662012 | info@kentwildlife.org.uk Kent Wildlife Trust, Tyland Barn, Sandling, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3BD Registered Charity No. 239992. A company limited in England and Wales by guarantee 633098.

Action and innovation for nature

Contents

Our year in numbers

£8.3m total income

£4.5m spent in conservation

£0.3m spent on education and engagement activities

£3.6m received from gifts in wills allowing us to invest in future conservation priorities

9,600+ acres in Kent managed by the Trust

5.6bn people reached with the Trust’s flagship project news

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Reference and administrative detail of the charity, its honorary officers and advisers

Honorary officers

John Leigh-Pemberton President

Christopher West Chair

Charles Tassell Vice Chair

Rachel Hoey Treasurer

Company registered number

Charity registered number

00633098

239992

Registered office

Independent auditor

Tyland Barn, Sandling, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 3BD

BHP LLP, One, Waterside Place, Basin Square, Brimington Road, Chesterfield, S41 7FH

Chief Executive Officer

Bankers

Evan Bowen-Jones

Barclays Bank PLC, 80 High Street, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 1LR

Solicitors

Investment managers

Anthony Collins, 134 Edmund Street, Birmingham, B3 2ES

Sarasin & Partners LLP, Juxon House, 100 St Paul’s Churchyard, London, EC4M 8BU

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Chairman’s introduction

It is with great pleasure that I present our Annual Report and Accounts for 2022. Together with my fellow Trustees, I am extremely proud and inspired by the achievements made this past year, which are a testament to both the skills and dedication of staff at the Trust, as well as the valued support of members and volunteers.

Tackling the nature and climate crises requires not just new approaches, but also urgent action and effective implementation. To this end, and through the leadership of Chief Executive Evan Bowen-Jones, Kent Wildlife Trust is pioneering a range of new, highprofile solutions and partnerships that are already demonstrating positive impacts and the ability to be replicated across the UK and beyond.

The introduction of free-roaming European bison to West Blean and Thornden Woods is already showing how ‘ecosystem engineers’ can restore ancient woodland habitats. Their release - and the welcome (though unexpected) birth of a calf – captured the interest of people not just in the UK but across the world, thus demonstrating a global appetite for innovative Nature-based Solutions.

Wilder Carbon has also made enormous strides in the past year. This wholly-owned subsidiary of the Trust is leading the way in the UK, ensuring that funding from high integrity buyers is being directed towards projects that both lock up carbon in the long term and generate real biodiversity net gain. With the very generous support of a donor, Wilder Carbon has established the first two pilot sites, one in Kent and the other identified in partnership with Somerset Wildlife Trust.

Nature will only recover in Kent if efforts take place at landscape-scale. This requires the Trust to work with other landowners in the county. A recent visit by all Trustees to the Marden Farmer Cluster provided clear evidence of the passion and commitment of local farmers and villagers to record the biodiversity of the lower Weald and take action to improve habitats in ways consistent with food production. The Trust has provided valued support to this, and other farmer

clusters in Kent, including working with DEFRA to pilot the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS).

I also wish to thank those of you who joined me in supporting the Trust’s campaign to Defend Nature in 2022. Kent Wildlife Trust welcomed the longawaited passing of the Environment Act, especially the inclusion of a new legally-binding agreement to reverse the decline of wildlife and protect 30% of land and sea for nature by 2030. We will continue to monitor implementation closely, advocating for change if required.

Last year was a time of great economic uncertainty – recovery from the pandemic, rising energy prices and the cost-of-living crisis. Despite this background, our membership numbers continued to grow. As this Annual Report and Accounts show, Kent Wildlife Trust remains in a financially robust position. This is a testament to both prudence and efficiency, as well as to the receipt of significant donations and legacies. On behalf of my fellow Trustees, I want to thank all the staff at Kent Wildlife Trust and our members and volunteers for your continued support.

Christopher West

Chair

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Trustees’ annual report including directors’ report and strategic report

The Council of Management (the Board of Trustees hereinafter referred to as “Council”) present their annual report together with the audited financial statements of Kent Wildlife Trust (hereinafter referred to as “The Trust”) for the period from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022.

requirements of the parent 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).

The annual report serves the purpose of both a Trustees’ report and a Directors’ report under company law. The Trustees confirm that the annual report and financial statements of the parent charitable company comply with the current statutory requirements, the

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Flagship project spotlight: Wilder Blean

In 2020, thanks to funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust partnered to begin the ground-breaking Wilder Blean project.

This project introduced an innovative approach to woodland management in South East England with the aim to build climate resilience in Kent and tackle the biodiversity crisis by introducing European bison to West Blean and Thornden Woods, alongside longhorn cattle, Exmoor ponies and Iron Age pigs. The presence of bison – known as ‘ecosystem engineers’ - is expected to improve the natural biodiversity of the landscape due to the animals’ unique suite of

behaviours (including grazing, dust bathing, eating bark and felling trees) thus building the resilience of this landscape to climatic changes and absorbing more carbon from the atmosphere.

The Wilder Blean project reached its first major milestone in July 2022 when three female bison took their first steps into the ancient Canterbury woodland under the gaze of the world’s media. To celebrate this event with the local community, the UK’s first bison festival was held in July with over 400 people attending.

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Later in the summer, our Bison Rangers discovered that one of the female bison from Ireland had given birth to a calf. This historic moment - the UK’s first free-roaming bison calf to be born in thousands of years - marked yet another breakthrough for this pioneering project.

For example, beetles are using the bison dung, new clearings have opened up and the bison are trampling invasive rhododendron. New interpretation and benches have also been installed on site and the car park improved, greatly enhancing public access.

In December 2022, the bull arrived, completing the bison herd which is now being left to roam the woodland and take on their role as ecosystem engineers. The other conservation grazers – cattle, ponies and pigs – arrived on site in spring 2023.

The bison continue to be closely monitored by the Bison Rangers who have already been witnessing their positive impact on the site.

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Our strategy

In 2019, Kent Wildlife Trust set out a fiveyear strategy to achieve a Wilder Kent. The strategy is based on a 25-year vision of restoring abundant wildlife across 30% of land and sea and engaging with one in four people in the county about the importance of nature. This report covers the fourth year of this strategy and focuses upon the progress made against three main goals.

Goal 1: Bringing wildlife back

Flagship projects

The Wilder Blean project achieved several key milestones in 2022, including the arrival of four European bison to West Blean and Thornden Woods and unprecedented press interest (read more about this flagship project on the previous page).

The Trust’s work to return red-billed choughs to the wild in Kent continued in 2022. Key milestones achieved include the construction of a release aviary, the hatching of chough eggs at Wildwood Trust and Paradise Park, and the successful rearing of 15 chough chicks, 8 of which were selected for release.

Unfortunately, due to inclement weather in autumn 2022, the team made the decision to postpone the release of the birds to summer 2023. Preparations for a new release date are currently underway, including the breeding of a second cohort of choughs.

Estates management

The Trust’s Wilder Grazing Strategy, established in 2021, supports the nature-positive management of estates using old breeds of grazing, browsing and rootling animals across all habitats, encouraging

wildlife recovery and climate adaptation. In 2022, this strategy was implemented on several sites including the introduction of pigs at Nashenden Down and water buffalo at Ham Fen.

Peatland restoration work at Hothfield Heathland continued; improving access on key paths, restoring peat bog and heathland, and repositioning fencing so that livestock can roam a greater area.

In January 2022, thanks to a generous legacy donation, the Trust took legal ownership of a 20-hectare site in Delmonden and is planning to establish a small wilding project there.

Ash dieback continues to be a significant problem across the Trust’s reserves and the Estates team are tackling this issue on a site-by-site basis, taking a riskbased approach according to priority and access.

Protected Area Wardens continued to engage people around the Trust’s sensitive coastal sites in 2022. Their work focuses on the importance of minimising human disturbance that vulnerable species are subject to.

Throughout 2022, the Trust dealt with a number of dog attacks and is considering how to address this growing challenge in 2023.

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The Trust also dealt with a break-in at Sevenoaks Nature Reserve which resulted in the loss of £17,000 worth of tools and a trailer. The tools are being replaced with electric power tools in the Trust’s drive towards carbon neutrality.

As part of a wider digital transformation drive across Kent Wildlife Trust, digital solutions were also introduced across the Trust’s reserves. This includes mobile mapping technologies which enable wardens to collect data on mobile devices rather than using traditional GPS devices and manually typing up data. The Trust also developed a web application to record the locations of livestock herds across the reserves which could become a marketable product.

