Registered in England & Wales, No. 01495108 Registered Charity No. 280422
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**Head Office** 17 Great George Street Bristol BS1 5QT T: 0117 917 7270 www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk
**Registered Office** Folly Farm Centre Stowey, Pensford Bristol. BS39 4DW T: 01275 331590 www.follyfarm.org
1
Contents
Trustees and Comrnittee rnembers
Welcome
Report of the Trustees
Nature's recovery
Empowering people
Naturtrbased solutions
About Avon Wildlife Trust {Purpose, Structure and Governance)
Acknowledgements
li
17
Financial Review
19
Compliance (including Statement of Trustees. Responsibilities)
Independent auditor's report
Financial Statement8
21
Consolidated statement of financial artivities
26
Consolidated and charity balance sheets
Consolidated cash flow statement and net movements in funds
Accounting policies
Notes to the Financial Statements
29
Professional Advisors
47
TheAvon Wildlife Trust Group
The Annual Report and Financial Statements refer to The AvonWildlifeTrust
Group,. This term is used to indude Avon Wildlife Trust and Folly Farm Centre
Limited.
Further details about the Trust's subsidiary and related companies are given on
pages li and I
Avon Wildlife Trust is deeply grateful to those who volunteer to support our work in their roles as trustees and committee members.
Lara Burch **Chair** Martin Lyne Ross Fairley Dominic Hogg Karen Hills Sumita Hutchison Kate Leahy John Zac Nicholson Nathan Rutter Mark Steer Rebecca Burgess 6[th] Nov 2024 Ped Asgarian 6[th] Nov 2024 Martin Lyne **Chair** Lara Burch Kate Leahy Rebecca Burgess 6[th] Nov 2024 Sumita Hutchison Ross Fairley **Chair** Dominic Hogg **Deputy Chair** John Zac Nicholson Karen Hills Nathan Rutter Ped Asgarian 6[th] Nov 2024
Ian Barrett, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) (to 8[th] November 2024) Nigel Wilson, Interim CEO (November 2024 March 2025) Leah McNally, CEO (from 3[rd] March 2025) Jane Davis, Director of Finance and Resources (to 31[st] May 2025) Rob Hill, Director of Finance and Operations (from 1[st] June 2025) Julie Doherty, Head of Communities and Engagement Sam Warren, Head of Commercial Steve Williamson, Head of People and Resources Xuela Edwards, Head of Fundraising, Membership and Communications (to 23[rd] May 2024) Katie Burfitt, Head of Development (from 15[th] July 2024)
These financial records reflect the steps the charity has taken towards reaching our strategic goals and targets for 2030, and the broader economic climate we are operating within.
This has been a year of significant progress towards our goals, thanks to unwavering support from our members, local people, partnership organisations and funders, and the tireless dedication of our staff and volunteers.
with more opportunities to connect people with nature (page 10)
Our first paid traineeships for the **Pollinator Pathways** project joined the team this year. The project offers guidance to landowners, businesses, farmers, and community groups, to access support with surveys, and receive habitat management advice (page 10)
Leah McNally joined as Chief Executive in March 2025, bringing a wealth of experience from previous roles, including most recently as Director of Learning, Youth and Communities at London Wildlife Trust.
As part of our **Team Wilder** community organising approach, our pioneering Ecological Advisory Service made 100 site visits this year. We also celebrated the successes of the **Somer Valley Nextdoor Nature** project and the amazing work of our 22 **Wildlife Champions** in their neighbourhoods (pages 7 and 8)
,
and the financial climate remains tough, but we continue to inspire, and be inspired by, our community of action.
Our work this year showcased the power of connection, bringing people, resources, and ideas together to boost biodiversity at both a community and landscape level.
Most of our funding is donated by our members, funders and supporters. Due to planned work on designated fund projects, associated with work on our nature reserves including the ongoing issue of ash dieback, the Trust had a deficit in the year. Our cash reserves remain healthy, and we are well placed to continue our work towards a future with nature thriving for everyone.
The **Wilder Woodlands** project enhanced and created habitat for dormice and lesser and greater horseshoe bats, with some very promising results for all species (page 6).
Our goal to see more land managed for nature took a huge leap forward with the acquisition of **Ebdon Farm** , a 44-hectare former dairy farm in North Somerset. This is one of our most ambitious plans to date,
Chair of Trustees Chief Executive
In the year to March 2025, we continued to deliver our 2020-2030 strategy (summarised on pages 6 to 10); all with the vision of bringing wildlife back to abundance.
Read our full 2020 - 2030 strategy document here: www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/our-vision
As we reach the mid-point of our strategy, we will review progress and refresh and update our strategy, to present an updated document in the next annual report.
To advance environmental protection and improvement for wildlife especially but not exclusively in the area formerly known as the County of Avon.
habitats, and increase species abundance.
To connect people with nature and help them take action for wildlife where they are.
Nature is recovering on a grand scale, and everyone is able to enjoy increasingly abundant wildlife.
## **Our vision for 2030**
We need to make more space for nature to give our struggling wildlife the chance to recover. We will **create** , **connect** and **restore** a diverse range of abundantly wild places and form thriving nature recovery networks across the region.
## **By 2030 we want to see 30% of land and sea managed for the benefit of wildlife**
## **What we achieved in 2024/25**
- We delivered our Goblin Coombe **Wilder Woodlands** project, (with generous support by Natural England and the Halpin Trust). Wilder Woodlands is an approach that seeks to create a dynamic landscape that is resilient to flooding, erosion and extreme weather, while sustaining better-connected habitats. The project ended in April 2025 and was successful with many targets exceeded:
- Creating 4,250m of new woodland rides and 900m of enhanced rides
- Delivering interventions to create of 50 veteranised trees and carried out 1ha coppicing
- Installing 6,900m of livestock fencing and delivering over 250 volunteering task days
- Procuring a new tractor and other equipment for the Trust
- Ecological surveying has confirmed the presence of dormice across the whole project area. There was also great news for key bat species, with bat detectors recording 3,360 lesser horseshoe bat passes, 2,177 greater horseshoe bat passes, and 371 barbastelle bat passes.
- We delivered our **Hellenge Hill Nature Recovery** project (supported by Enovert Community Trust and Thatchers). Hellenge Hill is part of the recently declared Mendip National Nature Reserve. This 22-hectare site is characterised by calcareous (chalk) grassland and supports many rare plants and animals. We delivered the following enhancements:
- Upgrading fencing to facilitate continued conservation grazing,
- Planting native hedges,
- Installing a trough and water supply for livestock to enable conservation grazing,
- Installing new gates and updating interpretation boards,
- Pond restoration work.
These activities facilitated the ongoing management and improvement of the mosaic habitat, providing food for wildlife and improving connectivity between areas of existing habitat.
- Our work tackling **ash dieback** and **updating infrastructure** on our reserves are on track. With the support of volunteers and reserves staff we have completed a digitised audit of the infrastructure across all of our nature reserves. This will allow us to plan longer-term maintenance programmes to protect our vital conservation grazing and ensure our reserves are accessible and safe for visitors.
- The reserves team also supported the purchase of Ebdon Farm, the delivery of corporate volunteering days, as well as biodiversity net gain scoping reports.
- We will support the development of our plans for Ebdon Farm, this will include completing species surveys and managing the land
- We will develop a peat restoration plan for Gordano Valley alongside partners and stakeholders, including establishing moor associations
- We will continue the maintenance and ecological monitoring of our existing nature reserves
- We will continue our work to tackle ash dieback and updating infrastructure on our reserves
- We will identify potential new land acquisitions and partnerships We will work to secure new Countryside Stewardship agreements for our existing nature reserves.
## **Our vision for 2030**
The science shows that if just **one person in every four** takes action for wildlife, this can be enough to change the minds and behaviour of the majority, which will help to put nature into recovery.
## **What we achieved in 2024/25**
- Through our **Team Wilder Ecological advisory service** , we carried out 100 site visits, and made 18 video calls, responding to enquiries from the general public. The majority of these were for advice on shared community spaces. In total our community ecologist advised on over 288 hectares of land providing site-specific reports focusing on a range of habitats and species. In addition, our community ecologist produced a variety of resources and training webinars on topics such as, Introduction to Ecology , Monitoring and Recording Species and Managing Habitat
- for Wildlife which are all available on our website.
- Our 18 month **Somer Valley Nextdoor Nature** project concluded in March 2025. Using a community organising approach we engaged with 1550 people, of which 61 local residents are continuing to take a leadership role to care for nature and running events in their communities. 2720m[2] of blue and green space has been improved across four different community projects in Paulton, Peasedown St John, Writhlington and Bath College Somer Valley Campus. This includes:
- Planting 925 trees,
- Creating or actively managing 15 ponds,
- Constructing 70 habitat boxes.
Our evaluation showed that 92% respondents felt they were empowered to make decisions about their local community, and 80% respondents took action for nature beyond the project activities, such as in their garden.
- In spring 2024 we worked with the Natural History Consortium to create a Community Day as part of the annual **Festival of Nature** . The aim was to showcase
local nature groups, projects and events, giving more local people the opportunity to activity packs, resources, webinars and support from our community ecologist. We commissioned a beautifully illustrated map leaflet showcasing community groups and their events. On the day, 36 community events led by local people, were held across Bristol and Bath. Over 550 people attended, with 90% of groups reporting that they met new people from their community during the event.
- In summer 2024 we launched the **Intergenerational Action for Nature and Climate project** , an ambitious three-year project working with young people to transform the land adjacent to our Grow Wilder site into a biodiverse youth-led nature reserve, which will include classroom facilities. Our wider **Youth programme** also expanded, welcoming a greater variety of school and youth groups (focusing on young people experiencing challenging circumstances from under-served communities) to Grow Wilder to enjoy connecting with nature, learning practical conservation and monitoring skills and learning about green careers. We are now able to mentor more young people, and we are delighted to have seen young people move through different elements of our programme and into their first paid role in the sector.
- At **Folly Farm Centre** during the 2024-2025 season, we delivered a range of learning programmes through day and residential visits from schools, reaching 1,796 children from 33 schools.
