## **APPENDIX A CHAIR’S REPORT**
Chairman’s Speech – Friends of Mount Edgcumbe AGM 2026
Good afternoon everyone,
It’s a real pleasure to welcome you all to this year’s Annual General Meeting of The Friends of Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park. Thank you for taking the time to join us, and for your continued support of this very special place.
Whether you are long-standing members, dedicated volunteers, trustees, or new friends joining us for the first time, your presence here reflects something we all share — a deep appreciation for Mount Edgcumbe and a commitment to preserving it for future generations.
As Chair, it’s been both an honour and a privilege to be part of this organisation. Mount Edgcumbe is more than just a historic estate; it’s a living landscape, rich in heritage, natural beauty, and community spirit. It continues to inspire all who visit, and it is our role to help ensure it remains protected and celebrated.
Over the past year, we have seen some truly meaningful achievements. Thanks to your support, we have been able to contribute to a number of important projects across the estate. These include the restoration of the English Garden House roof, helping to preserve an important feature of the gardens for years to come.
We have also supported seasonal bedding planting, along with the replacement of additional shrubs and trees, ensuring that the gardens continue to flourish and evolve in keeping with their historic character.
One particularly exciting initiative has been the Ships Project Barn Pool dig — an archaeological dig at Barn Pool involving local schools. This has been a wonderful way to connect younger generations with the history of the estate, sparking curiosity and learning through hands-on experience.
Our ongoing commitment to the care of the estate can also be seen in the continued renovation and upkeep of statues throughout the grounds, preserving these important features for visitors to enjoy.
Watch out for upcoming improvements to the Camellia Trail, with enhancements due to begin shortly, further enriching what is already a much-loved part of the gardens.
Alongside these projects, the Park has hosted a number of highly successful events and festivals over the past year, bringing the community together and showcasing all that Mount Edgcumbe has to offer. Most recently, the Christmas Fayre was a tremendous success, full of festive spirit and very well attended.
And of course, just yesterday, we held our Friends Easter Egg Hunt, which was met with fantastic feedback and smiling faces all around. Events like these remind us how important this place is, not just as a historic site, but as a space for community, enjoyment, and shared memories.
While we celebrate successes, we also recognise challenges. The American Classic Car Show, a much-loved event, had to be cancelled for 2025. However, I’m delighted to say that it will be returning — bigger and better than ever — on the 2[nd] of August 2026, and we very much look forward to welcoming it back.
Financially, we remain in a stable position, thanks to the continued generosity of our members and supporters. Your contributions enable us to support projects like these and make a real difference across the estate. Carol, our Treasurer will go more in depth with her report.
I would like to take a moment to extend my sincere thanks to our volunteers, whose dedication and enthusiasm are at the heart of everything we do. To my fellow trustees and committee members, thank you for your ongoing commitment and hard work. And to all of you here this afternoon — your support truly matters.
As some of you may know, this has been my final year serving as Chair. It has been a truly rewarding experience, and I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together. While I will be stepping down from this role, I will of course continue to support the Friends and remain involved in the future of this wonderful organisation.
Looking ahead, we have much to be excited about. There are more opportunities to contribute to the Park, to grow our membership, and to build on the strong sense of community that makes this organisation and site so special.
I would encourage you all to remain involved, to share your ideas, and to help us continue to grow. If you know someone who would value becoming a Friend, please do encourage them to join us.
I would simply like to say thank you.
Together, we are helping to ensure that Mount Edgcumbe remains a place of beauty, heritage, and enjoyment for generations to come.
Thank you.
Ben Church.
## **The Friends of Mt.Edgcumbe Country Park**
Registered Charity No. 295261
**Treasurer’s Report**
**Year ending 31st. December 2025**
These accounts have been prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis. The Trustees have prepared the accounts on a going concern basis as there are no uncertainties regarding the charity’s ability to continue. The charity has no paid employees, and there were no transactions with related parties. No trustee expenses have been incurred.