In 2022, monitoring and evidence work also ramped up across the Trust’s sites. In particular, staff and volunteers conducted extensive fieldwork and analysed data at West Blean and Thornden Woods, including data on soil health, insect and animal abundance, vegetation structure and natural processes..

Supporting our partners

In 2022, Kent Wildlife Trust worked closely with Wildwood Trust to deliver the ground-breaking Wilder Blean Project and will continue this partnership in projects going forward.

In order to develop and deliver a landscape-wide vision for the Blean complex, the Trust also worked with the Woodland Trust and the RSPB as part of the Wilder Blean Initiative. The Initiative is rooted in the idea that, by enabling natural wilding processes across the Blean complex, nature will be able to recover, increasing biodiversity to levels beyond beyond that which human management can achieve and making the landscape more resilient to climate change from both wildlife and carbon perspectives.

The Trust additionally built relationships through the development of the Wilder Blean Advisory Group. This includes representatives from Natural England, Forestry Commission, University of Kent, Canterbury City Council, the Environment Agency, and representatives from private estates. This Advisory Group was established by the Wilder Blean Initiative to help develop and deliver a landscape-scale vision using the conservation standards model.

The Trust also worked closely with Kent County Council to lead a Task and Finish Group focused on the Local Nature Recovery Strategy. A key element of this is establishing the Nature Recovery Network: a mapping exercise to model the areas that, if they were the target of habitat creation or restoration, would most benefit the biodiversity and people of Kent.

The Trust gained a number of valuable corporate partners in 2022, including The Uncommon winery and VP Plc, and will be continuing conversations with prospective partners in 2023. Of particular note is the

Trust’s partnership with Faversham-based brewery, Shepherd Neame, who named Kent Wildlife Trust as its 2022 Charity of the Year.

In 2022, the Darent Valley Farmer Cluster – a Kent Wildlife Trust partner – was awarded one of only 22 Landscape Recovery pilot projects approved across England by Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). Landscape Recovery (LR) is the ambitious higher tier of the new Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS) being rolled out and Defra is ‘piloting’ projects for development by landowners and managers who wish to implement a radical and large-scale approach to delivering environmental and climate benefits on their land.

Advocacy and policy

In 2022, the Planning and Policy Team worked on number of major infrastructure projects across Kent with a great deal of success influencing planning decisions and halting threats to biodiversity and climate.

The Trust worked with local campaigners to protest the construction of the ‘London Resort’ theme park on the Swanscombe Peninsula – a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to its biodiversity, including many rare and endangered species. This resulted in the application for this development being withdrawn. The Planning and Policy Team is currently preparing for the application to return in a different form and will continue this campaign by talking to MPs, the local council and the community. The Trust is also working with the local council to shape a long-term vision for Swanscombe Peninsula.

The Planning and Policy Team continued to work with the Kent Nature Partnership Biodiversity Net Gain Task and Finish Group and will maintain this collaboration in 2023. Alongside this, the team worked with Parish Councils (supporting Neighbourhood Plans and Strategy for Nature Recovery), the Council, local people and landowners.

In 2022, the Trust called on its members to Defend Nature in response to a suite of policies from the UK Government which threatened to scrap or rewrite hundreds of key nature and climate laws. In Kent, these policies could result in specially protected sites losing their protected status, leaving them vulnerable to development. Many of these sites are a refuge for rare and endangered species with wetland features that help combat flooding and lock up and store carbon - vital in the fight against climate change.

Kent Wildlife Trust led on creating the State of Nature in Kent report, on behalf of the Kent Nature Partnership. The findings of this report will inform future efforts to restore nature through accompanying strategies, and provide a reporting mechanism and evidence base for the Kent Biodiversity Strategy and the Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

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Goal 2:

Engaging with people

Visitor Centres

The Romney Marsh and Sevenoaks Visitor Centres were open for trading throughout 2022, offering retail and catering facilities and an event venue. Book signings, family nature craft activities and wood whittling workshops were among the events offered that assisted with increasing visitor numbers and opening the centres to new audiences.

The Tyland Barn Visitor Centre remained closed to the public in 2022 but was open for booked educational visits, a calendar of events and a wedding.

Visitor Centre takings totalled £121k and government grants worth £5k were claimed during the year.

Volunteering programme

Volunteers continued to be vital to the delivery of the Trust’s mission in 2022. 850 volunteers offered their time across a diverse range of roles including practical outdoor teams and office-based communications support.

The Volunteer Task Force met 12 times in 2022 to discuss topics such as communications, feedback surveys, and training to support open feedback between volunteers and the Trust’s operational team. The Trust also held several social events for volunteers including a Christmas party and livestock checker picnics. The Trust endeavoured to increase communication with its volunteers in 2022 through an improved volunteer newsletter every two months and volunteer spotlights in the member’s magazine.

Education

Wilder Holiday Club launched in 2022, offering dropoff days for children designed to inspire and develop the younger generation’s love of nature. Adult Study Days expanded in 2022; over 600 people across the South East attended at least one event. A successful application by the Trust to the Biffa Award secured a further £10k of funding for the development of Tyland Barn, supporting the Trust’s educational objectives. Marine education events proved extremely popular and were all fully booked in 2022. The Trust also increased the number of Nature and Wellbeing programmes being delivered, including in Maidstone, Sevenoaks and Blean. The Trust is now a trusted and well-known deliverer of Green Social Prescribing across the health sector in Kent.

Engagement

An important aspect of the Trust’s engagement focus In 2022, two new categories were added to the Wilder Kent Awards – Wilder Universities and Wilder Villages, Towns and Cities – thus extending these awards to a wider range of groups in the community.

2022 saw the completion of the Down to Earth and Fifth Continent projects. Down to Earth, funded by Sports England, aimed to encourage women and their families in the Romney Marsh area to connect with nature to develop skills and confidence. The project attracted over 80 volunteers who gave over 700 hours of their time. Fifth Continent aimed to restore, rediscover and reclaim Romney Marsh over five years. A wide range of projects were delivered by the Trust and have involved hundreds of residents re-engaging with its special history.

Estates

The Sevenoaks Greensand Commons project celebrated the richness of the Greensand Commons of Sevenoaks and Westerham through active engagement with residents throughout 2022. Activities included arts and crafts events delivered in local libraries, networking with schools and colleges, working with a care home to host a variety of talks and activities, and Greensand Commons Week: a week of free community activities.

A Sevenoaks working group was also established to engage stakeholders who use and enjoy the site. Outcomes included the creation of a Wilder Angling agreement and the improvement of a management plan to allow stakeholders to directly contribute towards the conservation of Kent Wildlife Trust’s Sevenoaks Reserve and Visitor Centre.

As part of an accessibility project at Hothfield Heathlands, a social science study was conducted by the Trust, culminating in an accessible ‘Triangle Trail’ that was unveiled in August 2022.

Engagement work on the Trust’s coastal reserves continued throughout 2022, with a particular focus on reducing wildlife disturbance. Protected Area Wardens ran 25 events in 2022, directly engaging over 400 adults and children.

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Wilder Landscapes work

The Trust organised several online talks, facilitated group visits to West Blean and Thornden Woods, sent out a regular newsletter to residents of the Blean complex, and delivered a successful Bison Festival with over 400 attendees to support the Wilder Blean project.

The flagship Chough Reintroduction project continued with an extensive public perception study in collaboration with Canterbury Christ Church University and Alistar Bath and Associates. Two new Community Organising Officers were funded through the Nextdoor Nature project to facilitate community organising across Dover for the chough reintroduction, building connections with groups not worked with before, including migrant and LGBTQ+ communities.

The Trust continues to be a collaborator in the East Kent Beaver Advisory Group (EKBAG) which developed a regional human-beaver coexistence strategy. The Trust also partnered with the Beaver Trust to establish a Beaver Citizen Science Group in Kent, where passionate locals can contribute to beaver conservation by monitoring their activities.

Nature Recovery

The Trust continued to work with farmers and landowners through ‘Farmer Clusters’, facilitating collaborative work to deliver wildlife benefits while also achieving sustainable food production goals.

After ceasing for two years, ShoreSearch, a citizen science project aiming to record intertidal species, returned in 2022. A total of nine surveys were completed with 31 different volunteers and over 150 species recorded across Kent.

The Wild About Gardens team held 84 events in 2022, engaging over 2,000 people through advice and garden visits, public talks, community support events and Open Gardens.