- In June 2024, we hosted a **Community Campfire** event at Grow Wilder to celebrate local action for nature. Past themes have included wildlife gardening, running a community group, guerrilla food growing and building a wildlife pond, amongst other amazing speakers were all from the LGBTQ+ community and included a conservation biologist, zoologist and wildlife filmmaker and a multidisciplinary artists and foraging teacher. Talks were followed with a Q&A time for networking and mingling, and refreshments. The event quickly sold out and we received resoundingly positive feedback.
- In March 2025 the first phase of our **Wildlife Champions** programme was completed. During the programme 22 Wildlife Champions were recruited from across the Avon region and supported to deliver communityChampions supported community members to engage with nature through events, including nature-based workshops, a community festival, and publication of a book. Overall, Avon Wildlife Trust and Wildlife Champions delivered 49 events, building skills and knowledge within the Wildlife Champions network and their wider evidenced by reduced fly-tipping and vandalism, increased site use, community feedback, requests for wildlife gardening advice and helping to build nature nature in their communities, and the support of the programme was a key factor in this. Peer networks and staff support were critical enablers, with Champions rating
staff support highly at both mid-term and final evaluations and citing feelings of empowerment through network building.
We will increase the support we provide, and the number of Wildlife Champions we
- We will work in partnership with community anchor organisations to develop and deliver neighbourhood-scale nature recovery projects
- We will expand the community programme at the annual Festival of Nature event We will work with communities in North Somerset to co-create plans for our newly acquired Ebdon Farm, with the aim of creating an accessible and welcoming space for all
- We will support more communities to create climate and nature action plans through our work on the Community Climate and Nature Action Project led by Bristol Climate and Nature Partnership
- We will work with local residents in Warmley, South Gloucestershire to create a community nature reserve
- We will continue to develop plans on site adjacent to Grow Wilder with our Youth Leadership Group and increase revenue generating activities to support our expanding youth programme
- We will host a community showcase event, bringing community groups together to build inter-community networks and increase knowledge and understanding of how
## **Our vision for 2030**
We want to **restore** and **create** good quality habitat to draw down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, reduce local flooding and promote an abundance of biodiversity.
## **What we achieved in 2024/25**
- We delivered the **Somerset Moors Future Project** (in partnership with FWAG (LAPWDP)), working on the peatland areas of the North Somerset Levels and Moors. To deliver this project we:
- Met 28 farmers / landowners and actively engaged with 21 landowners.
- Delivered three education / information workshop events.
- Supported the establishment of three Moor Associations, bringing farmers, landowners and other stakeholders together.
- Delivered two whole moor land use planning sessions.
- This project now covers 1,358ha of land.
- We continued to develop our Farm Advice team, through the delivery of the **Pollinators Pathway** project (funded by Green Recovery Fund, via WECA and the Banister Trust). This is a multi-year project, in 2024/25 we:
- Engaged with 30 landowners through the landowner advisory service, including carrying out habitat surveys, writing management plans for landowners.
- Held 21 task days with volunteers, that have enhanced over 7ha of grassland and other pollinator-friendly habitat across the project area.
- Restored 25m of boundaries (hedges, fencing, dry stone walls) and distributed over £3,000 of capital works funding.
- Held a pollinator farm walk demonstration event, two training events (dead hedge creation and orchard pruning) and two citizen science events facilitated with Buglife.
- Recruited four trainees, each given a 9-month paid placement to launch their careers into the environmental sector.
- Acquired **Ebdon Farm** as a future nature reserve and secured funding to develop our plans for the site.
- We will develop our **Ebdon Farm** project. The farm was acquired in March 2025 with support from National Lottery Heritage Fund, we will prepare detailed plans and designs for the site, working with the local community to understand their needs, completing habitat surveys and raising funds to deliver these plans.
- We will launch the **Beaver Advisory Service** , it will consist of a team of experts, including a new Beaver Field Officer. We will offer free support, advice and training to landowners, farmers and communities living alongside our wild living beaver population. We aim to improve understanding of beaver ecology and behaviour through talks, walks and training for those who require a class license for beaver management. We are also working to improve the understanding of beaver populations via surveying and monitoring of beaver territories.
- On our **Pollinator Pathways** project, we will continue to work with landowners, schools, community groups, focusing on the northern part of the project area to the east of Bath and up into South Gloucestershire. Supported by our small grant facility, we have a programme of habitat enhancements planned for autumn/winter 25/26, including 5ha of grassland enhancement works across four sites across the Mendip Hills and Somer Valley Hedgerow improvement works and demonstration events. Two trainees will complete their placements graduating and receiving support to find their next steps, and two new trainees will start their Avon Wildlife Trust journey. In the **Somerset Moors** project, we will continue to develop moor associations, engage with other stakeholders (including local communities, town councils and the North Somerset Levels and Moors partnership) and plan to secure large scale project funding to progress the work.
Attenborough, Avon Wildlife Trust is the largest locally focused environmental conservation charity in the Avon region. We are dedicated to conserving the whole range and diversity of local wildlife, including all species of plants and animals, together with the habitats and natural landscapes that support and sustain them. We are also part of the national federation of 46 Wildlife Trusts which cover the British Isles and jointly benefit from the support of over 900,000 members.
Avon Wildlife Trust has legal interests in a number of related companies.
**Folly Farm Centre Limited** (Registered company no. 06538712) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Trust, formed to run the award-winning residential environmental learning, conference and events centre in the Chew Valley. This 250-acre nature reserve also operates as a wedding and conference venue and education facility for schoolchildren.
Folly Farm Centre Limited is owned and operated by Avon Wildlife Trust with the help of a Board of Directors that includes at least one Avon Wildlife Trust Trustee and the Chief Executive of the Trust. Profits generated at Folly Farm are gift aided to Avon Wildlife Trust to support our charitable activities. All Folly Farm transactions are consolidated with transactions in the group accounts.
The Trust is a member, and can appoint one Trustee to the Board, of the **Bristol Natural History Consortium (BNHC)** registered charity 1123432 and registered company 06472186.
The primary aims of the Consortium are to promote public interest in the natural world and to encourage the development of improved techniques for communication about the natural world. The Trust contributes to the core costs of BNHC (£5,000 in both 2024/25 and 2023/24). In addition, Avon Wildlife Trust received £14,950 of income from BNHC in 2024/25. See note 11 for further financial details.
The Trust has a place on the BNHC Board with the other company members. Leah McNally, Avon Wildlife Trust Chief Executive Officer is the current Avon Wildlife Trust trustee of BNHC. The activities of the Consortium are taken forward by a Steering Group representing the partners of the Consortium, which also includes the BBC Natural History Unit, the Universities of Bristol, Bath and West of England, Defra, National Trust, Natural England, Bristol City Council, BANES, the Woodland Trust and Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.
The Trust is a corporate member of the **Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT)** , incorporated by Royal Charter and registered charity 207238, formed and owned by a federation of the 46 Wildlife Trusts covering the UK.
The Trust contributed £44,425 (£43,670 in 2023/24) to the operating costs of RSWT in return , and for the promotion of co-operation and best practice between the Wildlife Trusts nationally. The Trust its two highest decision-making bodies (Council and Forum), but remains entirely independent in terms of its own governance.
In the 2024/25 financial year, the Trust paid a total of £86,577 to RSWT (including the £44,425 contribution to operating costs), and received £79,897 in income.
The Trust is also a founding member of **South West Wildlife Fundraising Limited (SWWFL)** with Devon Wildlife Trust, Dorset Trust for Nature Conservation Limited, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Somerset Wildlife Trust and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. SWWFL is a company limited by guarantee, company number 08529465. It provides membership recruitment services to members of SWWFL and other Wildlife Trusts.
The Trust has the right to appoint a director to the SWWFL board. The Director of Finance and Operations is all communications between that Member and the Company. Membership recruitment services costing £213,533 were provided to the Trust in the current year (£125,906 in previous year).
Avon Wildlife Trust has dual registration as a charity regulated under charity law, registered charity number 280422, and as a company (registered company no. 01495108) regulated under company law.
The governing instrument of the Trust is its Memorandum and Articles of Association as amended by any special resolution at a General Meeting of Trust members. Copies of these are available on request.
Avon Wildlife Trust is deeply grateful to the generous contributions of time and professional expertise given by our Trustee Board. This body has full responsibility for the strategic development and direction of the Trust and takes all decisions on matters of Trust policy.
Two Trustees retired during the year, Ped Asgarian and Rebecca Burgess and we thank them for their support and hard work. Two new trustees are being recruited, and will be appointed
at the next AGM. We look forward to working with them over the coming years. New trustees are provided with an induction to the Trust and its work.
A record of t
.
During 2024/25 the Board was supported by two Committees (Governance and Finance and Resources), and by the Health and Safety Management Group. The Board also occasionally set up short-term task groups to look at specific issues and policy areas. The Committees have a specified membership of Trustees and operate within terms of reference, remits, rules and specific limits of delegated authority approved directly by the Board. The Board receives the minutes of every meeting of the Committees and task groups.
All to advance environmental protection and improvement for wildlife especially, but not exclusively, in the area formerly known as the County of Avon.
Access to our nature reserves is free for the public, all year round. In some cases, access or numbers may be restricted in numbers seasonally because of the sensitivity of wildlife or to ensure visitor safety. This year, Ash Dieback disease made many areas unsafe and we invested in signage and communications to ensure volunteer, visitor and staff safety.
We deliver an extensive programme of public events, activities and services which we make accessible to the widest range of people and promote through a variety of media.
Many of our events and resources are available free or at a reasonable price to help cover costs or support fundraising. In this year we substantially increased the number of free community organising approach www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/team-wilder
The Trustees are therefore satisfied that the Trust meets the public benefit test required of charities.
**Passion** We behave with belief and passion for the cause, recognising the urgency required to tackle the ecological and climate emergencies.
**Inspiration** We recognise our role in enabling, empowering and inspiring all people to take action for nature.
**Innovation** We know that to achieve change we must use our initiative, push boundaries and challenge ourselves to improve our knowledge and understanding.
