2025-12-31-accounts

The Friends of Holland Park

Report and Accounts – Year to 31 December 2025

Charity number 281348

The Friends of Holland Park Accounts for the Year to 31 December 2025

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 2025 were:

NJW Brockmann GGR Franklin SA French – died on 19 December 2025. RDN Hopkins PF Hou JA Kettlewell, Chairman JE Puritz Resigned on 21 May 2025 SP Spassov, Treasurer RM Wood, Secretary AI Beaumont was co-opted as a trustee on 4 March 2025 and elected at the AGM on 9 April 2025.

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.

Around 50 volunteers, who are members of the Charity, help to distribute the newsletter, steward at the annual art exhibition and represent The Friends at our pop-up events in Holland Park. They receive no payment other than expenses.

Review of Activities and Achievements during the Year 2025

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 worked with RBKC Project Management to continue conservation of the old Holland Estate Dairy. Listed Building Consent was obtained in spring 2025, and specialist consultants, some of which were recommended by our trustees, were engaged through the Council’s stringent procurement process. Having funded £20,000 for the early stages of scoping in 2024, The Friends funded a further £20,000 in 2025. In addition, The Friends secured £40,000 of funding from the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL).

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 discussed progress on implementation of the plan with Park Management. Priorities for 2025 were agreed and provided a focus for grants and sponsorship during the year:

• The Friends funded £6,999 for h azel circles to be used for ecology teaching

• Proactive tree healthcare work continued with grants totalling £5,825.

• Repairs to the drinking fountain in the Café Yard, including installation of a bottle filler. £2,347.

• 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 £1,725.

• Directional signage was needed in the north of the park. The Friends paid £640 for design and artwork, with production costs due in 2026.

Fundraising through events and sale of merchandise:

The 2024 art exhibition was the most successful ever, but we were even more successful in 2025 both in terms of income (£20,488) and surplus

(£6,608). The summer members’ party was well attended (ticket sales £1,800) and the Christmas Concert attracted ticket sales of £2,322. Sale of guides to the park and other merchandise produced an income of £3,209.

Education:

The programme of Blue Badge tours was run throughout the year, including one tour for a group who had difficulty walking. Three 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 29 November which was attended by the Borough Mayor and the Metropolitan Mounted Police. Quarterly issues of the 16-page, full-colour newsletter were produced and distributed to all members and to stakeholders in Holland Park, all funded by a donation from RBKC City Living, Local Life. The Friends’ two notice boards in the park were kept updated.

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 2025 were:

• £1,936.61 for Membership Subscriptions

• £997.67 for Donations.

The number of members continued to increase and stood at 1,187 paid-up members on 10 November 2025 v 1,143 members on 18 November 2024.

The AGM was held in the Holland Park Orangery on 9 April 2025 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.

2026 – achievements to date and outlook for the remainder of the year

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 Friends initiated the project to conserve the exquisite historic tiles in the Old Dairy building that served the Holland Park estate. The work on the viewing window, shutters, lighting, security door and conservation was put out to tender and contractors selected but, due to a Cyber-attack on the Council’s website. on-site work was delayed. It is now due to start in March 2026, with completion anticipated in Autumn 2026. The Friends have agreed to fund a further £10,000 to cover increased cost of lighting and to ensure there is a contingency fund.

• The Friends continue to work with Parks Management to find a solution to areas suffering from heavy foot traffic, causing grass erosion and soil compaction. The 2026 priority is to create a permeable hedged path in place of the worn desire-line path across grass to the SW of The Orangery. Cost is awaited from RBKC and The Friends have agreed to contribute to the funding.

• The RBKC Ecology Service aims to increase the population of solitary bees (as well as other pollinators) in the park and intends to build a bee bank in Arboretum 1. Cost is awaited from RBKC and The Friends have agreed to contribute to the funding.

• The compacted ground around the Walking Man statue has been fenced off for 18 months to let the aerated ground recover. A low permanent fence has been agreed and The Friends are seeking NCIL funds to pay the cost of around £15,000. There will be two openings in the fence to allow park visitors to access the popular statue.

• Action plans for the woodland enclosures are being implemented with input from The Friends.

• Once again, The Friends have committed to funding the proactive tree health programme, starting with treatment of Horse Chestnuts suffering from canker or leaf miner.