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Goal 3:

Investing in nature

Marketing and communications

With an expanded team, the Trust’s Marketing and Communications activity achieved record reach and engagement throughout 2022, primarily linked to the release of bison as part of the Wilder Blean project. Working in partnership with Wildwood Trust, the Trust saw 1,634 press articles and 5.6 billion potential reach from the female release in July, calf arrival in September and bull release in December. Linked to this increased coverage, the Trust’s social channels increased by 5k followers and the email list doubled to 24k subscribers. The Trust also received interest from celebrities and influencers including Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Portilo and Alan Titchmarsh.

Other Trust projects and activities were supported including the Chough Reintroduction, advocacy work, events, education and commerce.

In particular, Bugs Matter received strong press interest, resulting in 345 pieces of news coverage, and a record number of participants took part in the survey itself.

Alongside this, the Marketing and Communications team revamped the membership magazine in response to feedback from members and also improved the digital version. Following an email campaign promoting eco-memberships (no printing involved), the team also achieved a £5k annual reduction in printing and postage costs.

The team ran a ‘Green Friday’ campaign in November 2022 which drove over 50 new memberships, all purchased online along with £10k in shop sales and safari vouchers.

In total, the Trust raised £3.6m as a result of fundraising in 2022. Income generating activities included the launch of the Wilder Blean appeal to members and supporters, generating £40k in donations. A legacy event was held at Canterbury Cathedral, as well as several major donor events at Blean and a supporter event about Chough at Wildwood Trust. A dedicated focus on legacies delivered £1.3m following increased exposure in member communications and improved donor stewardship.

Several fundraising events were organised with corporate partners - from beach cleans to longdistance runs, along with provision of assets such as placemats and fundraising packs for Shepherd Neame’s customers and through the Trust’s channels.

The Trust also received a grant of £56k from The Wildlife Trusts for the Precious Peatlands project. Ultimately funded by an anonymous donor and coordinated by The Wildlife Trusts, ‘Precious Peatlands’ will facilitate the restoration of peat and bog habitat at Hothfield Heathlands.

Membership and fundraising

The Trust gained 1808 new memberships through 2022. Processes have been significantly improved in preparation for the Trust’s transition to a new CRM system, resulting in over £80k of reclaimed cancellation money and £154k in Gift Aid. In addition, welcome calls have been introduced as part of the 30day member introduction plan to boost retention along with an improved renewal journey.

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Our subsidiaries

Established in 1996, Kent Wildlife Enterprises Ltd (KWE) promotes a range of trading activities that generate unrestricted income for the Trust. Income is generated through the visitors centres, online merchandise sales and car parking income. In 2022, KWE underwent changes in its budgeting process, taking on the overheads of the staff, utilities and day-to-day running costs of the Visitor Centres for the first time in 2022. In 2022, KWE posted a surplus of £35k.

KWT Consultancy Services Ltd was established in 2019 to provide ecological services and land management advice in ways consistent with the mission of the Trust. The Consultancy is positioning itself to take a lead role in delivering Biodiversity Net Gain in Kent and working nationally through its ability to work with or license the Trust developed Carbon + Habitat Tool. It runs the Coastal Explorer intern programme, funded by the Crown Estate. 2021’s intern has now been employed by the Trust as its newest Marine Conservation Officer and is expanding its coastal and marine work as part of the KWT Group.

Wilder Carbon Limited was established in 2021 to provide sales, certification, and assurance services relating to the emerging carbon market. Wilder Carbon is the first high integrity Natural Climate Solutions provider in the UK and aims to provide a national mechanism for ensuring high quality conservation projects are delivered across the UK courtesy of carbon finance, resulting in real long-term carbon lock-up and biodiversity gains. Wilder Carbon will only sell conservation-grade carbon units to buyers who are demonstrably reducing their own emissions. The subsidiary acts as secretariat to the independent Wilder Carbon Technical Standard Board who have become the guardians of the Wilder Carbon Standard for Nature and Climate against which the scheme is delivered. Wilder Carbon was dormant throughout the period of these accounts but with the first two Wilder Carbon projects certified in October 2022, the first sale of units is anticipated in 2023.

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Looking forward

Delivering our vision

In 2023, Kent Wildlife Trust will be implementing the new Wilder Kent 2030 Strategy, focusing on three goals:

GOAL 1: Ensure that Kent Wildlife Trust Group is delivering the highest possible impact in the face of habitat loss and climate change.

GOAL 2: Strengthen Kent Wildlife Trust’s people engagement to create a groundswell of support for a climate-resilient, Wilder Kent.

GOAL 3: Diversify KWTG’s income sources and strengthen its systems whilst operating sustainably.

The Trust will continue to pursue digital transformation across its activities in order to improve the efficiency of its internal systems and contribute to the work of the global scientific community. This includes the establishment of a new CRM system which the Membership, Fundraising, Marketing and Communications teams are currently undertaking training for.

The Bugs Matter survey will also be undergoing digital transformation. This citizen-science led project will no longer use paper splatometers (grids to record the number of insects splatted on vehicle number plates after a journey). Instead, citizen scientists will only require the free Bugs Matter mobile application (created by the Trust in collaboration with Buglife) to take part. This means that the Trust will completely minimise the costs of printing, posting and shipping the splatometers, therefore reducing emissions associated with this project.

Managing risk

The Risk and Finance Committee continued to meet regularly throughout 2022. The Trustees have maintained a close oversight of risks and have carefully balanced ambition with effective risk management. The Trustees and the senior management team have assessed the likelihood and potential impact of risks to which the Trust is exposed and are satisfied that

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the necessary systems and procedures are in place to mitigate these risks. The Trust continues to update its systems and has recently strengthened its policies and procedures for health and safety and safeguarding.

Promoting innovation

It is becoming increasingly important for wildlife conservation to contribute to building societal resilience to the climate and nature crises. That is why Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are becoming increasingly central to the Trust’s work and why the Trust has built the in-house capacity and resources of its NbS team in 2022. With this team now in place, the Trust will be able to tackle the climate and nature crises and operate in this rapidly emerging space. This team is putting a variety of systems and tools in place to leverage new opportunities for the Kent Wildlife Trust Group.

This year, UAV/drone operations at the Trust will continue to grow with the training of several new pilots and the purchase of a new professional surveying drone and a smaller drone for recording cinematic footage of our reserves. Over time, the Trust will build up a library of high-resolution imagery of its reserves which will be valuable for ecological monitoring, spatial planning and communications purposes.

The Digital Development team has created a web application to calculate the biodiversity and carbon value of a site and developed the world’s first high integrity carbon registry for Wilder Carbon. In addition to this, the Trust has established a Science Group to identify and assess new research opportunities and ensure the scientific integrity of all its research-related material. The Trust continues to promote activity at the forefront of innovation, including working in collaboration with local Higher Education Institutions to co-supervise two new PhD students.

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Financial report

Overview

The surplus for the Group for the year amounted to £1.4m; a highly satisfactory year given the on-going “cost of living crisis” that started in early 2022.

The Trust’s principal sources of income are donations from members, primarily through regular subscriptions, donations and legacies, as well as grants for charitable activities.

Year-on-year comparisons are distorted by £1.5m donated and subsequently granted to Somerset Wildlife Trust in 2021 to purchase Honeygar Farm; a pathfinder project for Wilder Carbon. Comparative total income is £1.2m higher, in large part due to a rebound in legacies from 2021. Adjusted expenditure was £0.8m higher and reflect a scaling up of activities post Covid-19 and the adverse impact of inflation including staffing costs.

The financial turmoil in 2022 had an adverse impact on the valuation of our investment portfolio which fell by 12% in the year, offsetting most of the gains made in the last 2 years.

Biological assets were recognised in the accounts for the first time, resulting in a prior year adjustment of £126k and additions / revaluations in the year of £23k.

The Trust funded £1.3m of capital expenditure in the year. Almost all of this was spent on our nature reserves, including £0.6m at our flagship West Blean and Thornden Woods site. The title deeds for Delmonden Manor Farm were legally assigned to the Trust in the year and £0.3m was moved from legacy debtors to fixed assets.

Investments

The Trust’s Articles of Association enable it to invest monies not immediately needed for its purposes in investments that may be thought fit and subject to conditions and consents required by law. The Trust’s investment objectives are to achieve the best possible financial return after satisfying the requirement for an appropriate level of risk, liquidity and diversification of assets.

The Trust’s policy on ethical investment is to give preference, as far as is reasonably possible, to investments that are in line with the Trust’s charitable objects and when opportunities arise, promote

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positive conservation and environmental outcomes. This is achieved in practice by avoiding investment in companies which generate a significant proportion of their turnover from activities which conflict with the Trust’s ethical objectives. The Trust holds investments through its investment managers’ Climate Active Fund, a global multi-asset portfolio with an integrated socially responsible investment policy that also favours investments that may benefit from a move to a lower carbon economy.