Avon Wildlife Trust:
Manages 888 hectares of key wildlife sites as nature reserves.
- Promotes programmes to safeguard or strengthen the representation, extent and distribution of priority species and habitats native to Avon.
- Campaigns to protect and promote wildlife and to maximise the social and economic benefits of the natural environment and the environmental services that it provides. Enables people to make a positive contribution to wildlife conservation, both by direct action and by reducing the environmental impact of their behaviour. Encourages and supports wildlife-friendly practices by land managers.
- Provides enrichment opportunities for the general public by helping people to learn about and enjoy wildlife and to develop special interests in the natural environment. Runs a successful environmental learning and conference centre at Folly Farm in the Chew Valley.
- Runs a pioneering urban centre at Grow Wilder in Stapleton, North Bristol. which inspires and equips people to take action for wildlife through courses and events, wildlife gardening and wildlife-friendly good growing.
- Provides opportunities for people to acquire skills and experience that enhance their personal development and employability.
Avon Wildlife Trust manages its strategic risks through the use of a risk management policy, and risk register. The Trustees and Senior Leadership Team routinely complete risk assessments to identify strategic risks. The Trustees also routinely review the risk register to ensure all risks are being monitored. Each strategic risk has an owner, and a set of risk mitigation plans to reduce either the likelihood or impact of each particular risk. The Governance Committee of the Board periodically reviews the risk policy, the risk register and receives regular reports on performance.
In addition, the Trust has:
- A health and safety consultant who provides specialist health and safety advice and training to staff and works with our Health and Safety Management Group. A designated Safeguarding lead.
The current strategic risks of the organisation are assessed as:
1. Fundraising. Insufficient funding to achieve strategic aims
2. Fundraising. High level of short term project funding, and lower levels of longer term programme funding
3. Staff turnover. Loss of institutional memory
4. Health and Safety. Incident to a member of the public or staff member at one of our sites.
5. Nature reserves infrastructure. Lack of investment in nature reserves, due to insufficient funds leads to health and safety incident.
6. Project delivery. Insufficient capacity to deliver high profile, large timebound projects.
7. Event delivery. Lack of staff capacity at Folly Farm and other venues to deliver pre-paid events.
8. Data protection. Poor cybersecurity leads to loss of member data.
The Chief Executive has delegated authority from the Board for the overall development, management and operations of the Trust within the strategic framework and policies set by the trustees.
The Chief Executive is supported by Directors and Heads responsible for teams of staff focusing on:
- Nature Reserves and Land Management
- Communities and Engagement
- Commercial
- Fundraising
- Finance and Operations People and Resources
The Chief Executive, Directors and Heads comprise the Senior Leadership Team which meets Executive, the Senior Leadership Team has delegated authority for dealing with all operational matters within the policy framework set by the Board.
Since the Trust was founded in 1980, our work has been made possible thanks to the generosity of our loyal members and supporters. Avon Wildlife Trust needs to fundraise to deliver the majority of our work with wildlife. The figures in this report set out our investment in fundraising and the grants, donations and gifts in Wills received in this year. This section provides more detail about our approach to fundraising and key activities. We welcome enquiries from anyone who would like to learn more Fundraising@avonwildlifetrust.org.uk
Our members and supporters are extremely important to us and we take steps to ensure that they have a positive, friendly experience when they are kind enough to donate and take action for nature. All our staff share a love of wildlife with our supporters and our fundraising is built around working together to bring wildlife back. We invite, and very much appreciate, the financial support that helps reach our shared goals.
Membership is an important part of the whole Wildlife Trust movement. We believe in the strength in numbers that membership brings, and the regular income donated from our members is critical to running the charity. Formal membership of the Trust is open to everybody. We have deliberately kept the minimum annual donation low so it remains accessible, particularly to families, so that children can learn about nature. Membership of Avon Wildlife Trust is not about receiving personal benefit as we do not charge entry fees for our nature reserves. Many members, including our Patrons, choose to donate at a higher level to make a difference to wildlife and we are sincerely grateful for their kindness.
New members are welcomed by the Trust through our website, national campaigns delivered by The Wildlife Trusts, and by our membership recruiters. Our recruiters are employed and managed by South West Wildlife Fundraising Limited (SWWFL), which operates on a not-forprofit basis and represents the Trust at events across Avon throughout the year. There are more details on SWWFL in the _Jointly owned companies_ section on Page 12.
SWWFL is a Wildlife Trust-owned company and shares our passion for wildlife and commitment to high standards for supporters. They pride themselves on the exceptionally low level of complaints received and their regular positive feedback which we monitor. This high standard is achieved through quality training which includes a specific focus on protecting vulnerable people, supportive management, and an understanding that they act as ambassadors in the community.
Rightly, fundraising is well-governed and we take our compliance seriously. To reflect our commitment to best practice, the Trust is registered with The Fundraising Regulator. Through this, we pledge that our fundraising is legal, open; honest and respectful. You can read more here www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk.
We work with integrity and uphold the strict standards and guidelines set out by industry bodies including the Chartered Institute of Fundraising www.ciof.org.uk/about-us/what-westand-for/excellent-fundraising/compliance
Our Fundraising team is trained in the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) and supporter information is held securely and correctly used for the purposes that permission was given such as membership. Our valued members and supporters are also protected by the Direct Debit guarantee if they choose to donate in this way.
In our work with the grant-makers, whose transformative role in our work with wildlife is clear in our accounts, we reflect that same commitment to be legal, open, honest and respectful in our applications, reporting, evaluation reporting and in meeting the terms of our formal grant agreements. published on our website www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/what-we-do/how-we-are-run/oursupporter-care-charter
In line with the Trusts ambitious strategic goals, we continue to pursue a fundraising strategy of growing income to support more delivery. Fundraising works alongside every part of the charity, including other income-generating activities such as sales from our plant nursery, to support our vision for a future where nature is recovering on a grand scale, and everyone is able to enjoy increasingly abundant wildlife.
We aim to respond to fundraising complaints within a week and wherever possible complaints are seen as opportunities for the Trust to learn and to develop deeper relationships with our supporters, based on trust and integrity.
Avon Wildlife Trust was founded by volunteers and volunteers continue to be an integral part of the trust their generous commitment of time and dedication.
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Portishead which inspire and inform local communities about the wonders of wildlife, with some actively improving nature sites through the region.
Our partnerships with farmers and graziers bring enormous benefit to our work.
our year-round work on reserves and provide the stability that safeguards places and species over the long-term. The confidence that members show the charity through their regular gifts enables us to develop and secure further funding for specific projects.
vital work to a broader audience.
Gifts given to benefit wildlife in Wills, and in memory, mean a great deal to us. We would like to formally express our sincere gratitude to everyone who chooses to include Avon Wildlife Trust in their lasting wishes. As this report shows, your generosity is far-reaching.
We truly value the support of charitable trusts, foundations and grant-makers to help reach
Thank you to all of the individuals and community groups who shared their time, their stories, and their passion for nature which inspired others to take action.
We would like to thank everyone who chose Folly Farm for conferences and weddings this year and to everyone who planned their employee engagement days with nature in mind.
Our generous landlord at Great George Street enables us to invest more of our income on conservation activities.
The Bristol Post provides us with a weekly column to champion the value of nature to their readership.
Thank you also to the local businesses that lend us space to promote membership.
Airbus National Lottery Reaching Communities Aviva National Lottery Heritage Fund Bath & North-East Somerset Council Natural England Banister Charitable Trust Natural England Species Recovery Bristol Avon Catchment Partnership Programme Bristol City Council Osborne Clarke Bristol Masons Patagonia 1% for the Planet Burges Salmon South Gloucestershire Council Defra SO-MA Trust Ecological Restoration Fund Enovert Community Trust The Ernest Cook Trust Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group The Nisbet Trust Garfield Weston Foundation The Pople Charitable Trust Halpin Trust West of England Combined Authority Mendips Farming in Protected Landscapes Wessex Water National Lottery Community Fund Climate Action
The Trust made a deficit of £568k in the year compared with a surplus of £17k in the previous year, this is primarily due to:
- Expenditure on planned designated fund projects, such as improving the infrastructure on nature reserves and reducing the impact of ash die-back. Expenditure on existing activities that were previously funded by restricted grants, such as the management of nature reserves and working with local communities and partnerships.
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2024/25 2023/24
Unrestricted (deficit)/surplus (281) 152
Designated (deficit)/surplus (261) (221)
Restricted (deficit)/surplus (26) 86
Total (deficit) / surplus (568) 17
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As a result, the net assets of the Avon Wildlife Trust Group decreased to £8,391k from £8,959k at the previous year-end. Of this value, £6,238k (£6,326k in 2023/24) are heritage assets , primarily our nature reserves. In financial terms, these are not assets that we can convert to an equivalent in cash. For example, in our Unrestricted designated funds we list £825k which is the value of land at Goblin Combe which was gifted to the Trust and which we are not planning to sell.
**Donations and legacies** (see note 2) increased slightly from £1,045k to £1,165k. Membership subscription income increased by 5% from £870k to £913k, representing 39% (35% in 2023/24) of unrestricted income in the year and 29% of total income (24% in previous year).
**Income from charitable activities** (note 3) decreased from £1,683k to £1,192k in 2023/24. The decrease is due to a reduction in grant income. The income from charitable activities represents 38% (46% in 2023/24) of our total income.
**Expenditure** (note 5) on charitable activities increased from £2,300k to £2,447k in 2023/24, and represents 66% of total expenditure. General fundraising expenditure decreased from £664k to £640k in the year.
**Folly Farm Centre** generated a profit of £61k, down from £75k in the previous year. A donation from Folly Farm to Avon Wildlife Trust of £73,263 was made (from the 2023/2024 profit).
**Balance sheet** (Page 27) The Trust continues to have a strong balance sheet. The net current assets of the group remains are £1,663k, down from £2,216k last year (at 31 March 2024). The reduction in assets is primarily due to a reduction in designated funds.