## **The Friends of Mt. Edgcumbe Country Park**
_Registered Charity No. 295261_
## **Statement of Financial Activities**
||**Unrestricted**
**Funds**|**Restricte**
**d Funds**|**Total**
**Funds**|**Prior period**
**Total**
**Funds**|**Further**
**details**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||£s|£s|£s|£s||
|**Current Account & Petty**
**Cash **|**2025**|||**2024**||
|**Income & endowments**
**from:**|||||**Note 1**|
|Membership|9,509||9,509|
6,329|Note 2|
|Bequest|0||0|
250|Note 3|
|Donations|734||734|
540|Note 4|
|Events|23,666||23,666|
17,394|Note 5|
|Sales of donated items|4,567||4,567|4,532|Note 6|
|Sale of goods|458||458|
117|Note 7|
|Gift Aid|565||565|
747|Note 8|
|Deposit Account interest|3,212||3,212|
5,263|Note 9|
|MERMS|539||539|
761|Note 10|
|**Total**|**43,250**|**0**|**43,250**|**35,933**||
|||||||
|**Expenditure on:**||||||
|Restricted Fund expenditure|0|||0||
|Mount Edgcumbe|(25,375)||(25,375)|(61,774)|Note 11|
|Membership|(3,694)||(3,694)|
0|Note 12|
|Event costs|(1,250)||(1,250)|
(944)|Note 13|
|Internal Projects|(232)||(232)|
(18)|Note 14|
|Journal|(1,820)||(1,820)|
(1,885)|Note 15|
|Administration|(970)||(970)|(1,914)|Note 16|
|Insurance|(712)||(712)|
(619)||
|**Total**|**(34,053)**|**0**|**(34,053)**|**(67,156)**||
|||||||
|**Net Surplus/(Deficit) funds**|**9,197**|**0**|**9,197**|**(31,223)**||
## **The Friends of Mt. Edgcumbe Country Park**
_Registered Charity No. 295261_
## **Notes to accompany to the Statement of Financial Activities**
1. The charity does not have any endowment funds.
2. There has been an increase in membership fees since 2024
3. The charity has received no bequests in 2025
4. Donations include ad hoc donations, the cash collected from goblets in the lodge and boxes placed around the park.
5. Event income accounted for came from the 2024 Car Show (£18,366) received in February, Easter Egg Trail (£1,285), Green Man (£78), Fireworks (£692) Christmas Fayre Tombola (£508) event. Closure of Car Show Account, refund of account balance (£2737).
6. Sale of donated items is the money received through the lodge.
7. The sale of goods relates to the Friends Walk book and Mt. Edgcumbe Guide books. Improve marketing and use of park outlets has seen an increase in sales this year.
8. Gift aid relates to the amount of gift aid claimed back relating to memberships and donations. The amount accounted for here relates to 2024 Membership and Donations up to April 2025. The claim for 2025 will be submitted in April/May 2026 and will be accounted for in the 2026 accounts.
9. The average balance in the deposit account is lower than in previous years and there has also been a decrease in interest rates.
10. In 2020 MERMS was given a loan of £3000 for a new locomotive and to buy track. This loan has now been paid back .
11. Donations to the park paid for English Garden House Roof (£20,000) Bedding Plants (£4,000) Ship Project (£1250) Baby Changing Table - Orangery Toilets ( £125)
12. Membership is now on line - Membership Mojo. Costs include fees and membership cards.
13. Event Costs include Christmas Trees (£55) Easter Egg Trail (£515) - Profit from this event was £770.65 Fireworks (£680) - the £12 difference was to cover Sum Up Fee.
14. A sample supply of Friends' clothing has been bought.
15. There have been three issues of the journal this year.
16. Administration includes: Website, Email Accounts, Sum Up Fees, Stamps and Misc. Expenses.
## **The Friends of Mt. Edgcumbe Country Park**
_Registered Charity No. 295261_
## **Statement of Assets and Liabilities**
||**2025**|**2024**|**Further details**|
|---|---|---|---|
||**£s**|**£s**||
|**Fixed assets**||||
|Lambert Lodge|18,324|
18,324||
|Painting by Meredith Hawes, on loan
to Mt. Edgcumbe House||||
|Road signs, cones, trackway and
other functional items|10,000|
10,000|Note 17|
|**Subtotal**|**28,324**|**28,324**||
|**Current Assets**||||
|Santander current account|14,962|
8,692||
|COIF Charities deposit fund|78,366|
75,154|Note 18|
|Cash|106|
391||
|**Subtotal**|**93,434**|**84,237**||
|Less:||||
|Deferred income & liabilities||||
|**Total Current Assets**|**93,434**|**84,237**||
|**Total Fixed & Current Assets**|**121,758**|**112,561**||
|||||
|**Accumulated Funds**||||
|Balance brought forward|112,561|
143,784||
|Revaluation of assets||||
|Plus surplus/deficit for year|9,197|(31,223)||
|**Total Funds**|**121,758**|**112,561**||
17. These fixed assets are at the time of the report under review.
18. Deposit account analysis:
|**Deposit Account**|**Brought forward**|
|---|---|
||£s|
|Brought forward|75,154|
|Transfer from current account|0|
|Deposit account interest|3,212|
|**Total funds carried forward**|**78,366**|
INDEPENDENT ExA[NER,s REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS
Friends of Mt Edgcumbe Charity Number 295261
Accounts Year Ending 3111212025
As Charity Trustees, you have prepared annual accounts for the year ending 31 st
December 2025 which do not require a full audit under section 43(2) of the
Charities Act 1993.
I have examined a selection of the income and expenditure entries on the Friends
of Mt Edgcumbe Charity Account spreadsheet and have traced them to the
fmancial summary and can confirni that the income and expenditure figures give
rise to an overall increase of £9,197 in the total cash funds of the Charity during
2025. The total fixed and current &ssets of the Charity are now £121,758.
From my observations I confirni that the records, to produce the Treasurer's Report
and Accounts for the year ending 3 1st December 2025. have been kept in a diligent
manner with good use being made of deposit bank interest for the Charity of
£3,212. The primary income was from "Events" amounting to £23,666 and the
largest single expense w&s £25,375, being expenditure on Mt Edgcumbe Garden
House.
No matter has come to my attention which gives me any cause for concern
regarding the accuracy of these accounts 01 over individual income and
expenditure items.
I note that the fixed assets remain at theit previous value of £10,000 having not
been revalued. I understand this will be Teviewed in 2026.
Iv
Michael Clay
FAAL ACIB, Cert Ed, IAC, TEP (Retired) Reg'n 2804
Dated 26 1 03 1 2026
Well House
Blackslone Road
Ipplepen
TQ125QN