The Trustees monitor the Trust’s investment portfolio and other investments closely. The value of these investments decreased during the year by £311k.

Financial reserves policy

The Trust manages various restricted, designated and other unrestricted funds in line with any restrictions or designations imposed on them either by funders or by the Trustees themselves.

Free reserves, calculated as the sum of unrestricted net current assets and investments, are £4.1m. These cash resources provide stability to the Trust in the management of its projects and landholdings, and they support growth in a challenging environment. To ensure the Trust has the capacity to deal with any unforeseen or catastrophic emergency, within these free reserves, the Trustees maintain an ‘Emergencies

Fund.’ The balance on this fund remains at £1.0m which is roughly equivalent to four months’ corefunded employment costs. This fund would enable the Trust to continue to operate while steps are taken to address the situation.

Compliance

In 2022, the Trust reported no ‘Serious Incidents’ to The Charity Commission. The Trust continues to operate in compliance with the Fundraising Code of Practice and received no complaints during the reporting period. The Trust has provided further training in respect to its policy on controlling and recording gifts or benefits offered to staff in compliance with the Bribery Act 2010. Health and safety and safeguarding are standing items at weekly senior management team meetings and at bi-monthly Risk and Finance Committee meetings, with reports made on a quarterly basis to Council. New policies to strengthen the management and oversight of these important areas were introduced in 2022. Compliance with the Data Protection Act remains a priority for the Trust, and no significant issues were reported to the Information Commissioner.

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Audit

BHP LLP continue as the Trust’s auditors. They will be proposed for reappointment in accordance with the Trust’s governing documents.

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

integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the Company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

The directors of the Company who held office at the date of approval of these Financial Statements as set out above each confirm, so far as they are aware, that:

In approving the Trustees’ annual report, the directors also approve the strategic report included therein, in their capacity as directors.

Auditor

The auditor, BHP LLP, has indicated its willingness to continue in office. The Trustees will propose a motion reappointing the auditor at a meeting of the Trustees.

Approved by order of the members of the board of Trustees and signed on their behalf by:

Christopher West

Chair

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Group and 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 Group and the Company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Disclosure of information to auditor

In so far as the Trustees are aware:

The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and

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Independent auditor’s report to the members of Kent Wildlife Trust

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Kent Wildlife Trust (the ‘parent charitable company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘Group’) for the year ended 31 December 2022 which comprise the consolidated statement of financial activities, the consolidated balance sheet, the company balance sheet, the consolidated 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:

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 Group 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 Group’s or the parent 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.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual 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. 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.

Annual Report 2022 19

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken during the audit:

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 including the strategic report and director’s 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:

Responsibilities of Trustees

As explained more fully in the Trustees’ responsibilities statement, the Trustees (who are also the directors of the parent 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 Group’s and the parent 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 Group or the parent 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

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.

20 Annual Report 2022

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of noncompliance 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:

Our approach to identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows:

We assessed the susceptibility of the group and parent entity’s financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by:

indicative of potential bias; and

In response to the risk of irregularities and noncompliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:

There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of noncompliance. Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the directors and other management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any. Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.

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.

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 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 its members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

BHP LLP, 22.06.2023

To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we

Adrian Staniforth

(Senior statutory auditor) for and on behalf of BHP LLP, One, Waterside Place, Basin Square Brimington Road, Chesterfield, S41 7FH

Annual Report 2022 21

11 22 Annual Report 2022

Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities

(incorporating income and expenditure account) for the year ended 31 December 2022

Note
Income from:
Dona�ons and legacies
4
Charitable ac�vi�es
5
Other trading ac�vi�es
6
Investments
7
Other income
8
Total income
Expenditure on:
Raising funds
9
Charitable ac�vi�es
10
Total expenditure
Net income before net (losses)/gains on
investments
Net (losses)/gains on investments
18
Net income
Transfers between funds
25
Net movement in funds before other
recognised gains
Other recognised gains:
Gains on revalua�on of biological assets
Net movement in funds		 Unrestricted
funds
2022
£000
3,357
2,223
743
21
8
6,352
776
4,328
5,104
1,248
(311)
937
794
1,731
10
1,741		 Restricted
funds
2022
£000
277
1,680
-
-
-
1,957
-
1,488
1,488
469
-
469
(794)
(325)
-
**(325) **		 Total
funds
2022
£000
3,634
3,903
743
21
8
8,309
776
5,816
6,592
1,717
(311)
1,406
-
1,406
10
1,416		 As restated
Total
funds
2021
£000
3,556
3,739
561
1
174
8,031
353
6,968
7,321
710
184
894
-
894
-
894

Annual Report 2022 23

Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities Continued

(incorporating income and expenditure account) for the year ended 31 December 2022

Note
Reconcilia�on of funds:
Total funds brought forward as previously
stated
Prior year adjustment
Total funds brought forward
Net movement in funds
Total funds carried forward		 Unrestricted
funds
2022
£000
8,409
126
8,535
1,741
10,276		 Restricted
funds
2022
£000
7,877
-
7,877
(325)
7,552		 Total
funds
2022
£000
16,286
126
16,412
1,416
17,828		 As restated
Total
funds
2021
£000
15,392
126
15,518
894
16,412

under the Companies Act 2006 and includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

All income and expenditure derive from con�nuing ac�vi�es.

24 Annual Report 2022

Kent Wildlife Trust (A company limited by guarantee) Registered number: 00633098

Consolidated Balance sheet as at 31 December 2022

Fixed assets
Note
Biological assets
16
Tangible assets
17
Investments
18
Current assets
Stocks
20
Debtors
21
Investments
22
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
23
Net current assets
Total net assets
Charity funds
Restricted funds
25
Unrestricted funds
25
Total funds		 21
1,333
1,500
1,232
4,086
(853)		 2022
£000
149
12,235
2,211
14,595
3,233
17,828
7,552
10,276
17,828		 34
1,801
-
1,395
3,230
(577)		 As restated
2021
£000
126
11,111
2,522
13,759
2,653
16,412
7,877
8,535
16,412

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibili�es for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accoun�ng records and prepara�on of financial statements.

Rachel Hoey

Trustee/ Treasurer

The notes on pages 28 to 53 form part of these financial statements.

Annual Report 2022 25

Kent Wildlife Trust (A company limited by guarantee) Registered number: 00633098

Company Balance sheet

as at 31 December 2022

Fixed assets
Note
Biological assets
16
Tangible assets
17
Investments
18
Current assets
Debtors
21
Investments
22
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
23
Net current assets
Total net assets
Charity funds
Restricted funds
25
Unrestricted funds
25
Total funds		 1,095
1,500
1,178
3,773
(660)		 2022
£000
149
12,232
2,256
14,637
3,113
17,750
7,552
10,198
17,750		 1,766
-
1,254
3,020
(513)		 As restated
2021
£000
126
11,111
2,567
13,804
2,507
16,311
7,877
8,434
16,311

The Trustees acknowledge their responsibili�es for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accoun�ng records and prepara�on of financial statements.

Rachel Hoey

Trustee/ Treasurer

The notes on pages 28 to 53 form part of these financial statements.

26 Annual Report 2022

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

as at 31 December 2022

Note
Cash fows from opera�ng ac�vi�es
Net cash provided by opera�ng ac�vi�es
28
Cash fows from inves�ng ac�vi�es
Dividends, interest and rents from investments
Proceeds from the sale of biological assets
Purchase of biological assets
Purchase of tangible fxed assets
Proceeds from sale of investments
Purchase of investments
(Increase)/decrease in short term investment
Net cash used in inves�ng ac�vi�es
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
29		 2022
£000
2,667
(21)
30
(43)
(1,296)
-
-
(1,500)
(2,830)
(163)
1,395
1,232		 2021
£000
1,128
1
-
-
(2,598)
1,648
(1,647)
1,171
(1,425)
(297)
1,692
1,395

Annual Report 2022 27

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the year ended 31 December 2022

1. General information

Kent Wildlife Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee. In the event of the charitable company being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charitable company. The address of the registered office is given in the charity information on page 1 of these financial statements.

The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all years presented unless otherwise stated.

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), and the Companies Act 2006.

Kent 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.

The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention, modified to include certain items at fair value. The financial statements are presented in sterling which is the functional currency of the Group and rounded to the nearest £000.

The consolidated statement of financial activities (SOFA) and consolidated balance sheet consolidate the financial statements of the charitable company and its subsidiary undertakings. The results of the subsidiaries are consolidated on a line-by-line basis.