## **Restricted funds**
The Trust has many restricted funds as shown in notes 16 and 17. These funds represent revenue funding for ongoing projects, appeal funds or fixed assets held by the Trust. At 31 March 2024 the value of these restricted funds had decreased slightly to £6.0m (from £6.1m at 31 March 2024). This is primarily the value of land and property donated or purchased from restricted funds.
## **Designated funds**
The Trust holds designated funds represented by land (£825k) as well as funds, mainly from legacies, totalling £1,874k. This has reduced by £261k from £2,135k at 31[st] March 2024. The reduction is due to expenditure on planned activities to support strategic opportunities and for work to improve infrastructure on nature reserves and to mitigate the risks of Ash dieback (See note 18).
## **Financial reserves**
decreased from £774k to £493k at 31 March
2025, and of these £137k (£403k in 2022/23) are free reserves (see note 17).
- The trustees have reviewed the reserves and reserve policy during the year. Reserves are held: To provide adequate working capital to carry out projects for which external funding is claimed in arrears,
- To provide working capital for essential costs, such as staff salaries and overheads, To meet any legal obligations of the Trust.
cover of expenditure rather than a fixed-target value. Based upon the 2025/26 budget, this requirement would be (£429k £858k in 2024/25).
This Report has been prepared in compliance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011, and the trustees confirm that they have had regard to the guidance on Public Benefit issued by the Charity Commission.
Act 2006 and has been prepared under the exemptions conferred by Part 15 of this Act. In addition, the Report has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (FRS 102) issued by the Accounting Standards Board and the Charity Commission.
The trustees (who are also directors of Avon Wildlife Trust for the purposes of company law) , in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and the group and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the group for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently,
- Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP,
- Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent,
- State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements, Prepare the financial statements on a going-concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose, with reasonable accuracy at any time, the financial position of the charitable company and that enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and the group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
- The trustees confirm that as far as they are aware at the time of approving this annual report: T , They have taken all the steps that they ought to in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditors are aware of that information.
The members of Board who were in office on the date of approval of these financial statements have confirmed, as far as they are aware, that there is no relevant audit information of which the auditors are unaware. Each of the members of the Board has confirmed that they have taken all steps that they ought to in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that it has been communicated to the auditor.
The Report of the Members of the Board was approved by the Board on 30 September 2025 and signed on their behalf:
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Trustee ________________________ Trustee ________________________
Lara Burch Martin Lyne
**----- End of picture text -----**
5, which comprise the consolidated Statement of Financial Activities, the consolidated Balance Sheet, the charitable company Balance Sheet, the consolidated Statement of Cash flows and the notes to the financial statements. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
In our opinion the financial statements:
- G company's affairs as at 31 March 2025 application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended,
- Have been properly prepared in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102),
- Have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
This report is made solely to the company's members, as a body, in accordance with Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the 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 parent charitable company and the parent company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
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 section of our report. We are independent of the group and the parent charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, filled 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**
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in which the ISAs (UK) require us to report to you where:
- T -concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is not appropriate; or
- The trustees have not disclosed in the financial statements any identified material
- -concern basis of
- accounting for a period of at least twelve months from the date when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report, other than other information. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the financial statements, 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 audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. 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.
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
- T prepared for the purposes of company law, for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements, T
- accordance with applicable legal requirements.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
- Adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent charitable company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
- The parent charitable company financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
- Certain disclosures of trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or We have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or The trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with strategic report.
21, 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 and directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
and parent charitable CoMpanS ability to continue as a going coJ)cern. di5c105in& as
applicable, matters related to going Concern and using the going-concern basis of accountin&
unle55 the trustees either intend to liquidate the group or the parent charitable company or to
coase operations. or have no realistlc 31tern2tive but to do $0.
Auditor's respons1bltleX forthe audit of the financial statenwrtl
Our oblectlves are to obtaln reasonable a55urance 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 detert
a material mi55tstement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are
considered materlal if, individually or in aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to
Influence the economic decisions of users tsken on the basls of these financlal statements.
Irregularlties. including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulatlons. We
design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above. to detect materlal
misststements in re5pert of irregularities. including fraud. The extent to which our
procedures are capable of detecting Irre8ularities. including fraud 15 detailed below:
An understandin8 of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to the charitable company
was obtained from the rnanagement and the trustees ofthe charltable company. The audit
team was confirmed to have the appropriate competence and capabilities to identity non-
compliance wlth the framework The audit plan considered the risk of irregularities.
includin8 fraud. An •l•m•nt of unprèdictability was built into our sarnpl• sol•ction for audit
tests. The risk of fraud over income was mltigated to an acceptable level as most of the
income Is elther legacy income. rnembership income. grant income, or donations that are pald
directly Into the charitable compan5 bank account: cash donations are insignificanL We
agreed a risk-based Sample of income to relevant documentation, performed understatement
iests on Income, and performed analyrical procedure5 on Incorne. The rlsk or
misappropriation of the charitable company's assets was considered: the charlty's herttage
assets of land and bulldlngs represent 74% of its total net assets and the risk of
mlsappropriation Is low; the charitable company's bank account balances were tested and
confirmed to relevant documentation.. and expenditure was tested for validity by substantive
tests that included analytlcal procedures. Accounting estimates were considered as part of our
audit work
A fvrther description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located
on the Financial Reporting Council's website at
. This
description fornis part olour audit reporL
srEPHEN BURNSIDE (Senlor Statutory Auditor)
For and on behalf of .
Burnside Chartered Accountants
61 Queen Square, Bristol. BSI 4IZ
Date:
|Note|Unrestricted
funds
Designated
funds
Restricted
funds
**Total funds**
**2025**
Total
funds
2024
£
£
£
**£**
£|
|---|---|
|**Income and endowments**
**from:**||
|Donations and legacies
2
Charitable activities
3
Other trading activities
Folly Farm Centre
Limited trading
Fundraising including
local groups
Other income
4
**Total**|1,124,757
258
40,070
**1,165,085**
**1,045,366**
428,079
-
763,641
**1,191,720**
**1,683,285**
710,832
-
-
**710,832**
**788,248**
4,291
-
-
**4,291**
**25,460**
63,470
-
-
**63,470**
**86,046**|
||2,331,429
258
803,711
**3,135,398**
**3,628,405**|
|**Expenditure on:**||
|Raising funds
Folly Farm Centre
Limited trading
5
General fundraising
5
Charitable activities
5&16
**Total**
5|616,403
-
-
**616,403**
**646,815**
640,137
-
-
**640,137**
**664,428**
1,309,308
223,169
914,643
**2,447,120**
**2,300,261**|
||2,565,848
223,169
914,643
**3,703,660**
**3,611,504**|
|||
|**Net Income / (expenditure)**|**(234,419)**
**(222,911)**
**(110,932)**
**(568,262)**
**16,901**|
|Transfers between funds|(47,159)
(38,034)
85,193
**-**
**-**|
|**Other recognised gains:**||
|Net contribution/increase in
investment value attributable to
Bristol Natural History
Consortium
11|-
-
-
**-**
**-**|
|**Net movement in funds**|**(281,578)**
**(260,945)**
**(25,739)**
**(568,262)**
**16,901**|
|||
|**Reconciliation of funds:**||
|Total funds brought forward|774,342
2,134,828
6,050,032
**8,959,202**
**8,942,301**|
|**Total funds carried forward**
17|**492,764**
**1,873,883**
**6,024,293**
**8,390,940**
**8,959,202**|
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
A comparative statement of financial activities is included in note 1.
|Note|**Group**
**2025**
Group
2024
**Charity**
**2025**
Charity
2024
**£**
£
**£**
£|
|---|---|
|**Fixed assets**||
|Tangible assets
8
Heritage assets
9
Investments
11
Investment - restricted
12
**Total fixed assets**|**326,158**
356,323
**191,599**
193,054
**6,237,702**
6,326,233
**6,237,702**
6,326,233
**-**
-
**1**
1
**113,534**
113,534
**113,534**
113,534|
||**6,677,394**
6,796,090
**6,542,836**
6,632,822|
|||
|**Current assets**||
|Stocks
Debtors
13
Cash at bank and in hand
**Total current assets**|**5,071**
5,595
**-**
-
**508,346**
661,322
**464,018**
610,794
**1,850,806**
2,204,675
**1,477,789**
1,904,026|
||**2,364,223**
2,871,592
**1,941,807**
2,514,820|
|**Liabilities**||
|Creditors:
Amounts falling due within one year
15|**650,677**
708,480
**278,408**
397,945|
|**Net current assets**|**1,713,546**
2,163,112
**1,663,399**
2,116,875|
|Debtors:
Amounts falling due after one year
14|**-**
-
**-**
12,215|
|**Total net assets**|**8,390,940**
8,959,202
**8,206,235**
8,761,912|
|||
|**The funds of the charity**||
|Unrestricted funds
designated
18
Unrestricted funds
general
17
Unrestricted funds
investments
11
Restricted funds
16 & 17|**1,873,883**
2,134,828
**1,873,883**
2,134,828
**492,764**
774,342
**308,058**
577,051
**-**
-
**1**
1|
||**2,366,647**
2,909,170
**2,181,942**
2,711,880
**6,024,293**
6,050,032
**6,024,293**
6,050,032|
|**Total funds**
18|**8,390,940**
8,959,202
**8,206,235**
8,761,912|
The notes on pages 31 to 46 form part of these accounts
These accounts were approved by the Board on 30 September 2025.
