## **Annual Report 2024-25** This report covers activities from July 2024 to 30[th] June 2025 ## **Introduction** Over this period most of our work has focussed on the continuing development and maintenance of Gorse Hill Nature Reserve and this report concentrates on our progress and the monitoring of our flora and fauna. The Management Committee met once a month during this period and sub groups met to progress Publicity and project development: the principal officers are the Trustees, Treasurer and Secretary. ## **Gorse Hill** All the work is carried out by volunteers: we have no paid staff. Volunteer work parties meet every Wednesday and Saturday. Cabin Wood and 5Acre Meadow are also open too the public with a cafe from 1- 4pm on Sundays. To further boost income a series of events were publicised that included a Halloween themed trail in Cabin Wood, wreath making workshops, Santa’s Grotto, Snowdrop Sundays, Easter Bunny Trail and Blossom and Bluebell guided walk to name but a few. Our accredited Ready to Burn logs gave volunteers experience in log splitting and stacking, and brought in welcome income. Other work that took place included monitoring, with camera traps, the grey squirrel activity on the bird feeding stations and reorganising and positioning them to reduce the amount grey squirrels consume. On a brighter note, we welcomed eight new volunteers and three MSc students to help with all the jobs needing attention. We continued to purchase and plant native wild daffodils, bluebells and snowdrops to enhance our woodland ground layer flora. The Reserve continues to provide a wide range of habitats from ponds and wetlands to meadows, woodland and heathland, encouraging small mammals, birds, insects and amphibians. ## **Meadows and Woodland** Haymaking took a setback due to poor weather. There was only a short weather window in late July, so we were only able to get hay off the 5Acre, with consequent implications for our income. It also made us consider the future viability of making our own hay. However, wildlife took advantage of the longer flowering period for the wildflowers in the meadows and the cover provided by the uncut meadows late into the winter. Visitors were still able to admire the wildflower meadows with mown paths snaking through them allowing close contact with the flora and fauna. Tree thinning out took place in Aughton Cliffs Wood, which had been left for a few years and continued into Willow Bank Wood and finished in Cabin Wood. As usual, fallen, damaged and smaller trees were removed to give the best specimens more space to thrive. New bug hotels were created in some of the woods, giving Edge Hill University Library staff a good day of competetive design and construction. Our hedges were flailed over the winter, following the three year rotation. ## **Polytunnel** Production over the year was very successful with sales of 24 different crops increasing from volunteers and the shop. It gave popular work for volunteers during wet and windy times. ## **Polytunnel Barn** The barn proved great for storage of hay but also allowed us to keep some of our machinery under cover. It also allowed us to load tonne bags of logs and store them ready for quick transport to customers. ## **Orchards** The usual thinning out of excess fruit early in the season followed by pre-harvesting mowing continued. There was also a blitz on scraping off weed that covered many of the ground cover sheeting under the apple trees in the Heritage Orchard. This was closely followed by the annual deep clean of the Juicing Unit in preparation for production in mid August. The apple crop this year was disappointing, with several varieties not fruiting at all. Production continued till mid-November with over 1000 bottles completed. Our ever popular Apple Weekend in September was reorganised with more focus on activities in one of the orchards and raised over £2000, helped by artwork and wood turned items made by a few volunteers. The season finished with pruning of all the 280 trees being completed in late February. ## **Education and Monitoring** A few of our volunteers are keen wildlife watchers. They were instrumental in monitoring the grey squirrel activity on our bird feeding stations. Regular monitoring has shown that there are at least 45 species of bird using The Reserve at any one time and is recorded on BirdTrack. Again we had no success with the swift boxes this year. All 150 bird boxes were cleaned out, repaired and monitored by volunteers that included MSc. students from Edge Hill University. We