28 Annual Report 2022

The following subsidiaries have taken advantage of an exemption from audit under section 479A of the Companies Act 2006. As the ultimate parent, Kent Wildlife Wildlife Trust has provided a statutory guarantee for any outstanding liabilities of this business:

Wilder Carbon Ltd

The charitable company has taken advantage of the exemption allowed under section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 and has not presented its own statement of financial activities in these financial statements.

2.2 Going concern

The Trustees assess whether the use of going concern is appropriate i.e. whether there are any material uncertainties related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the ability of the Group to continue as a going concern. The Trustees make this assessment in respect of a period of at least one year from the date of authorisation of the financial statements and have concluded that the Group has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future and there are no material uncertainties about the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern, thus they continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

2.3 Income

All income is recognised once the charitable 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.

The recognition of income from legacies is dependent on establishing entitlement, the probability of receipt and the ability to estimate with sufficient accuracy the amount receivable. Evidence of entitlement to a legacy exists when the charitable company has sufficient evidence that a gift has been left to them (through knowledge of the existence of a valid will and the death of the benefactor) and the executor is satisfied that the property in question will not be required to satisfy claims in the estate. Receipt of a legacy must be recognised when it is probable that it will be received and the fair value of the amount receivable, which will generally be the expected cash amount to be distributed to the charitable company, can be reliably measured.

2.4 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 charitable activities is incurred on directly undertaking the activities which further the Group’s objectives, as well as any associated support costs.

All expenditure is inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.

2.5 Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charitable company; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the institution with whom the funds are deposited.

2.6 Taxation

The charitable company is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charitable company is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.

Other income is recognised in the period in which it is receivable and to the extent the goods have been provided or on completion of the service.

Annual Report 2022 29

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022

2.7 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 by the Kent Wildlife Trust management team and is considered by the Trustees to be a fair reflection of the estimated value at the year-end.

2.8 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation

Tangible fixed assets costing £1,000 or more are capitalised and recognised when future economic benefits are probable and the cost or value of the asset can be measured reliably.

Tangible fixed assets are initially recognised at cost. After recognition, under the cost model, tangible fixed assets are measured at cost less accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses. All costs incurred to bring a tangible fixed asset into its intended working condition should be included in the measurement of cost.

Depreciation is charged so as to allocate the cost of tangible fixed assets less their residual value over their estimated useful lives.

Depreciation is provided on the following bases

Land - Nil

Leasehold buildings – Over the life of the lease at purchase. Any subsequent improvements to the leasehold buildings are depreciated over the lesser of the remaining term of the lease or the useful life of the improvement

Furniture, plant & equipment - 15% - 25% on cost Computer equipment - 33% on cost

Motor vehicles - 25% on cost

Fencing enclosing the wilding project at Blean, near Canterbury – Over 25 years

Assets in the course of construction – not depreciated until in use

2.9 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 consolidated statement of financial activities.

Investments in subsidiaries are valued at cost less provision for impairment.

2.10 Stocks

Stocks are valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value after making due allowance for obsolete and slow-moving stocks. Cost includes all direct costs and an appropriate proportion of fixed and variable overheads.

2.11 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.

2.12 Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and shortterm 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.

2.13 Liabilities and provisions

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 charitable 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.

Provisions are measured at the best estimate of the amounts required to settle the obligation. Where the effect of the time value of money is material, the provision is based on the present value of those amounts, discounted at the pre-tax discount rate that reflects the risks specific to the liability. The unwinding of the discount is recognised in the consolidated statement of financial activities as a finance cost.

2.14 Financial instruments

The Group 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

30 Annual Report 2022

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of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

2.15 Operating leases

Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the consolidated statement of financial activities on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

2.16 Pensions

The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme and the pension charge represents the amounts payable by the charitable company to the fund in respect of the year.

2.17 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 charitable 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.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors or which have been raised by the charitable company for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.

2.18 Employee benefits

When employees have rendered service to the charitable company, short-term employee benefits to which the employees are entitled are recognised at the undiscounted amounts expected to be paid in exchange for that service.

3. Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgment

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 charitable company 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.

Support costs

Many of the costs incurred by the charitable company, such as support staff costs and service costs, are shared between activities. The charitable company’s policy is to allocate these costs on the basis of the staff numbers involved in these activities.

Investment income, gains and losses are allocated to the appropriate fund.

Annual Report 2022 31

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the year ended 31 December 2022

4. Income from donations and legacies

Dona�ons
Legacies
Similar incoming resources
Total 2021		 Unrestricted
funds
2022
£000
2,042
1,297
18
3,357
3,325		 Restricted
funds
2022
£000
215
-
62
277
231		 Total
funds
2022
£000
2,257
1,297
80
3,634
3,556		 Total
funds
2021
£000
3,079
388
89
3,556

5. Income from charitable ac�vi�es

Marke�ng and membership
Reserves management
Projects
Conserva�on, policy and consultancy
Educa�on, volunteering and visitor engagement
Total 2021		 Unrestricted
funds
2022
£000
1,064
344
587
115
113
2,223
1,920		 Restricted
funds
2022
£000
-
53
1,623
-
4
1,680
1,819		 Total
funds
2022
£000
1,064
397
2,210
115
117
3,903
3,739		 Total
funds
2021
£000
933
427
2,274
24
81
3,739

32 Annual Report 2022

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the year ended 31 December 2022

6. Income from other trading ac�vi�es

Income from non charitable trading ac�vi�es

Trading income
Total 2021		 Unrestricted
funds
2022
£000
743
561		 Total
funds
2022
£000
743
561		 Total
funds
2021
£000
561
7.
Investment income
Interest received
Total 2021		 Unrestricted
funds
2022
£000
21
1		 Total
funds
2022
£000
21
1		 Total
funds
2021
£000
1

8. Other incoming resources

Insurance claims
CJRS income
Total 2021		 Unrestricted
funds
2022
£000
8
-
8
174		 Total
funds
2022
£000
8
-
8
174		 Total
funds
2021
£000
3
171
174

Annual Report 2022 33

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the year ended 31 December 2022

9. Expenditure on raising funds

Other trading expenses

Cost of sales
Administra�on expenses
Staf costs
Total 2021		 Unrestricted
funds
2022
£000
50
150
576
776
353		 Total
funds
2022
£000
50
150
576
776
353		 Total
funds
2021
£000
38
19
296
353

10. Analysis of expenditure on charitable ac�vi�es

Summary by fund type

Marke�ng and membership
Reserves management
Projects
Conserva�on, policy and consultancy
Educa�on, volunteering and visitor engagement
Administra�on
Total 2021		 Unrestricted
funds
2022
£000
390
430
2,295
461
279
473
4,328
5,438		 Restricted
funds
2022
£000
53
262
835
253
66
19
1,488
1,530		 Total
2022
£000
443
692
3,130
714
345
492
5,816
6,968		 Total
2021
£000
311
2,100
3,101
631
317
508
6,968

34 Annual Report 2022

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022

11. Analysis of expenditure by ac�vi�es

Ac�vi�es
undertaken
directly
2022
£000
Marke�ng and membership
280
Reserves management
340
Projects
2,966
Conserva�on, policy and consultancy
374
Educa�on, volunteering and visitor engagement
128
Administra�on
139
4,227
Total 2021
5,708		 Support
Total
Total
costs
funds
funds
2022
2022
2021
£000
£000
£000
163
443
311
352
692
2,100
164
3,130
3,101
340
714
631
217
345
317
353
492
508
1,589
5,816
6,968
1,260
6,968		 Support
Total
Total
costs
funds
funds
2022
2022
2021
£000
£000
£000
163
443
311
352
692
2,100
164
3,130
3,101
340
714
631
217
345
317
353
492
508
1,589
5,816
6,968
1,260
6,968
6,968

Analysis of support costs

Marke�ng
Conserva�on,
Educa�on,
volunteering
and
membership
Reserves
management

Projects
policy and
consultancy
and vistor
engagement
2022
2022
2022
2022
2022
£000
£000
£000
£000
£000
Administra�on costs
12
26
12
25
15
Business support costs
1
2
1
1
1
Facili�es costs
13
29
13
29
18
Finance costs
40
86
40
83
54
Governance costs (note 12)
24
52
24
50
32
IT and communica�ons costs
22
47
23
45
29
Opera�onal support costs
8
16
8
16
10
People support costs
38
83
38
80
51
Development
5
11
5
11
7
163
352
164
340
217
Total 2021
128
243
158
259
201
Admin
istra�on
2022
Total
funds
2022
£000
£000
26
116
2
8
29
131
86
389
52
234
47
213
16
74
84
374
11
50
353
1,589
271
1,260
Total 2021		 Total
funds
2021
£000
32
62
80
264
213
177
150
282
-
1,260

Annual Report 2022 35

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022

12.
Governance costs
Unrestricted
funds
2022
£000
Auditor's remunera�on
18
Subscrip�ons
-
Equipment repairs and renewals
1
Legal fees
5
RSWT Levy
94
Staf costs
116
Total 2022
234
Total 2021
213
13.
Auditor's remunera�on
Fees payable to the group's auditor for the audit of the group's annual accounts
14.
Staf costs
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Contribu�on to defned contribu�on pension
schemes
Group
Group
2022
2021
£000
£000
3,224
2,654
244
219
323

284
3,791
3,157		 Total
funds
2022
£000
18
-
1
5
94
116
234
213
2022
£000
29
Company
2022
£000
2,649
244
323
3,216		 Total
funds
2021
£000
28
1
-
5
75
104
213
2021
£000
24
Company
2021
£000
2,391
201
269
2,861

Redundancy payments in the year were £26,193 (2021: £19,450).