_______________________________ Trustee ________________________________ Trustee **Lara Burch Martin Lyne**
|Note|**Group**
**2025**
**2025**
**£**
**£**|**Group**
**2025**
**2025**
**£**
**£**|Group
2024
2024
£
£|Group
2024
2024
£
£|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Cash flows from operating activities:**|||||
|**Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities**||**(281,065)**||(23,672)|
|**Cash flows from investing activities:**|||||
|Purchase of property, plant and equipment
Fixed assets
8
Heritage assets
9
Investment - restricted
**Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities**|**(51,467)**
**(21,337)**
**-**|**(72,804)**|(241,216)
(74,603)
(113,534)|(429,353)|
||||||
|**Cash flows from financing activities**|||||
|Proceeds from disposal of fixed assets
**Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities**|**-**|**-**|28,185|28,185|
|**Cash and cash equivalents**|||||
|**Increase / (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents**
**during the year**
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the
reporting period
**Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the**
**reporting period**||**(353,869)**
**2,204,675**
**1,850,806**
**2025**
**£**||(424,840)
2,629,515
2,204,675
2024
£|
|**Net movement in funds**||**(568,262)**||**16,901**|
|Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges
Fixed assets
(Profit) / loss on disposal of fixed assets
Depreciation charges
Heritage assets
**(Increase)**/ decrease in stocks
(Increase) /**decrease**in debtors
**Increase**/ (decrease) in creditors||**81,649**
**-**
**109,868**
**524**
**152,976**
**(57,820)**||46,132
(14,495)
95,092
(843)
44,512
(210,971)|
|**Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities**||**(281,065)**||**(23,672)**|
## **a) Basis of accounting**
The Financial Statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charity Commission Statement of Recommended Practice Accounting and Reporting by provisions of 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 Standards applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (effective 1 January 2019).
The Trustees confirm that the Charity is a public benefit entity.
The Trustees and management have a reasonable expectation that the Trust will be continuing to operate for at least 12 months after the signing of these accounts and remains a going concern. The accounts have therefore been prepared on a going concern basis.
## **b) Group accounts**
The Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) and Balance Sheet consolidate the financial statements of the charity and its subsidiary undertakings. The result of the subsidiaries are consolidated on a line-by-line basis.
The charity has availed itself of Paragraph 4(1) of Schedule 1 of the Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and adapted the Companies Act formats to reflect the special parate SOFA has been presented for the charity alone as permitted by Section 509 of the Companies Act 2006 and paragraph 397 of the SORP.
## **c) Judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty**
The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements, estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. These estimates and judgements are continually reviewed and are based on experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.
## **d) Fund accounting**
Funds held by the charity are: **Unrestricted funds**
**Designated funds** these are unrestricted funds set aside by the trustees for specific purposes; **Restricted income funds** these funds have been given to the Trust for a particular purpose to be used in accordance with the wishes of the donor.
## **e) Incoming resources**
**Legacy income** is included in the accounts when entitlement has been established, the amount due can be quantified with reasonable probability, and the timing of the receipt is known with reasonable certainty.
**Donated assets** have been included in the SOFA at a reasonable estimate of their value, taking into account the market value of the assets and comments made by the donor.
**Grants receivable** are accounted for when there is sufficient information to enable the claim to be made or the claim has been made and there is clear indication to suggest the claim will be met.
**Volunteer help** the trust receives support from a wide variety of volunteers. It is not practical to place a value in the accounts on the time volunteered by all these persons, due to the variety of duties performed, the differences in time spent, and the sheer number of volunteers who gave of their time.
**Membership income** is taken to the Statement of Financial Activities over the life of the subscription, taking into account the type of membership involved.
**Incoming resources** income from investments, Gift Aid and deeds of covenant is included gross, and is accounted Income Tax claimable at the year end.
## **f) Resources expended**
These are recognised in the period in which they are incurred and include attributable VAT that cannot be recovered.
**Membership recruitment fees** are billed in the year of recruitment, but are charged in the SOFA over 12 months to match the income generated.
## **General overheads**
Resources expended are allocated to the particular activity where the cost is clearly identifiable as relating to that activity. General overheads are apportioned to activities in proportion to the staff costs related to each area of activity.
## **Operating leases**
Rentals payable under operating leases are charged to the SOFA as incurred over the term of the lease.
## **g) Tangible fixed assets and depreciation**
Depreciation is calculated to write down the cost of all fixed assets, other than freehold land, by equal instalments over their expected useful lives. The periods (in years) generally applicable are:
- Freehold and leasehold property
- 50
- Improvements to nature reserves 10-50 Office equipment and office improvements 5 Freehold improvements 10 Motor vehicles 2.5-5 Computers 4
## **h) Heritage assets**
Heritage assets are assets of historical or scientific importance that are held to advance the preservation, and education at either a national or local level. Freehold nature reserves are included in heritage assets at their acquisition costs and are not revalued or depreciated. The charity aims to preserve and enhance its nature reserves, which are not held for their resale potential. The market value of the reserves is of no practical relevance The cost of leasehold nature reserves are amortised over the period of the lease.
## **i) Mixed Motive Investments**
A mixed motive investment is an asset held by the charity that provides a financial return but also contributes to
The Charity has invested in the rights to biodiversity units in a collaborative scheme with the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and EnTrade. The funds invested will potentially create a financial return to the Charity that can be used to generate further Biodiversity Units, which have a commercial value, as well as providing a direct environmental impact. Mixed motive investments are initially valued at cost but the subsequently re-valued to fair value.
## **j) Stock**
Stock is valued at the lower of cost and net-realisable value.
## **k) Pension costs**
Pension costs are charged based on amounts due for the year (see note 19).
## **1. Prior year statement of financial activities**
|**For the year ended 31 March 2024**|Unrestricted
Funds
Designated
funds
Restricted
funds
**Total**
**2024**
£
£
£
**£**|
|---|---|
|**Income and endowments from:**||
|Donations and legacies
Charitable activities
Other trading activities
Folly Farm Centre Limited trading
Fundraising including local groups
Other income
**Total**|1,019,950
200
25,216
**1,045,366**
610,791
-
1,072,494
**1,683,285**
788,248
-
-
**788,248**
25,460
-
-
**25,460**
86,046
-
-
**86,046**|
||2,530,495
200
1,097,710
**3,628,405**|
|||
|**Expenditure on:**||
|Raising funds
Folly Farm Centre Limited trading
General fundraising
Charitable activities
**Total**|646,815
-
-
**646,815**
664,428
-
-
**664,428**
1,109,343
147,185
1,043,733
**2,300,261**|
||2,420,586
147,185
1,043,733
**3,611,504**|
|||
|**Net Income / (expenditure)**|**109,909**
**(146,985)**
**53,977**
**16,901**|
|Transfers between funds|42,542
(74,603)
32,061
**-**|
|**Other recognised gains:**||
|Net contribution/increase in investment value
attributable to
Bristol Natural History Consortium|-
-
-
**-**|
|**Net movement in funds**|**152,451**
**(221,588)**
**86,038**
**16,901**|
|||
|**Reconciliation of funds:**||
|Total funds brought forward|621,891
2,356,416
5,963,994
8,942,301|
|**Total funds carried forward**|**774,342**
**2,134,828**
**6,050,032**
**8,959,202**|
## **2. Donations and legacies**
|**2. Donations and legacies**||
|---|---|
|Membership income
Donations & Donations in kind
Appeals
Legacies
**Total**|Unrestricted
funds
Designated
funds
Restricted
funds
**Total funds**
**2025**
Total funds
2024
£
£
£
**£**
£
912,987
-
-
**912,987**
869,797
116,515
-
31,076
**147,591**
81,310
16,759
258
8,994
**26,011**
20,086
78,496
-
-
**78,496**
74,173|
||**1,124,757**
**258**
**40,070**
**1,165,085**
1,045,366|
## **3. Charitable activities**
|**Delivery programmes**
Management of nature reserves
Wilder Woodlands
Biodiversity projects
Living Landscapes programme
Nature Based Solutions
My Wild City
Local Partnership working
Learning
Team Wilder projects
My Wild Child
Grow Wilder project
Other support
**Total**|Unrestricted
Funds
Designated
funds
Restricted
funds
**Total funds**
**2025**
Total funds
2024
£
£
£
**£**
£
111,031
-
118,378
**229,409**
**262,489**
-
-
89,742
**89,742**
**311,026**
-
-
51,963
**51,963**
**53,787**
-
-
25,000
**25,000**
**25,000**
-
-
48,093
**48,093**
**205,679**
-
-
-
**-**
**85,553**
112,814
-
-
**112,814**
**103,594**
87,744
-
-
**87,744**
**89,442**
5,000
-
430,465
**435,465**
**349,085**
-
-
-
**-**
**41,000**
98,490
-
-
**98,490**
**149,780**
13,000
-
-
**13,000**
**6,850**|
|---|---|
||**428,079**
**-**
**763,641**
**1,191,720**
**1,683,285**|
## **4. Other income**
|Other income including interest received
Profit on disposal of fixed assets
**Total**|Unrestricted
Funds
Designated
funds
Restricted
funds
**Total funds**
**2025**
Total funds
2024
£
£
£
**£**
£
63,470
-
-
**63,470**
71,555
-
-
-
**-**
14,491|
|---|---|
||**63,470**
**-**
**-**
**63,470**
86,046|
## **5. Summary analysis of expenditure**
||Folly Farm|Raising|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||Centre Limited|funds|Charitable|Support and|**Total funds**|Total funds|
||trading|General|activities|Governance|**2025**|2024|
||£|£|£|£|**£**|£|
|Staff costs (Note 7)|151,238|268,952|1,665,672|-|**2,085,862**|1,811,348|
|Conservation & Nature Reserves|-|-|298,474|-|**298,474**|653,866|
|Fundraising, advertising and
publications|-|289,880|3,831|610|**294,321**|256,863|
|Folly Farm Centre development|-|-|75,181|-|**75,181**|75,180|
|Depreciation|31,965|148|59,178|17,210|**108,501**|66,072|
|Legal and professional fees|11,315|-|28,896|21,768|**61,979**|20,818|
|Partnership working|-|8|-|51,549|**51,557**|43,670|
|Premises costs|-|-|5,672|12,643|**18,315**|184,837|
|Catering, Conference & Activity
Costs|153,033|-|-|-|**153,033**|146,953|
|Office and administration|268,852|-|-|236,921|**505,773**|346,582|
|Governance|-|-|-|50,664|**50,664**|5,315|
|**Subtotal**|**616,403**|**558,988**|**2,136,904**|**391,365**|**3,703,660**|3,611,504|
|Reallocate Support and
Governance|-|81,149|310,216|(391,365)|**-**|-|
|**Total**|**616,403**|**640,137**|**2,447,120**|**-**|**3,703,660**|3,611,504|
|**Total resources are stated after**|**charging:**||||**Total funds**
**2025**|Total funds
2024|
||||||**£**|£|
|Audit|||||**15,295**|**10,901**|
|Other services including tax advisory||||||**-**|
|Depreciation
tangible and heritage assets|||||**191,517**|**141,224**|
## **6. Trading subsidiaries**
The Trust is the beneficial owner of shares in one wholly owned subsidiary, Folly Farm Centre Limited, a company incorporated in the UK. The Trust did not expend any funds in obtaining these interests.
