2023-12-31-accounts

The Friends of Holland Park

Report and Accounts – Year to 31 December 2023

Charity number 281348

The Friends of Holland Park Accounts for the Year to 31 December 2023

Report of the Trustees

Legal Structure

The Friends of Holland Park (“The Friends”) is a registered Charity (registration number 281348), governed by its constitution and rules. The constitution (with the exception of the clauses relating to Objects, Dissolution and Amendments) can only be amended in relation to the Charity’s name and application of income and property by the assent of not less than two thirds of the members present at a general meeting and in relation to the remainder of the constitution by the assent of a majority of members present at a general meeting.

The trustees who held office since 1 January 2023 were:

NJW Brockmann GGR Franklin SA French RDN Hopkins JA Kettlewell, Chairman JE Puritz SP Spassov, Treasurer RM Wood, Secretary

Objects and Policies

The objects of the Charity are for the public benefit to secure the preservation, protection and improvement of Holland Park as a place of historical and ecological interest and beauty; to promote the conservation of the natural plant, animal and bird life of the park, in particular, its retention as a natural woodland habitat for wildlife; and to educate the public in the history, natural history and other aspects of the park.

Management and Organisation

The officers of the Charity are the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. The officers and committee are elected by members at the AGM. The trustees do not receive any remuneration or benefits from the organisation and no staff are employed by the Charity.

Review of Activities and Achievements during the Year 2023

Work to carry out The Friends’ charitable purposes for the public benefit is in four main areas:

• Monitoring the condition of the historic assets of the park and working with the council to create and implement acceptable conservation solutions

• Donations and sponsorship for park projects in accordance with our charitable objects

• Raising funds through events and sale of merchandise

• Education of the local community on the history and natural history of the park.

Conservation of historic assets:

The Friends planned and funded £13,680 for conservation of the mid-19[th] century terra cotta bricks, installed around Holland House, which had been damaged by vandalism.

Donations and sponsorship to fund Holland Park projects:

Having worked closely with RBKC on a ten-year Management Plan for Holland Park, The Friends regularly discuss progress on implementation of the plan with Park Management. Priorities for 2023 were agreed and provided a focus for grants and sponsorship during the year:

• The Sensory Garden, a quiet space for those who find busy areas of the park challenging, was

• completed in 2022. Further improvements were made, at a cost of £469, for the enjoyment of the special needs children who use the garden..

• The Friends funded the installation of bird nest boxes (£1,080), to help maintain a healthy wild bird population in the park.

• Proactive tree healthcare work continued. with grants totalling £8,830.

• A programme of wildlife talks to the local community, organised by the Ecology Centre, was funded by The Friends, so that there was no charge to participants. Cost £1,050.

• The ‘murals’, depicting historic scenes of the park and donated by The Friends in 1991, were retouched by the original artist at a cost of £4,000 paid by The Friends.

Fundraising through events and sale of merchandise:

The annual art exhibition was successful, both in terms of income (£14,700) and surplus, once artists and expenses had been paid (£4,862). The summer members’ party was well attended (ticket sales £1,725) and the Christmas Concert attracted ticket sales of £1,620. Sale of guides to the park and other merchandise produced an income of £3,589

Education:

The programme of Blue Badge tours was run throughout the year, including to groups who had difficulty walking. Two guided walks on the identification of the birds in Holland Park, and two tree identification walks took place. Regular Friends’ pop-up stalls in Holland Park served to inform visitors about the park, generate funds through sales of merchandise and sign-up new members, culminating in a highly popular Festive Event on 2 December.

Building relationships : The Friends continue to work closely with council officers, the Parks Police and elected councillors, all of whom involve The Friends in decisions concerning Holland Park. The Friends also maintain productive contact with Opera Holland Park and other stakeholders in the park.

Gift Aid : Repayments from HMRC Charities received in 2023 were:

• £1,860.75 for Membership Subscriptions

• £768.26 for Donations.

The number of members increased, as it has in each of the past 10 years (with the exception of 2020, due to Covid) and stood at 1,086 paid-up members at the start of November 2023.

The AGM was held in the Holand Park Orangery on 19 April 2023 with a quorum of over 30 members being present. All trustees were re-elected.

The trustees have complied with their duty to have regard to the guidance of public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties.

2024 – achievements to date and plans for the remainder of the year

The Friends have asked the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to act to prevent water ingress above and behind the 11 large murals that depict life in Holland Park in bygone times. The murals, donated by The Friends, are suffering water damage and the council has commissioned an investigation by a conservation expert, to establish what action must be taken for the paintings to survive.