36 Annual Report 2022

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022

14. costs (con�nued)

The average number of persons employed by the Company during the year was as follows:

Marke�ng and membership
Reserves
Projects
Conserva�on, policy & consultancy
Educa�on, volunteering and visitor engagement
Administra�on		 Group
2022
No.
12
26
12
25
16
26
117		 Group
2021
No.
9
17
11
18
14
19
88
Group Group
2022 2021
No. No.
In the band £70,001 - £80,000 1 1

£417,815 (2021: £383,167).

15. Trustees' remunera�on and expenses

During the year ended 31 December 2022, no Trustee expenses have been incurred (2021 - £NIL).

Annual Report 2022 37

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the year ended 31 December 2022

16.
Biological assets
Group and Company
Valuaton
At 1 January 2022
Addi�ons
Disposals
Revalua�ons
At 31 December 2022
Net book value
At 31 December 2022
At 31 December 2021		 Livestock
£000
126
43
(30)
10
149
149
126

Livestock were valued in the year to 31 December 2022 at £865 per head of ca�le (2021: £764), £81 per sheep (2021: £71), £900 per water buffalo (2021: £Nil), £234 per pony (2021: £150), £100 per goat (2021: £100), and £416 per pig (2021: £200).

38 Annual Report 2022

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022

17. Tangible assets Group

Cost or valuaton
At 1 January 2022
Addi�ons
At 31 December 2022
Depreciaton
At 1 January 2022
Charge for the year
At 31 December 2022
Net book value
At 31 December 2022
At 31 December 2021		 Freehold
land
£000
8,677
350
9,027
2
2
4
9,023
8,675		 Leasehold
land
£000
164
-
164
-
-
-
164
164		 Buildings
£000
1,866
2
1,868
535
35
570
1,298
1,331
 Motor
vehicles
£000
206
20
226
173
24
197
29
33		 Furniture,
plant and
equipment
£000
1,876
924
2,800
968
111
1,079
1,721
908		 Total
£000
12,789
1,296
14,085
1,678
172
1,850
12,235
11,111

Annual Report 2022 39

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022

17. Tangible assets (con�nued) Company

Cost or valuaton
At 1 January 2022
Addi�ons
At 31 December 2022
Depreciaton
At 1 January 2022
Charge for the year
At 31 December 2022
Net book value
At 31 December 2022
At 31 December 2021		 Freehold
land
£000
8,677
350
9,027
2
2
4
9,023
8,675
 Leasehold
land
£000
164
-
164
-
-
-
164
164
 Buildings
£000
1,866
2
1,868
535
35
570
1,298
1,331
 Motor
vehicles
£000
206
20
226
173
24
197
29
33
 Fixtures and
f�ngs
£000
1,876
921
2,797
968
111
1,079
1,718
908		 Total
£000
12,789
1,293
14,082
1,678
172
1,850
12,232
11,111

40 Annual Report 2022

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022

18. Fixed asset investments

Group
Cost or valuaton
At 1 January 2022
Revalua�ons
At 31 December 2022
Net book value
At 31 December 2022
At 31 December 2021
Company
Cost or valuaton
At 1 January 2022
Revalua�ons
At 31 December 2022
Net book value
At 31 December 2022
At 31 December 2021		 Investments in
subsidiary
companies
£000
45
-
45
45
45		 Listed
investments
£000
2,522
(311)
2,211
2,211
2,522		 Listed
investments
£000
2,522
(311)
2,211
2,211
2,522
Total
£000
2,567
(311)
2,256
2,256
2,567

Annual Report 2022 41

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022

19. Principal subsidiaries

The following were subsidiary undertakings of the Company:

Names Company Class of Holding
number shares
Kent Wildlife Enterprises Ltd 03153795 Ordinary 100%
KWT Consultancy Services Ltd 12124607 Ordinary 100%
Wilder Carbon Ltd 13292942 Ordinary 100%
The fnancial results of the subsidiaries for the year were:
Names Income Expenditure Proft for the Net assets
year
£000 £000 £000 £000
Kent Wildlife Enterprises Ltd 172 (137) 35 52
KWT Consultancy Services Ltd 670 (637) 33 76

For the year ended 31 December 2022, the following subsidiaries of the charitable company were en�tled to exemp�on from audit under s479A of the Companies Act 2006 rela�ng to subsidiary companies:

Wilder Carbon Ltd (13292942)

20. Stocks

Work in progress
Finished goods and goods for resale		 Group
2022
£000
2
19
21		 Group
2021
£000
12
22
34

42 Annual Report 2022

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the year ended 31 December 2022

21.
Debtors
Due within one year
Trade debtors
Amounts owed by group undertakings
Other debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
Tax recoverable		 Group
2022
£000
453
-
20
860
-
1,333		 Group
2021
£000
296
-
14
1,486
5
1,801		 Company
2022
£000
61
175
20
839
-
1,095		 Company
2021
£000
92
211
12
1,451
-
1,766
22. Current asset investments
Group Group Company Company
2022 2021 **2022 ** 2021
£000 £000 £000 £000
Unlisted investments 1,500 - **1,500 ** -

23. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year

Trade creditors
Amounts owed to group undertakings
Other taxa�on and social security
Other creditors
Accruals and deferred income		 Group
2022
£000
158
-
164
2
529
853		 Group
2021
£000
210
-
76
4
287
577		 Company
2022
£000
132
-
105
2
421
660		 Company
2021
£000
204
3
37
2
267
513

24. Prior year adjustments

There has been a prior year adjustment to account for biological assets of £126,000 held as at 31 December 2021. This increased net assets as at 31 December 2021 by £126,000.

Annual Report 2022 43

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022

General funds
General Funds
1,381
5,510
KWT Consultancy
Ltd
76
670
Kent Wildlife
Enterprises Ltd
71
172
Unrealised Gains
1,128
-
5,879
-
25.
Statement of funds
Statement of funds - current year
As restated
Balance at 1
January 2022
Income
£000
£000
Unrestricted
funds
Designated funds
Land and Property
Fund
4,879
-
Conserva�on
Ac�on Fund
-
-
Emergencies Fund
1,000
-		 General funds
General Funds
1,381
5,510
KWT Consultancy
Ltd
76
670
Kent Wildlife
Enterprises Ltd
71
172
Unrealised Gains
1,128
-
5,879
-
25.
Statement of funds
Statement of funds - current year
As restated
Balance at 1
January 2022
Income
£000
£000
Unrestricted
funds
Designated funds
Land and Property
Fund
4,879
-
Conserva�on
Ac�on Fund
-
-
Emergencies Fund
1,000
-		 General funds
General Funds
1,381
5,510
KWT Consultancy
Ltd
76
670
Kent Wildlife
Enterprises Ltd
71
172
Unrealised Gains
1,128
-
5,879
-
25.
Statement of funds
Statement of funds - current year
As restated
Balance at 1
January 2022
Income
£000
£000
Unrestricted
funds
Designated funds
Land and Property
Fund
4,879
-
Conserva�on
Ac�on Fund
-
-
Emergencies Fund
1,000
-		 (4,330)
(637)
(137)
-
-
Expenditure
£000
-
-
-		 (2,106)
(33)
(54)
-
2,987
Transfers
in/out
£000
1,122
1,865
-		 -
-
-
(301)
-
Gains/
(Losses)
£000
-
-
-		 455
76
52
827
8,866
Balance at 31
December 2022
£000
6,001
1,865
1,000		 455
76
52
827
8,866
Balance at 31
December 2022
£000
6,001
1,865
1,000
Total Unrestricted
funds		 2,656
8,535		 6,352
6,352		 (5,104)
(5,104)		 (2,193)
794		 (301)
(301)
1,410
10,276