## **Folly Farm Centre Limited**
The purpose of the subsidiary is to operate the restored buildings at Folly Farm, which are owned by the Trust, as an environmental learning, conference and events venue. Commercial activities include the hosting of day and residential conferences, meetings and social functions. In addition, the Centre provides school, youth, adult and people about wildlife.
The company continues to pay rent to the Trust for use of the buildings and adjoining area, and any profits generated by the company will be transferred as a charitable donation to the Trust. This income will provide an additional source of unrestricted income that the Trust can apply to projects and activities in furtherance of its charitable purpose. A summary of the results for Folly Farm Centre Limited (before the consolidation adjustments that have been made to the figures in the SOFA) is shown below:
## **Folly Farm Centre Limited**
|**Profit and loss account**|**2025**|2024|
|---|---|---|
|for the year ended 31 March 2025|**£**|£|
|**Turnover**|**741,564**|781,319|
|Cost of sales|**(284,167)**|(273,684)|
|**Gross profit**|**457,397**|507,635|
|Overheads and administration|**(401,461)**|(437,137)|
|Other operating income|**-**|-|
|**Operating (loss)/profit**|**55,936**|70,498|
|Interest received|**5,573**|5,531|
|Interest payable and similar charges|**(619)**|(1,408)|
|**(Loss)/profit before taxation**|**60,890**|74,621|
|Tax on profit|**-**|-|
|**(Loss)/profit for the year**|**60,890**|74,621|
|**Balance sheet**|**2025**|2024|
|at 31 March 2025|**£**|£|
|Fixed assets|**134,547**|163,270|
|Net current assets/(liabilities)|**53,730**|46,026|
|**Total assets less current liabilities**|**188,277**|209,296|
|Creditors falling due after more than one year|**3,583**|12,229|
|**Total**|**184,694**|197,067|
|**Capital and reserves**|||
|Called-up equity share capital|**1**|1|
|Profit and loss account|**184,693**|197,066|
|**Total**|**184,694**|197,067|
There are legal contracts in place between Avon Wildlife Trust and Folly Farm Centre Limited:
- Under a **lease** dated 1 April 2009 and renewed in July 2018 the Trust leases the buildings and some of the adjoining land at Folly Farm to Folly Farm Centre Limited. Rent payable in the 2024/25 year amounted to £47k (£44k in 2023/24).
- A **Trading Agreement** between the Trust and Folly Farm Centre Limited was completed on 29 May 2009 setting out a framework for how the trading subsidiary can operate and for inter-company transactions and charges.
The Avon Wildlife Trust Group for the year ended 31 March 2025 includes the consolidation of our subsidiary, the Folly Farm Centre Limited. It also includes the Bristol Natural History consortium (BNHC) as an associated undertaking.
**7. Analysis of staff costs, trustee remuneration and expenses, and the cost of key management personnel**
|**management personnel**||
|---|---|
|**Group**
Wages and salaries
Pension costs
Other staff costs|**2025**
2024
**£**
£
**1,716,285**
1,459,947
**143,629**
136,639
**82,999**
71,568
**142,949**
143,194|
||**2,085,862**
1,811,348|
The trustees were not paid nor did they receive any other benefits from the charity or its subsidiaries in the year (£nil in 2024). No expenses were reimbursed to the trustees during the year (£nil in 2024).
The key management personnel of the parent charity, The Trust, comprise the Senior Leadership Team. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the Trust were £438,220 (£392,574 in 2023/24).
The key management personnel of the Avon Wildlife Trust Group comprise the Senior Leadership Team of the Trust and that of its wholly owned subsidiary Folly Farm Centre Limited. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the Avon Wildlife Trust Group were £438,220 (£392,574 in 2023/24). One employee earned between £70k and £80k and one between £60k and £70k in the year (in 2024, one employee earned between £70k and £80k and one between £60k and £70k).
The average number of employees in the Avon Wildlife Trust Group in the year was 52 (2024: 48).
Many employees work part-time, and the following table sets out full-time equivalents (FTE) and analysis by function:
|Delivery programmes
Support staff
Folly Farm Centre Ltd
**Total**|**2025**
2024
**39.3**
35.3
**8.5**
8.2
**3.8**
4.5|
|---|---|
||**51.6**
48.0|
## **8. Tangible fixed assets**
|||||Office||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||Office|Freehold||equipment &||Motor||||
||improvements|improvements||machinery||vehicles||Computers|**Total**|
||£|||£||£||£|**£**|
|**Group**||||||||||
|**Cost**||||||||||
|At 1 April 2024|-|223,981||104,675||154,725||34,588|**517,969**|
|Additions|18,834|2,165||15,528||-||14,957|**51,484**|
|Disposals|-|-||-||-||-|**-**|
|At 31 March 2025|18,834|226,146||120,203||154,725||49,545|**569,453**|
|**Depreciation**||||||||||
|At 1 April 2024|-|71,479||52,337||16,025||21,805|**161,646**|
|Charge for year|3,281|21,812||19,511||29,174||7,871|**81,649**|
|Disposals|-|-||-||-||-|**-**|
|At 31 March 2025|3,281|93,291||71,848||45,199||29,676|**243,295**|
|**Net book value**||||||||||
|At 31 March 2025|15,553|132,855||48,355||109,526||19,869|**326,158**|
|At 31 March 2024|-|152,502||52,338||138,700||12,783|**356,323**|
|**Charity**||||||||||
|**Cost**||||||||||
|At 1 April 2024|-|11,634||32,974||154,725||34,588|**233,921**|
|Additions|18,832|-||14,435||-||14,957|**48,224**|
|Disposals|-|-||-||-||-|**-**|
|At 31 March 2025|18,832|11,634||47,409||154,725||49,545|**282,145**|
|**Depreciation**||||||||||
|At 1 April 2024|-|524||2,546||15,992||21,805|**40,867**|
|Charge for year|3,281|1,163||8,190||29,174||7,871|**49,679**|
|Disposals|-|-||-||-||-|**-**|
|At 31 March 2025|3,281|1,687||10,736||45,166||29,676|**90,546**|
|**Net book value**||||||||||
|At 31 March 2025|15,551|9,947||36,673||109,559||19,869|**191,599**|
|At 31 March 2024|-|11,110||30,428||138,733||12,783|**193,054**|
|**9. Heritage assets**||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||Nature reserves|Improvements to|Folly Farm|||
|||nature reserves|development|**Total**||
|**Cost**|£|£|£|**£**||
|At 1 April 2024|3,477,391|755,366|3,859,606|**8,092,363**||
|Additions|-|21,337|-|**21,337**||
|Disposals|-|-|-|**-**||
|At 31 March 2025|3,477,391|776,703|3,859,606|**8,113,700**||
|**Depreciation**||||||
|At 1 April 2024|65,370|409,993|1,290,767|**1,766,130**||
|Charge for the year|6,537|28,151|75,180|**109,868**||
|Disposals|-|-|-|**-**||
|At 31 March 2025|71,907|438,144|1,365,947|**1,875,998**||
|**Net book value**||||||
|At 31 March 2025|3,405,484|338,559|2,493,659|**6,237,702**||
|At 31 March 2024|3,412,021|345,373|2,568,839|**6,326,233**||
on a long-term basis. The Trust is responsible for ensuring that the reserves are properly managed in order to: conserve and enhance the special wildlife interest within these sites;
- provide a refuge for wildlife from which to re-colonise other sites; serve as demonstration sites for sustainable land management and heritage skills; provide opportunities for public inspiration, involvement, learning and enjoyment.
Access to our nature reserves is free for the public, all year round. In some cases, access or numbers may be restricted in numbers seasonally because of the sensitivity of wildlife or to ensure visitor safety. This year, Ash Dieback disease made many areas unsafe and we invested in signage and communications to ensure volunteer, visitor and staff safety.
The Trust owns a freehold interest in the following nature reserves at 31 March 2025:
|||Hutton Hill|Hutton Hill||
|---|---|---|---|---|
||Cleeve Heronry*|Littleton Brick Pits*||Tickenham Hill|
|Burledge Hill|Folly Farm_(see below)_|||Walborough|
|Charfield Meadow*|Goblin Combe|Purn Hill||Weston Big Wood|
|Clapton Moor (New Farm)|Hellenge Hill|Puxton Moor||Weston Moor|
*Mostly these properties are included in the Balance Sheet at their original cost of purchase. However, no value has been included for the four sites shown above with an asterisk. They are small nature reserves together covering 4.74ha (11.70 acres) of land which were gifted to the Trust. They have a small capital value and, in the opinion of the Trustees, the cost of valuation would be disproportionate to the value of the assets.
the major development project there.
Improvements to Nature Reserves are depreciated over their expected lives (10 to 50 years). Improvements will include access for all paths, fencing, signs, ditches and drainage, sewage treatment, etc.
During the year the Trust also managed 8 other properties under agreements with landowners.
