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2021-03-31-accounts

TEES VALLEY WILDLIFE TRUST LIMITED

(Company Limited by guarantee – not having a share capital)

Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts

For the year ended 31[st] March 2021

Registered charity number 511068

Company Registered in England: Number 1528307

Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts LEGAL & ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Trustees John Dear Chair
Cliff Shepherd Vice chair
Keith Hissitt Secretary
Mark Fishpool Treasurer
Jackie Henderson
Julie Mason
Mike McNulty
Brian Nicholson
Alan Simkins
Paul Swalwell
Ken Smith resigned 4.11.2020
Siobhan Callaghan appointed 4.11.2020
Chief Executive Jeremy Garside
Charity number 511068
Company number 1528307
Registered office Margrove Heritage Centre
Margrove Park
Saltburn
TS12 3BZ
Website www.teeswildlife.org
Independent examiner Azets
New Garth House
Upper Garth Gardens
Guisborough
TS14 6HA
Bankers Barclays Bank PLC CAF Bank
PO Box 235 Kings Hill
Stockton on Tees West Malling
TS17 6YJ Kent
ME19 4TA

CAF Bank is a subsidiary of the Charities Aid Foundation)

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Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts CONTENTS

Trustees’ report page 3 to 11
Independent examiner’s report page 12
Statement of financial activities page 13
Balance sheet page 14
Notes to the financial statements page 15 to 23

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Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

The trustees, who are also the directors of Tees Valley Wildlife Trust for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements 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 charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that 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 Companies Act 2006. 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.

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Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

The Trustees present their report and financial statements for the year ended 31[st] March 2021.

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the charity’s governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)” (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1[st] January 2016).

Achievements and performance

A SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES IN 2020/21

The Tees Valley Wildlife Trust Limited was established in 1979 in response to a growing threat to wildlife and natural habitats, particularly from industrial expansion around the Tees estuary. Its mission has become increasingly relevant and pressing in light of the continued and growing Ecological Crisis; the depletion and extinction of species and the precipitous decline of biodiversity which is unprecedented in its magnitude, pace and severity.

The Trust works to protect and restore nature through projects on nature reserves and in varied natural greenspaces across the Tees Valley’s urban, industrial, and rural landscapes. We recognise that the origins of many environmental problems lie in everyday attitudes and behaviour towards the natural world. We believe that the best way to address this is to increase people’s support and understanding by engaging and inspiring people through wildlife and natural places. Our projects give people rich experiences, learning opportunities and personal development.

In the weeks immediately preceding the 2020/21 financial year, the Coronavirus pandemic had taken hold and the country had been plunged into its first lockdown. In line with government restrictions designed to protect the public and limit the spread of the disease, we closed our volunteer tasks, public events and engagement activities. Much of our staff team made a rapid and successful transition to remote homeworking, while those whose roles became impossible under the restrictions, agreed to be placed on furlough.

Despite the tight restrictions on activity and travel, our wildlife sites remained freely available for people to use, and they became a huge focus for permitted daily outdoor recreation and ensured people could have regular contact with the natural world through a very difficult time.

Unprecedented numbers of people resorted to natural greenspaces for exercise and rapidly learnt about the benefits they received from experiencing and enjoying wildlife at a time when increased isolation and other pressures related to the pandemic were causing a nationwide decline in mental health and wellbeing. There is evidence that natural environments helped many people to cope with negative feelings and increased anxiety during lockdown and led to renewed interest in wildlife conservation.

During the year, the Trust benefited from a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Covid Emergency Fund which was used to support the repair and management of our nature reserves during the period following the first lockdown. This also enabled us to develop new ways of working with volunteers and local communities under the changing circumstances and regulations.

4

Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts

TRUSTEES’ REPORT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

Much of the Trust’s planned activities, which involve engaging people with nature, were severely impacted by the covid regulations. Our work with schools was brought to a complete halt, but we were able to devise and deliver a series of successful holiday enrichment activities for school-aged groups. These involved a morning delivery of an activity pack, the loan of a tablet and provision of a healthy lunch to families, followed by an on-line session in the afternoon with activities including birdwatching, making bird feeders, planting seeds and bug hunting.

We also made efforts to create new programmes with the objective of addressing the impacts of the pandemic on communities through nature-based activity. One of these, which we called B rotton Bird Buddies , worked with social housing provider Beyond Housing in an area of Brotton that was highlighted by Redcar and Cleveland Council’s neighbourhood team as an area of health and isolation need. Participants were provided with a bird feeding station, a colourful garden bird identification guide and supplies of bird seed and nuts. They received monthly packs of indoor activities designed to stimulate creativity and foster learning about garden birds. Fortnightly phone calls and handwritten bird-themed postcards from Trust staff and volunteers allowed participants to share their experiences and helped them to feel less isolated. Bird sightings were shared with wildlife recording projects to provide links with wider wildlife conservation schemes.

REVIEW OF PERFORMANCE AGAINST OBJECTIVES

In last year’s Annual Report, we identified three key objectives for our work in 2020/21. While our delivery and performance were inevitably affected by the pandemic, we made changes in order to continue to deliver our charitable objectives. These are also described.