Donations and sponsorship to fund Holland Park projects:

The Friends are working with RBKC officers to deliver the actions set out in the ten-year Holland Park Management Plan. The borough’s Biodiversity Action Plan has been approved by the council and the action plans for the woodland enclosures and pathways have been written, with input from The Friends.

• The Friends paid £3,145 for circa 500 hedging whips for the woodland areas. The species were chosen for biodiversity.

• The Friends have worked with Parks Management to find a solution to two areas suffering from heavy traffic, causing grass erosion and soil compaction.

• The Friends are working with the council flood prevention officer and the Ecology Service to plan interventions that will encourage retention of rainwater in the park and prevent damaging run-off.

• The Friends are working with Park Management to prevent water ingress above the ‘murals’. This has involved removing two paintings so that the canvas itself can be conserved.

• Once again, The Friends have committed to funding the proactive tree health programme, and are working with Parks Management on a plan for tree planting.

• The Friends have committed to funding a further year of the Ecology Service educational

• programme.

• The Friends are leading the project to conserve the exquisite historic tiles in the 1812 old dairy building that served the Holland Park estate. The anticipated cost of circa £65,000 will be part-funded by The Friends and by private donors in the community.

Fundraising and ticketed events:

The Art Exhibition will run from 6-14 April 2024, the members’ summer party will be on 3 July, and the Christmas Concert is scheduled to take place in The Orangery on 8 December.

Education:

• The Friends have produced a guide to Holland Park’s butterflies for sale to park visitors.

• A full schedule of Blue Badge guided tours is planned, including two tours for people with

• walking difficulties. Two guided tree identification walks are planned. One bird walk took place in February and two more are scheduled. Regular pop-up stalls in the park will provide information to all, at which activities for children will encourage their interest in the park.

• The Friends give talks on Holland Park and general guided tours of the park when the

• opportunity arises.

The Trustees consider that the present resources of the Charity are adequate to meet its obligations.

Risk Management

The trustees have given consideration to the major risks to which the Charity is exposed, reviewed and revised the Risk Register and satisfied themselves that systems or procedures are established in order to manage those risks. The trustees will continue to monitor risks and to carry out an annual review. The charity has a Privacy Statement on its website and manages data in line with its Privacy Policy and the General Data Protection Regulation.

Reserves Policy

The trustees consider that the Charity should hold a minimum reserve equivalent to 50% of annual expenditure, to ensure that the quarterly newsletter can continue and other necessary expenditure can be paid if, due to unforeseen circumstances, the projected income is not received. Any reserves in excess of this are held pending expenditure on, or donations towards, projects related to the park in accordance with the Charity’s objects.

Trustees’ Responsibilities

Charity Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to:

• Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently

• 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 the 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 which disclose, with reasonable accuracy at any time, the financial position of the Charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 1993. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention, in accordance with the

Statement of Recommended Practice (FRS102) and applicable accounting standards.

Cost of generating funds represents expenditure on membership, events and merchandise for sale. Charitable expenditure includes all expenditure directly related to the objects of the charity and comprises grants paid, the production of the newsletter and the cost of administration.

Governance costs represent expenditure incurred in the organisational administration and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.

Notes to the accounts for 2023

• The 2023 accounts have been independently examined.

• Income for 2023 was higher than in 2022 (£71,086 v. £59,554) due to the generous and much-appreciated donations received.

• Event income, at £17,397 was slightly lower than in 2022 (£20,391), but event expenses were also lower, producing a profit on events of £2,730.

• Sale of merchandise decreased from £6,675 in 2022 to £3,589. This is likely to be because there was no honey for sale.

• Newsletter costs increased, largely as a result of the rising cost of paper.

• Grants to the park, were £30,314. The higher figure of £62,244 in 2022 was due to 2021 donated money being spent on the Quiet Garden.

• Total funds carried forward stood at £183,530, a slight increase on £171,817 in 2022. The challenge has been delays in approval of projects.

Jennie Kettlewell (Chairman) 7 March 2023

Report of the Independent Examiner

I report on the financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 31 December 2023.

This report is made solely to the Charity's trustees, as a body, in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the Charity's trustees those matters I am required to state to them in this report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Charity's trustees as a body, for my work, for this report or for the opinions I have formed.

Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

The Charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. They consider that an audit is not required under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

• examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 act;

• follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commis-

• sioner under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 act; and

• state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of Independent Examiner's Report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

Independent Examiner's Statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

• a) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:

• to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 act; and

• to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 act; have not been met; or

• b) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

R Foreman 2, Dalrymple Close Chelmsford, CM1 7RF

Date: 12 March 2024