## **10. Fixed assets held in restricted funds Depreciation**
As a result of the Trust's past extensive investment in fixed assets (held in restricted funds in the Trust's accounts as set out in note 16), there is a significant annual depreciation charge on restricted assets that is included in the Statement of Financial Activities each year as resources expended on restricted funds. This depreciation charge amounted to £117,037 in the year ended 31 March 2025 (£95,771 in 2024) and has been magnified by the Trust's extensive investment in Folly Farm. This is shown in the Statement of Financial Activities and can be analysed as follows:
||||**2025**|2024|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||||**£**|£|
|Net|Fixed Asset Movements in restricted|funds|(103,639)|133,089|
|Net|Current Asset Movements in restricted funds||(68,626)|(47,051)|
|**Net**|**Incoming / (Outgoing) Resources**|**Restricted funds**|**(172,265)**|**86,038**|
The annual depreciation charge reduces the value of the restricted fund asset balances in the Balance Sheet as in note (g) of the Accounting Policies.
## **11. Fixed assets Investments**
## **Subsidiaries**
During the year the Trust was the beneficial owner of shares in one wholly owned trading subsidiary, Folly Farm Centre Limited and one jointly owned associated company, Bristol Natural History Consortium.
## **Associated company - Bristol Natural History Consortium**
Avon Wildlife Trust is a member of the Bristol Natural History Consortium (BNHC) (registered charity 1123432) and registered company 06472186) and can appoint one trustee to the Board. BNHC is a charitable company limited by guarantee and operated by Avon Wildlife Trust in partnership the other company member, Bristol Zoo Gardens. The Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2024 were approved by the Trustees of BNHC in September 2025.
During the year ended 31 December 2024, BNHC generated a surplus of £26,819 (2023 deficit of £12,811). At 31 December 2024 the charity had net assets of £86,554 (2023 £59,735) and free reserves of £36,554 (2023: £56,235).
During the year, Avon Wildlife Trust contributed £5,000 as a membership subscription to BHNC (£5,000 in 2023).
## **12. Fixed assets Investments - Restricted**
During 2023/24 the Trust purchased a mixed motive investment, the rights to buy 7.137 biodiversity units from the Bristol Avon Catchment Market. The funds invested will potentially create a financial return that can be used to generate further biodiversity units, which have a commercial value, as well as providing a direct environmental impact. These units could not be sold before July 2024.
On sale of any rights to biodiversity units, funds will be spent on the development and operation of the Catchment Market, or on nature-based solutions projects generating environmental credits in Avon and Wiltshire if the market were to end.
The rights to biodiversity units were purchased in July 2023 and the cost and fair value are deemed to be materially the same at the year end.
## **13. Debtors amounts falling due within one year**
|Grants and fees receivable
Prepayments
Other debtors
Loan to Folly Farm Centre Limited|**Group**
Group
**Charity**
Charity
**2025**
2024
**2025**
2024
**£**
£
**£**
£
**204,069**
383,584
**204,069**
383,584
**87,954**
70,038
**62,914**
47,327
**216,323**
207,700
**184,820**
161,700
**-**
-
**12,215**
18,183
**508,346**
661,322
**464,018**
610,794|
|---|---|
.
## **14. Debtors amounts falling due after one year**
||**Group**|Group|**Charity**|Charity|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**2025**|2024|**2025**|2024|
||**£**|£|**£**|£|
|Loan to Folly Farm Centre Limited|-|-|**-**|**12,215**|
Avon Wildlife Trust made a loan on commercial terms to Folly Farm Centre Limited of £43,160 on 8[th] April 2021 and of £28,640 on 3[rd] March 2022. Monthly repayments are £719.32 and £795.96 respectively.
## **15. Creditors amounts falling due within one year**
|Trade creditors
Other creditors and accruals
Taxation and national insurance|**Group**
Group
**Charity**
Charity
**2025**
2024
**2025**
2024
**£**
£
**£**
£
**174,883**
198,187
**117,553**
171,661
**459,012**
461,933
**160,008**
193,556
**16,782**
48,360
**847**
32,728|
|---|---|
||**650,677**
708,480
**278,408**
397,945|
**----- Start of picture text -----**
16. Restricted funds
Group and Charity 1 Apr Incoming Resources 31 Mar
2024 Resources Expended Transfers 2025
Revenue funds
-
Blines / Living Landscapes 24,896 37,925 (42,742) 20,079
- - -
Grow Wilder Projects 12,971 12,971
Avon Gorge Project 10,000 - - - 10,000
Bennett's Patch and White's Paddock 19,395 - (8,324) 2 11,073
- -
Justin Smith Endowment Fund 1,320 (45) 1,275
- - -
My Wild City 4,888 4,888
My Wild Child 26,757 - (20,658) 1 6,100
Wellbeing through Nature 6,381 500 (6,520) 2,970 3,331
Newbridge Slopes 15,000 - - (15,000) -
- - -
Save our Badgers 9,747 9,747
Fursman to support Bristol work 23,912 - - (3,500) 20,412
Nailsea Wetlands 21,666 - - - 21,666
Hutton Wood & Orchard 11,000 - - (4,000) 7,000
Land Purchase 125,000 - - - 125,000
- -
Bristol Avon Catchment Market (BACM) 84,857 (21,514) 63,343
BACM Investment in units 113,534 - - - 113,534
- - -
Clifton Garden Society 3,250 3,250
- -
Legacy J Allan 8,130 (2,640) 5,490
Beaver Project Fundraising 20,983 10 - (1) 20,992
- -
GW Engagement Hub 42,528 (7,828) 34,700
Team Wilder 905 17,255 (15,616) 1 2,545
Ecologist in Residence 19,615 38,500 (44,756) 5,799 19,158
Wildlife Champions 2,478 129,906 (132,384) - -
- - -
Goblin Combe Tree Project 6,029 (6,029)
- -
Goblin Combe Bat project 47,787 (4,949) 42,838
- -
Tractor Depreciation Fund 121,713 (24,755) 96,958
Youth Work Early Years 35,000 33,563 (20,230) (14,000) 34,333
TWT Ecological Restoration 5,163 48,093 (27,115) 1 26,142
Warmley Nature Action Zone 984 40,932 (47,674) 5,758 -
Seed Fund - 8,994 - - 8,994
Grow Wilder 2 - - - 25,000 25,000
WiC2 Funding - 15,000 - - 15,000
Youth (CLAF) - 45,346 (38,662) - 6,684
Wilder Mendip & Hellenge - 10,400 (11,119) 16,903 16,184
DEFRA Peatlands - 47,614 (34,264) (1) 13,349
Pollinator Pathways - 68,874 (61,678) 9,715 16,911
Next Door Nature & Somer Valley - 120,393 (114,428) (5,965) -
Wilder Woodlands - 89,742 (92,192) 2,450 -
Hutton Hub - - (3,229) 3,229 -
Wilder Waterways - 15,000 (16,712) 1,712 -
Ebdon Development - 35,664 (39,230) 3,566 -
Appeal funds
- - -
Summer 15 Appeal 1,262 (1,262)
**----- End of picture text -----**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Group and Charity 1 Apr Incoming Resources 31 Mar
2024 Resources Expended Transfers 2025
Property improvement funds
- -
Folly Farm sewage treatment 5,800 (232) 5,568
- -
Folly Farm 20,607 (664) 19,943
- -
Folly Farm Access Trail 9,031 (729) 8,302
Willsbridge landfill 300 - (12) - 288
- -
Willsbridge 11,593 (428) 11,165
- -
Clapton Moor (50 Years) 30,214 (947) 29,267
Weston Moor 5,882 - (226) - 5,656
- -
Walborough 3,479 (139) 3,340
- -
Goblin Combe (50 Years) 3,776 (118) 3,658
- -
Weston Big Wood (50 Years) 9,775 (307) 9,468
Puxton Moor 50,934 - (1,601) - 49,333
Nature Reserves Fund 12,684 - (512) - 12,172
HLF Conservation Fund 26,538 - (1,002) - 25,536
Conservation reserves fund 15,111 - (554) - 14,557
-
Folly Farm Centre development 2,366,045 (73,730) 73,263 2,365,578
-
Folly Farm volunteer training base 64,191 (1,447) (2) 62,742
Freehold land and building funds
- - -
Hellenge Hill 86,050 86,050
Puxton Moor 361,529 - - - 361,529
- - -
Walborough 55,000 55,000
- - -
Clapton Moor 185,144 185,144
Weston Moor 333,758 - - - 333,758
Tickenham Hill 28,000 - - - 28,000
- - -
Weston Big Wood 123,572 123,572
- - -
Burledge Hill 48,233 48,233
Purn Hill 25,816 - - - 25,816
- - -
Tickenham Ridge 50,000 50,000
Prior's Wood 238,855 - - - 238,855
- - -
Folly Farm 332,814 332,814
- - -
30,000 30,000
Hutton Hill 425,000 - - - 425,000
Leasehold land and building funds
Bennett's Patch and White's Paddock 263,150 - (8,148) - 255,002
Total 6,050,032 803,711 (914,643) 85,193 6,024,293
**----- End of picture text -----**
The transfer column in the table above identifies agreed transfers between funds.
The purpose of each fund is as follows: **Revenue funds:**
B - Lines / Living Landscapes Grow Wilder Project
To survey, conserve, restore and enhance Avon's grasslands To involve the community in growing nature-friendly food and looking after nature
To assess the feasibility of various projects in the Avon Gorge To acquire and create a nature reserve in the Avon Gorge To support apprentice ecologists to continue Justin's passion and knowledge To make Bristol a world-leading, nature-rich city where people are connected to the natural landscape, and wildlife is more resilient to growing challenges One of six Trusts delivering urban forest school education projects To continue wellbeing through nature activities To enhance the land and engage the community with nature To vaccinate badgers against BTB in the Avon area and campaign for vaccination as a viable alternative to culling To support the work of the Trust in the Bristol area To construct a wetland to tackle pollution entering Tickenham, Nailsea and Kenn Moor SSSI. Improvements to Puxton Moor SSSI and nature reserve To create a reedbed in Bathurst Basin with the local community To develop a carbon reduction strategy and action plan To maintain the 28 hectares of wood leased to the Trust by the Woodland Trust To fund future land purchase Working with partners to demonstrate how a nature-based solutions market could work in the Bristol Avon Catchment area.