44 Annual Report 2022

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the year ended 31 December 2022

Restricted funds
Delmonden
Manor Farm
H20 Source 2 Sea
Heritage Lo�ery
Emergency Fund
Nature Reserves
Holding
RMFC - 5th
Con�nent
Sandwich & PB
Wilder Blean
Chough incl.
Appeal Funds
Denyss Wilsden
Land Legacy
Restore Our
Planet -Wilding
Other Restricted
Funds
Total of funds
25.
**Statement of funds **		 270
-
82
249
-
-
6,232
-
49
469
-
-
519
368
-
131
100
-
-
165
625

575
7,877
1,957
16,412

8,309
(con�nued)		 -
(333)
-
-
(333)
-
(235)
(100)
-
(34)
(453)
(1,488)
(6,592)		 (270)
2
-
-
(83)
-
(397)
-
-
-
(46)
(794)
-		 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
(301)		 -
-
-
6,232
102
-
255
31
100
131
701
7,552
17,828

Annual Report 2022 45

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the year ended 31 December 2022

25.
Statement of funds
Statement of funds
Unrestricted
funds
Designated funds
Land and Property
Reserves
Acquisi�on and
Management
Fund
North Kent A
DHHC Acquisi�on
and
Management
Fund
General funds
General Funds
KWT Consultancy
Ltd
Kent Wildlife
Enterprises Ltd
Fund
Conserva�on
Ac�on Fund
Legacy
Stabilisa�on
Fund
Emergencies Fund
Medway Valley
Project
Wilding
Heather Corrie in
Memory		 (con�nued)
- prior year
As restated
Balance at
1 January
2021
£000
2,492
30
501
1,000
10
742
625
126
65
32
25
500
188
6,113		 Income
£000
-
-
288
-
-
-
-
5,283
324
86
-
-
-
288		 Expenditure
£000
(213)
-
-
-
-
-
-
(5,218)
(313)
(47)
-
-
-
(213)		 Transfers
in/out
£000
2,600
(30)
(789)
-
(10)
(742)
(625)
1,190
-
-
(25)
(500)
(188)
(309)		 Gains/
(Losses)
£000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 As restated
Balance at
31 December
2021
£000
4,879
-
-
1,000
-
-
-
1,381
76
71
-
-
-
5,879

46 Annual Report 2022

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the year ended 31 December 2022

25. Statement of funds (con�nued) Statement of funds - prior year (continued)

Other Restricted
Funds
609
610
8,238
2,050
Total of funds
15,518
8,031
Unrealised Gains
Total Unrestricted
funds
Restricted funds
Delmonden
Manor Farm
270
-
Guardians of the
Deep
5
-
H20 Source 2 Sea
59
331
Heritage Lo�ery
Emergency Fund
209
-
Nature Reserves
Holding
6,232
-
RMFC - 5th
Con�nent
62
405
Sandwich & PB
75
-
Wilder Blean
717
604
As restated
Balance at
1 January
2021
Income
£000
£000
944
-
1,167
5,693
7,280

5,981

Denyss Wilsden
Land Legacy
-
100		 (500)
(1,530)
(7,321)
-
(5)
(370)
(164)
-
(400)
(41)
(50)
Expenditure
£000
-
(5,578)
(5,791)
-		 (128)
(881)
-
-
-
62
(45)
-
(18)
-
(752)
Transfers

in/out
£000
-
1,190
881
-		 -
-
184
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Gains/
(Losses)
£000
184
184
184
-		 As restated
Balance at
31 December
2021
£000
1,128
2,656
591
270
-
82
-
6,232
49
34
519
8,535
100
7,877
16,412

Annual Report 2022 47

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the year ended 31 December 2022

25. Statement of funds (con�nued)

Designated funds

Land and Property Fund

This fund represents the value of general funds invested in tangible assets other than nature reserves and is therefore not readily available for other purposes.

Conserva�on Ac�on Fund

in.

Legacy Stabilisa�on Fund

All legacy income is transferred into this fund and it is managed at Trustee level. Note is taken where bequests have been made with specific requests as to their usage.

Emergencies Fund

major decline in income.

Medway Valley Project

This project has been funded by Trenport and LaFarge towards the cost of managing land in the Burham and Wouldham area.

Wilding

Net income carried forward.

Heather Corrie in Memory

This is funding received in memory of Heather Corrie, a long-�me supporter and friend to the Trust, to acquire new land in her name to be established as Kent Wildlife Trust nature reserves.

Reserves Acquisi�on and Management Fund

This is a fund derived from legacies and dona�ons for the emergency purchase or management of nature reserves.

North Kent A

This is funding received from London Array in payment for a wayleave over the South Swale Reserve. To be used in the North Kent and coastal areas.

DHHC Acquisi�on and Management Fund

This is funding received from a major donor to be used in the acquisi�on and management of nature reserves.

Restricted funds

Delmonden Manor Farm

This represents 20.8 ha of land in the High Weald bequeathed to the Trust in the Will of Joyce Cordero.

Guardians of the Deep fund

This is funding provided by the Heritage Lo�ery Fund for marine ac�vi�es in Kent.

48 Annual Report 2022

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the year ended 31 December 2022

25. Statement of funds (con�nued)

H20 Source 2 Sea

This is interreg V (EU) funded wetland/water conserva�on project with a grouping of UK and French partners led by Kent Wildlife Trust as accountable body.

Heritage Lo�ery Emergency Fund

for growing out of Covid, including the development of sustainable income sources.

Nature Reserve Holdings

This is the cost of nature reserves funded through grant and appeal income.

Romney Marsh Fi�h Con�nent

This is Heritage Lo�ery funding for fourteen projects across Romney Marsh over a four-year period.

Sandwich and PB

Sandwich and Pegwell Bay na�onal nature reserve.

Wilder Blean

This is our landmark project funded by People's Postcode Lo�ery Dreamfund which will introduce bison into our Blean Woods nature reserve.

Denyss Wilsden Land Legacy

This sum was donated in memory of Denyss Wilsden and his family and is to be used to purchase land to extend our South Blean reserve.

Other Restricted Funds

Transfers - During 2021, the Trust's management team and Trustees reviewed the historic designa�on of funds. As a result, and in support of long term charity resilience, the decision was made to release designa�ons no longer required in order to increase the sums designated in rela�on to land and property to ensure that designated sums sufficient to reflect the net book value of all the Group's assets were in place. Any funds remaining from the review were returned to the general fund to support the Trust's ongoing charitable ac�vi�es.

£270k was transferred from the Delmonden Manor Farm restricted fund to the land and property fund to represent the transfer of ownership of this land which is now included in fixed assets and is not restricted. The remaining transfer represents the purchase of fixed assets by restricted funds.

Annual Report 2022 49

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the year ended 31 December 2022

26. Summary of funds

Summary of funds - current year

Designated funds
General funds
Restricted funds
Summary of funds -
Designated funds
General funds
Restricted funds		 As restated
Balance at 1
January 2022
£000
5,879
2,656
7,877
16,412
prior year
As restated
Balance at
1 January
2021
£000
6,113
1,167
8,238
15,518
 Income
£000
-
6,352
1,957
8,309
Income
£000
288
5,693
2,050
8,031		 Expenditure
£000
-
(5,104)
(1,488)
(6,592)
Expenditure
£000
(213)
(5,578)
(1,530)
(7,321)		 Transfers
in/(out)
£000
2,987
(2,193)
(794)
-
Transfers
in/(out)
£000
(309)
1,190
(881)
-		 Gains/
(Losses)
£000
-
(301)
-
(301)
Gains/
(Losses)
£000
-
184
-		 Balance at 31
December 2022
£000
8,866

1,410
7,552

17,828
As restated
Balance at
31 December
2021
£000
5,879
2,656
7,877
16,412
184

Summary of funds - prior year

50 Annual Report 2022

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022

27. Analysis of net assets between funds

Analysis of net assets between funds - current year

Tangible fxed assets
Biological assets
Fixed asset investments
Current assets
Creditors due within one year
Total		 Unrestricted
funds
2022
Restricted
funds
2022
£000
£000
6,003
6,232
149
-
2,211
-
2,766
1,320
(853)
-
10,276
7,552		 Total
funds
2022
£000
12,235
149
2,211
4,086
(853)
17,828