• The Friends have committed to funding a further year of the Ecology Service educational walks and talks for the community, so that they can be free to attend.

• After much lobbying of the Council, work has still not been carried out to prevent water ingress above the Holland Park wall paintings donated by The Friends in 1991. The Friends continue to press for this work to be done so that the paintings are safe from water damage.

Fundraising and ticketed events:

The Art Exhibition will run from 11-19 April 2026, the members’ summer party will be on 13 July and the Christmas Concert will be on 6 December. Digital ticketing will be added to our website.

Education:

• A full schedule of Blue Badge guided tours is planned, including two new tour subjects. 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. A sensory tree walk will be funded for people with little or no sight, working with the Ecology Service and Age UK.

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

• opportunity arises.

• The Friends’s website will be updated in 2026, with new technology and a new design to future proof functionality and improve customer experience.

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. Specifically, insurance cover for Cyber-attacks has been added. 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.

Currently, we have more capital than intended. This is due to shortage of Council officers to approve and commission projects, which they must do as owners of Holland Park. A major Cyber-attack on the Council’s website in early December impacted on Council processes such as invoicing and purchase orders.

Environmental and Social Issues

By the very nature and purpose of the charity, we are focused on environmental issues in Holland Park. One of the four priority themes in the Park Strategy is Sustainability and we work with the Council to ensure best practice. Tree, shrub and annual planting take into account climate change and best choices for the urban heat island status of the park. We work to protect and enhance habitats for wildlife and pollinators and fund many habitat-related projects. We have no premises and our quarterly newsletters are hand-delivered to local members. Our approach to social issues is to work with specialists so that we can encourage those who feel excluded, have difficulty walking or little sight, to visit the park with ease. We have maintained our annual subscription at the low level of £12 p.a. (including quarterly 16-page newsletters and discounts from 17 local businesses) and only £9 for seniors, so that all can afford to benefit from membership.

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.

The Friends of Holland Park Statom•nt of Flnanclal Actlvities for the y8ar ondad 31 December 2025 2025 2024 Income from: Donations &1oga¢ie$: Donations Legacies Charitable activilios: Subscriptions 48.571 12,298 10,IXQ 48.571 22.298 12,963 14, 124 Other trading income: Events Sale of merchandise Advertising Interost Total incoming resources 21,483 3,209 21.265 3, 139 1,9T5 26,347 26,379 4,217 67,078 91,515 Expenditure on: Raising funds: Fundraising Event expenses Cost of merchandise Charitable activities: Newsletter Grants & aims expendilure Governance 2.439 14555 2.013 17,866 5.479 25,689 23,007 9.385 39,779 9,498 38,788 1,703 51.039 49,389 Totsl r•$ourcas expended 12.396 Net incomel(8xpenditure) Total funds brought fO￿ard 14.787 178,152 (5,378J 183.530 Total funds carried forward 192,939 178,152 Balance Sheet as at 31 De¢omber 2025 Current a550ts: Debtors & prepayments Dep051t & current accounts Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year 988 192,416 1,012 177.590 193,404 178.602 465 450 Net assets 192 939 178, 152

Notes to 2025 accounts

1. Donations increased in 2025 over 2024, due to many generous donations from members, including one of £25,000 and two of £1,000 each. Ilchester Estates donated £3,000 towards the cost of the art exhibition.

2. Subscriptions, at £12,963, were marginally down compared to 2024 (£14,124).

3. Cost of merchandise increased to £5,479 in 2025 v £2,013. This was due to a reprint of the green guide to Holland Park, production of the Snakes & Ladders game and of post card sets depicting the marouflage paintings. Snakes & Ladders and the post card costs were offset by donations of £650 from Daisy Green Food and £1,000 from The Ludlow Trust.

4. The cost of newsletters (£9,385) was offset by donations of £8,062 from RBKC’s community fund City Living, Local Life.

5. Surplus on events increased from £2,710 in 2024 to £3,617 in 2025.

6. Grants to fund park projects reached a satisfactory £39,779 in 2025. It was a challenging year for the Council in many respects and we were fortunate to be able to agree a number of significant projects.

Jennie Kettlewell (Chairman) 3 March 2026

Report of the Independent Examiner

I report on the financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 31 December 2025.

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-

• sooner 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: 4 March 2026