Avon Gorge Project / Justin Smith Endowment Fund My Wild City
My Wild Child Wellbeing in Nature Newbridge Slopes Save our Badgers
Fursman work in Bristol Nailsea Wetlands
Puxton Bathurst Basin Research Carbon Offsetting Hutton Wood Land Purchase Bristol Avon Catchment Market
Clifton Garden Society Legacy J Allan Beaver Project Fundraising GW Engagement Hub
To purchase and plant trees and wildflowers to create wildlife corridors To support our work with nature particularly with the elderly To help monitor and protect the newly detected beaver population in Avon To establish a new community space to engage and inspire more people to to build a movement of people acting for nature's recovery to provide ecological expertise to support Community Climate Action plans in Bristol to create a peer learning network of local champions taking action for nature's recovery Habitat restoration to improve biodiversity and enhance soil health and reduce flooding downstream A partnership project designed to reduce pesticide use and create a demonstration climate-resilient garden. Habitat creation project focussing on native woodland Encouraging young people to explore, learn and take action for nature Creating and restoring habitats across nature reserves and new areas Engaging and empowering communities to create Community Nature Reserves that link council owned wildlife habitats to form part of a Nature Action Zone To provide match funding to secure future funding To develop the second site at Grow Wilder Continuation funding to create a peer learning network of local champions taking action for nature's recovery
Team Wilder Ecologist in Residence Wildlife Champions Goblin Combe Tree Project WECA Pollinator Pathways
Wilder Woodlands Youth Work Early years TWT Ecological Restoration Warmley Nature Action Zone
Seed Fund Grow Wilder 2 WiC2 Funding
Wilder Mendip & Hellenge
Nature reserve
DEFRA Peatlands Next Door Nature & Somer Valley
Hutton Hub
Wilder Waterways Ebdon Development
To support the development of moor associations in the Gordano Valley Using a community organising approach to increase biodiversity in community neighbourhoods
To establish a new office and community space to engage and inspire more Habitat creation project focussing on native waterways
To support the development of a new Avon Wildlife Trust reserve at Ebdon Farm
## **Appeal funds:**
Summer 15 Appeal
To replace and improve information boards on our reserves
## **Property improvement funds:**
On named reserves Nature Reserves fund HLF Conservation fund Conservation reserves fund Folly Farm Centre Development fund Folly Farm volunteer training base
To enhance land and property at the named locations
To enhance nature reserves owned or managed by the Trust
To enhance the historic landscape and property at Folly Farm
To develop a volunteer training base at Folly Farm
## **Freehold land and buildings funds:**
On named reserves Leasehold land on named reserves
To purchase land at the named locations To purchase land at the named locations
||**17. Analysis of net assets between funds**|
|---|---|
||Tangible Fixed Assets
Other Net Assets
**Total**
£
£
**£**|
||**Revenue funds**|
||Blines / Living Landscapes
20,079
**20,079**
Feed Bristol project
12,971
**12,971**
Avon Gorge Project
10,000
**10,000**
Bennett's Patch and White's Paddock
11,073
**11,073**
Justin Smith Endowment Fund
1,275
**1,275**
My Wild City
4,888
**4,888**
My Wild Child
6,100
**6,100**
Wellbeing through Nature
3,331
**3,331**
Save our Badgers
9,747
**9,747**
Fursman
to support Bristol work
20,412
**20,412**
Nailsea Wetlands
21,666
**21,666**
Hutton Wood
7,000
**7,000**
Land Purchase
125,000
**125,000**
Bristol Avon Catchment Market (BACM)
63,343
**63,343**
BACM
Investment in Biodiversity units
113,534
**113,534**
Clifton Garden Society
3,250
**3,250**
Legacy J Allan
5,490
**5,490**
Beaver Project Fundraising
20,992
**20,992**
GW Engagement Hub
34,700
**34,700**
Team Wilder
2,545
**2,545**
Ecologist in Residence
26,142
**26,142**
Goblin Combe Bat project
42,838
**42,838**
Tractor Depreciation Fund
96,958
**96,958**
Youth Work
Early Years
34,333
**34,333**
TWT Ecological Restoration
26,142
**26,142**
Seed Fund
8,994
**8,994**
Grow Wilder 2
25,000
**25,000**
WiC2 Funding
15,000
**15,000**
Youth (CLAF)
6,684
**6,684**
Wilder Mendip & Hellenge
16,184
**16,184**
DEFRA Peatlands
13,349
**13,349**
Pollinator Pathways
16,911
**16,911**|
||**Appeal funds**|
||Summer 15 Appeal
-
**-**|
||**Property improvement funds**|
||Folly Farm sewage treatment
5,568
-
**5,568**
Folly Farm
19,943
-
**19,943**
Folly Farm Access Trail
8,302
-
**8,302**
Willsbridge
landfill
288
-
**288**
Willsbridge
11,165
-
**11,165**
Clapton Moor (50 Years)
29,267
-
**29,267**|
|Weston Moor
Walborough
Goblin Combe (50 Years)
Weston Big Wood (50 Years)
Puxton Moor
Nature Reserves fund
HLF Conservation fund
Conservation - reserves fund
Folly Farm Centre development
Folly Farm volunteer training base|Tangible Fixed
Assets
Other Net Assets
**Total**
£
£
**£**
5,656
-
**5,656**
3,340
-
**3,340**
3,658
-
**3,658**
9,468
-
**9,468**
49,333
-
**49,333**
12,172
-
**12,172**
25,536
-
**25,536**
14,557
-
**14,557**
2,446,130
(80,552)
**2,365,578**
62,742
-
**62,742**|
|---|---|
|**Freehold land and building funds**||
|Hellenge Hill
Puxton Moor
Walborough
Clapton Moor
Weston Moor
Tickenham Hill
Weston Big Wood
Burledge Hill
Purn Hill
Tickenham Ridge
Prior's Wood
Folly Farm
Hutton Hill|86,050
-
**86,050**
361,529
-
**361,529**
55,000
-
**55,000**
185,144
-
**185,144**
333,758
-
**333,758**
28,000
-
**28,000**
123,572
-
**123,572**
48,233
-
**48,233**
25,816
-
**25,816**
50,000
-
**50,000**
238,855
-
**238,855**
332,814
-
**332,814**
30,000
-
**30,000**
425,000
-
**425,000**|
|**Leasehold land and building funds**||
|Bennett's Patch and White's Paddock
**Total restricted funds**
Unrestricted designated
land at Goblin Combe
Unrestricted designated
legacy
Fundamental LT Fund
Unrestricted designated
Nature Reserves Infrastructure
Unrestricted designated
Ash Dieback
Unrestricted designated
other funds
**Unrestricted designated funds**
**Total**
Unrestricted funds
general
**Total unrestricted general funds**
**Total funds**|255,002
-
**255,002**|
||**5,496,390**
**527,903**
**6,024,293**|
||825,000
-
**825,000**
-
634,170
**634,170**
-
302,356
**302,356**
-
49,804
**49,804**
-
62,553
**62,553**|
||**825,000**
**1,048,883**
**1,873,883**|
||356,004
136,760
492,764|
||**356,004**
**136,760**
**492,764**|
||**6,677,394**
**1,713,546**
**8,390,940**|
There was a net current liability in respect of the Folly Farm Centre development project of £80,552 (2023/24 £141,905). The deficit arose from a fundraising shortfall on the major project to restore the buildings and historic landscape at Folly Farm. T utilise surplus profit from Folly Farm Centre to transfer back to the Charity. This income will be applied to reduce the deficit.
## **18. Designated funds**
|**18. Designated funds**||
|---|---|
|Strategic opportunities and development
Landlord repairs
Folly Farm
Reserves Recovery Infrastructure
Ash Dieback fund
Legacy
Fundamental long-term fund
**Sub-total designated funds**
Land at Goblin Combe
**Total designated funds including land**|**Group**
Group
**Charity**
Charity
**2025**
2024
**2025**
2024
**£**
£
**£**
£
**17,487**
27,777
**17,487**
27,777
**45,066**
50,738
**45,066**
50,738
**302,356**
340,458
**302,356**
340,458
**49,804**
225,237
**49,804**
225,237
**634,170**
665,618
**634,170**
665,618|
||**1,048,883**
1,309,828
**1,048,883**
1,309,828|
||**825,000**
825,000
**825,000**
825,000|
||**1,873,883**
2,134,828
**1,873,883**
2,134,828|
Very generous legacies over the last few years were designated for strategic opportunities and development and for fundamental long-term purposes to maintain our nature reserves, buy land, improve infrastructure and invest in the future of the Trust.
## **19. Pension scheme**
The Trust operates a Group Personal Pension scheme for its employees with Aviva. This is a defined contributions scheme, which is managed independently of the Trust. The pension costs disclosed in note 7 represent contributions payable for the year. At 31 March 2025, there were no outstanding pension contributions accrued in respect of employees not yet set up under the pension scheme (£nil in 2024).
## **Auditors**
Burnside Chartered Accountants 61 Queen Square, Bristol, BS1 4JZ
## **Solicitors**
Burges Salmon LLP One Glass Wharf, Bristol BS2 0ZX
TLT
One Redcliff Street, Bristol, BS1 6TP
Osborne Clarke Halo, Counterslip, Bristol BS1 6AJ
## **Bankers**
Bank of Scotland Community Banking, PO Box 10, 38 St Andrews Square, Edinburgh, EH2 2YR
Co-operative Bank Olympic House, Olympic Court, Montford Street, Salford, M5 2QP
Nat West Bank plc 250 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 4AA
Triodos Bank NV Deanery Road, Bristol, BS2 5AS
CAF Bank
25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4JQ
**Avon Wildlife Trust Head Office** 17 Great George Street Bristol BS1 5QT T: 0117 917 7270 www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk
**Folly Farm Centre & Grow Wilder Registered Office** 181 Frenchay Park Road, Folly Farm Frenchay Stowey, Bristol Pensford BS16 1EL Bristol BS39 4DW T: 01275 331590 www.avonwildlifetrust.org.uk/naturewww.follyfarm.org reserves/grow-wilder