held another Moth and Newt Night on 1[st] June, with visitors pleased to see newts by torchlight swimming in Seldom Pond and the moth traps capture 23 species over the evening. The Blossom and Bluebell event allowed the public to see the 30 different varieties of apple tree in full bloom, whilst the ground is carpeted with cowslips and then appreciate the bluebells in Bluebell Wood. Undergraduates and Duke of Edinburgh students continue to use Gorse Hill for their volunteering and skills experience. ## **Publicity** The new website www.gorsehillnaturereserve.co.uk is now fully operational and Facebook and Instagram being used. Two issues of Nature Trail were produced this year for our subscription supporters. We also continue to open Cabin Wood on Sundays with a cafe and use this to promote our work. ## **Finance and Administration** Our main income streams come from grants, hay, apple and apple juice, logs, cafe, events, subscriptions and gift aid. More detailed finances can be found in the annual accounts for the period. ## **Conclusion** We are very grateful to the many volunteers who give up their free time to help with the work developing Gorse Hill Nature Reserve. We could not have achieved any of this without the dedication of our volunteers and supporters. J. Atkins B.Sc. C.Biol. MSB Secretary to the Trust INCOME EXPENDITURE REPORT JUL 24- JUN 2025 Current Account Cpening 3alarÈce Total Incomè Total Expenditu Closin Balance 1st Jul￿ 20&4 £13.192.69 £39.726.02 £26.252.86 e26,665.85 30th June 2025 Cash Opening Balance Drawn from Currènt Closing Balance Pe Cash S nt ¢255.01 £321.30 £2SO.72 £325.59 30th June 2025 Summa of 2024-2025 Assets 4t 1st Jul 2024 Cash at Bank Pètty Cash Tot41 cash £13,192.69 £255.01 £13 447.70 Assets Cha Total Income Total Expenditure (less Wty cash drawn) Petty Cash Spent Asset Chan ein s in 202*2025 £52,918.71 25,931.56 -£325.59 £26 661.56 ear Assets at 30th June 2025 Cash at Bank Petty Cash Total cash Net Cha £26,665.85 £2SO.72 £26,916.57 £26 661.56 e in Ass¢ts THE ABOVE IS A FAIR AND TRUE RECORD OF THE STATE OF THE ACCOUNTS OF NORTH WEST ECOLOGICAL TRUST FOR THE FINANCIAL PERICX) ENDIK 30TH JUNE 2025 Hon TrEa¥urer Dated Kate Wildman Hon Audltor 11.11 JC lan Culshaw Trusts•s Dated 121 ZS 12/2 Derèk Atkins Jonathan Atkins John Berry CHARITY COMMISSION Independent examinerfs report on the FOR ENGLAND AND WALES accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustees North West Ecological Trust On accounts for the year ended 3010612025 Charity no Irf any) 327788 Set out on pages land 2 I report to the twstees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (1he Trusf) for the year ended 3010612025 Responslbllities and basis of report As Ihe charrty's trustees. are resFonsible for the preparation of the accounts in ac£ordance with the wuireff*nts of the Charities Ad 2011 (Ihe A(X"). I report in respe￿ of my examination of the Trust's aco)unts carried out under sedion 145 of the 2011 Act and in canying out my examination, I have followed all the spplicable Di￿￿10nS given by the Charity Commission under secti(xi 145{5Kbl of the ACL Independent examiner's statement I have (x)mWed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (Other than that disclosed below ") which gives me cause to believe that in. any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Chariti'es Act.. or the accounts did not accord with the a￿ntIng records; or the accounts did not iJ)mply with the applicable reqU1￿MentS Th)r￿eming the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulth'ons 2008 other than any requirement that the acuunts give a Irue and fail view which is not a matter considerB(l as part of an independent examination. I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to whith attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the act>)unts to be reached. . Please delete the words in the brncl(ets rfthey do not apply. Slgned: 1211112025 Name: lan Culshww Relevant professlonal qualiflcationls) or body | {If anyl. 27 Westover Road, Maghull Address: L31 78T Section B Disclosure Only mmplete if the examiner needs lo highlighl material matters of concem {see CC32. Independent examination of chariiy accounts.. directions and guidan￿ for examiners). Give hero brief details of any Items that the examiner wishes to disclose. 2810212025 Missing receipt for Land Search, £130 2510612025 Missing receipt for petty cash #12. £0.73. C-, Incorrect Petty Cash amount on June finance report. It is wrreGt. however, on the Income Expenditure Report July 2024-June 2025