Analysis of net assets between funds - prior year

Tangible fxed assets
Biological assets
Fixed asset investments
Current assets
Creditors due within one year
Total As restated		 As restated
Unrestricted
funds
2021
£000
4,879
126
2,522
1,585
(577)
8,535		 Restricted
funds
2021
£000
6,232
-
-
1,645
-
7,877		 As restated
Total
funds
2021
£000
11,111
126
2,522
3,230
(577)
16,412

Annual Report 2022 51

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022

28. Reconcilia�on of net movement in funds to net cash flow from opera�ng ac�vi�es

Net income for the year (as per Statement of Financial Ac�vi�es)
Adjustments for:
Deprecia�on charges
Losses/(gains) on investments
Dividends, interest and rents from investments
Decrease in stocks
Decrease/(increase) in debtors
Increase/(decrease) in creditors
Net cash provided by operatng actvites
29.
Analysis of cash and cash equivalents
Cash in hand
Total cash and cash equivalents
30.
Analysis of changes in net debt		 Group
2022
£000
1,406
172
311
21
13
468
276
2,667
Group
2022
£000
1,232
1,232		 Group
2021
£000
894
212
(183)
(1)
6
(77)
277
1,128
Group
2021
£000
1,395
1,395
Cash at bank and in hand
Liquid investments		 At 1 January
2022
£000
1,395
-
1,395		 At 31
December
Cash fows
2022
£000
£000
(163)
1,232
1,500
1,500
1,337
2,732

52 Annual Report 2022

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the year ended 31 December 2022

31. Related party transac�ons

At the year end, the charitable company was owed £3,000 from (2021: £3,000 owed) Kent Wildlife Enterprises Ltd and was owed £172,000 (2021: £211,000) from KWT Consultancy Services Ltd, its subsidiary companies. Sales of £nil were made to and purchases of £2,000 from Kent Wildlife Enterprises Ltd. Sales of £1,000 were made to and purchases of £89,000 from KWT Consultancy Services Ltd. Recharges of £130,000 were made to the subsidiary companies which is mostly for their salary costs.

Annual Report 2022 53

Charity administration and governance

Charitable purposes

The charitable objects of the Trust are set out in the Articles of Association, namely, “For the benefit of the public to advance, promote and further the conservation, maintenance and protection of wildlife and the environment,” and “To advance the education of the public in the principles and practice of sustainable development and biodiversity conservation.” In support of these purposes, the Trust “conducts research and publishes these findings.”

Public benefit

The Trustees confirm that they have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit.

The Trust provides multiple benefits for the public which are wide-ranging and long-lasting. Its nature reserves are used extensively by the public for recreation; many have access on clearly marked paths along with information and interpretation for visitors. The land managed by the Trust also provides a range of other public benefits such as flood risk management, carbon storage, amenity value and aesthetic beauty. Through providing advice and assistance to farmers and landowners, the Trust also helps to support the rural economy and wider landscapes valued by the public.

The Trust delivers an extensive education and engagement programme, inspiring thousands of people of all ages, from schools, colleges, adult groups and the wider public, to enjoy contact with the natural world and benefit from its positive effect on health and wellbeing. Other beneficiaries of the work of the Trust include a team of approximately 850 active volunteers who serve regularly in a variety of roles and who benefit from the skills training offered. Likeminded organisations and local authorities for whom the Trust manages sites or provides information also benefit, and the Trust caters at certain sites for the needs of people who have accessibility or other specific needs.

Evidence and advice provided by the Trust to local government, private companies, landowners and communities helps to ensure that decisions on policies relating to land management, development and public health take full account of the public benefit of wildlife and a healthy environment.

Fundraising

The Trust manages relationships with approximately 32,000 members. When members are asked for financial contributions, it is done in a responsible, respectful and ethical manner. The same applies to all our supporters, including those giving one-off donations or legacies.

Kent Wildlife Trust is always seeking to improve the ways in which the Trust relates to its supporters by developing and sharing best practice. To demonstrate commitment to ethical fundraising practices, the Trust is a member of the Fundraising Regulator and the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, and adheres to their recognised standards.

The Trust does not believe in approaching vulnerable people for financial support and aims to avoid causing distress to anyone by doing so. The Trust always seeks to exceed the expectations of its members and supporters in everything it does. However, the Trust recognises that there are times where these high standards are not met. When this happens, the Trust encourages those to get in touch in order to deal with the situation as quickly as possible and put measures in place to prevent such issues occurring again. As such, there is a Complaints Policy in place to enable members and supporters to get in contact and express their concerns. Further information on the Complaints Policy can be found on the website. No complaints relating to Trust fundraising practices were received between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2022.

The Trust actively seeks to work with businesses with whom a common cause is shared, and to do so in a manner compatible with the Trust’s Corporate Relationships Policy, as can be found on the website.

Structure

The Trust is a registered charity (No. 239992) and a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales (No. 00633098). The Chief Executive Officer, Evan Bowen-Jones, has operational oversight of the 117 staff employed by the Trust. The Trust has three wholly owned subsidiaries, forming the Group, which abide by the objects, policies and procedures of the Trust:

54 Annual Report 2022

unrestricted income for the Trust.

The work of the subsidiaries is overseen by separate Boards of directors – each including at least two Trustees – with these Boards being accountable to Council.

Council is assisted by various ‘Task and Finish’ groups and committees.

Risk and Finance Committee

Risk across the Trust is managed on an ongoing basis by the senior leadership team and is overseen by a Risk and Finance Committee of Council which meets at least quarterly. The Trust maintains a comprehensive risk register which is updated regularly, and measures are put in place to minimise or mitigate risk where possible. Members of the Risk and Finance Committee during the reporting period included Colin Peters (Chair), Nigel Steele, Chris West, Rachel Hoey and Jane Ibbotson.

Nominations and Remuneration Committee

This committee sets the salary for the Chief Executive Officer and key senior personnel following an annual assessment and confidential benchmarking exercise. The Trust uses benchmarking and comparisons with the salaries of other Wildlife Trusts, environmental NGOs and comparable businesses on a regular basis to attract and retain the best people. Salaries for all senior posts are agreed with Trustees.

responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Trust and for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. Council is also responsible for assessing, managing and monitoring strategic risks to the delivery of the Trust’s purposes.

Recruitment and Trustees’ training

Vacancies on Council are advertised widely, with the necessary skills and experience identified by a Trustee skills audit clearly stated. Each Member of the Trust may seek nomination for election as a Trustee. Trustees and staff welcome potential new Trustees with key professional skills.

All Trustees receive induction training sufficient for them to be able to understand their responsibilities. In addition, several subject-specific awaydays and other opportunities to improve their skills and understanding are held for Trustees, including attendance at the annual All-Trust day, enabling them to keep fully informed of issues affecting the Trust and their role as Trustees. Trustees are committed to the principles of equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging (EDIB) which are reflected through the Trust’s recruitment and HR policies for staff and volunteers.

Related parties

The Trust is a member of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (registered charity number 207238) along with the 45 other Wildlife Trusts throughout the UK. They are collectively known as The Wildlife Trusts.

Governance

The Trust’s governing document is in two parts: The Memorandum of Association and the Articles of Association. Each subsidiary company has its own Articles of Association.

The Trust is governed by a Council of Management (a Board of Trustees referred to as “Council”), made up of members who serve as both Trustees of the Trust and directors of the Company. All Trustees are volunteers and are elected by the members at the Annual General Meeting.

Council meets on a quarterly basis and has adopted the principles of good governance promoted by the Charity Commission. Trustees are responsible for setting the Trust’s strategic objectives and policies and for ensuring they are achieved. Trustees are

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Thank you

The Trust wishes to thank all our members, staff, volunteers, donors, funders and investors for their commitment to nature conservation. Without your help, Kent Wildlife Trust would not be able to continue carrying out vital work in safeguarding and restoring the wildlife of Kent.

Together, we will create a Wilder Kent.

Members of Council

Chris West, Chair Charles Tassell, Vice-Chair Nigel Steele, Honorary Treasurer (resigned 23 July 2022) Rachel Hoey, Honorary Treasurer Caroline Jessel (resigned 23 July 2022) Colin Peters Liz Lowe Tom Woolgar

Jane Ibbotson

Nick Barter (appointed by Council 11 November 2022, to be recommended for election by members at the AGM 15 July 2023)

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Kent Wildlife Trust, Tyland Barn, Sandling, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3BD

Registered Charity No. 239992. A company limited in England and Wales by guarantee 633098. Registered at the above address.

kentwildlifetrust.org.uk info@kentwildlife.org.uk 01622 662 012

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