Protecting and Restoring Nature

We said that in 2020/21, we would work at a regional scale in partnership with the Durham and Northumberland Wildlife Trusts to restore rivers and streams for wildlife, with the specific intention of securing a future for water vole populations.

Water voles are Britain’s fastest declining mammal and have been lost from 97% of their original range in the past 40 years. There are two main causes responsible for this alarming decline: loss and fragmentation of habitat and predation by the American mink. Local conservation bodies had reviewed past water vole conservation in the region and acknowledged that while previous efforts had slowed the decline of populations the approaches used had failed to stop it completely. Lessons learned from other areas of the UK have demonstrated the need to address both of the main causes of population decline on a landscapescale.

During the year we completed a one-year development phase of works for an ambitious region-wide project. We then submitted and received approval for three years of delivery funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The three Wildlife Trusts recruited a team of four project officers, which began work in January 2021.

The project is delivering a co-ordinated and ongoing effort to eradicate American mink from the Northeast and to ensure there is suitable, well-connected habitat to support the recovery of water vole populations. It is working with a wide range of landowners and communities across urban and rural areas. A partnership of NGOs, local authorities and statutory bodies has been formed to ensure the project can be effective. Engagement and training of local communities is building a network of people who are invested in the recovery of rivers and their water vole populations and will be keen to ensure their local areas of water vole habitat continue to be managed.

5

Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

In 2020/21, we also said we would survey and manage the network of field margins, hedges and road verges that support wildlife across East Cleveland.

A significant part of this work was to be delivered through a new project “Wildlife at the Margins” which would engage and train new volunteers to investigate and monitor the activity of a range of field edge and hedgerow fauna including birds, moths and hedgehogs. However, with the onset of the Covid lockdown we decided to put a temporary halt to this project until we are able to engage and train people safely and properly.

Connecting People with Nature

In last year’s report we said we would engage communities in the protection of important bird populations along the Tees Valley's coast which are particularly threatened by unintentional disturbance from recreational activity such as dog walking.

This work also involved significant engagement work with schools and communities and was put on hold for a short period during the first lockdown, but with the easing of restrictions during the summer of 2020, particularly with regard to domestic tourism and outdoor activities, we were keen to re-launch this initiative.

A Wild Coast Challenge Pack was produced to encourage families to take part in nature-themed activities on visits to the coast and 30 families signed-up to use the pack. Discovery Day events were held at local beaches and a more focussed programme of coastal wildlife activities were delivered with 8 families leading to their achievement of the John Muir Family Award.

With a large number of dolphins being spotted from Tees Valley coastal site, we recruited 43 volunteers to survey cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises). On-line training supplemented with socially distanced field-training was delivered to support volunteers, enabling them to take part in a national cetacean watch. Sightings were shared with the Seawatch Foundation helping to fill a gap in North Sea data collection.

We also said that during the year we would develop our provision of conservation and training opportunities which engage people facing a range of challenges including poor health, well-being, social exclusion, and socio-economic deprivation.

Our Life Skills project uses conservation and outdoor learning to give training and experiences to people who are affected by a range of mental, physical, and work-related difficulties. Project beneficiaries are referred to us by a number of specialist support agencies and many of them are particularly vulnerable to Covid.

In order to operate as much as possible under the lockdown, we maintained regular contact with all beneficiaries, including making phone calls to all of them on their usual task-days. This was greatly appreciated by their carers, who reported that some of the participants did not understand the situation and had begun to resent or become suspicious about being kept indoors. We also ran a weekly series of on-line nature reserve visits; leading a walk around a site with participants watching and able to ask questions and give directions from their home devices. These sessions were extended to create virtual workshops with pond dipping, bushcraft skills and wood turning activities.

Tackling the Climate Crisis

In 2020, we said we would work with new partner organisations in Middlesbrough to encourage public engagement in activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address the impacts of climate change. We see clear linkages between the ecological crisis and anthropogenic climate change. Damage and depletion of natural habitats exacerbates global warming, and a rapidly changing climate affects the animals, plants and ecological systems on which we depend for clean air, clean water, crop pollination and many other life-supporting natural systems.

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Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts

Climate Action Middlesbrough is a new project supported by the National Lottery Community Fund’s Climate Action Programme. It is working to reduce the town’s carbon footprint through a combination of practical initiatives on carbon emissions and the creation of a well-informed social movement supportive of tackling the climate crisis. It is helping individuals and communities to influence decision-making and to take action on climate change, working towards making sustainable lifestyles the norm.

It is being delivered through a partnership of local organisations including Middlesbrough Environment City, Actes and Hemlington Linx, with the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust leading on actions for biodiversity, nature, and greenspaces. We are setting out to establish a Nature Recovery Network for Middlesbrough, identifying priorities for the protection, management and restoration of wildlife habitats taking account of the possible impacts of a changing climate on the natural environment and opportunities to maximise carbon sequestration. Key to this is the creation of linkages and corridors between sites, so that wildlife is able to adapt to a changing climate as well as supporting local migration and expansion of species ranges.

We have been working with communities to deliver natural solutions to climate change in Middlesbrough, through tree planting and the establishment of other natural habitats which can store carbon such as wildflower-rich grasslands, wetlands, and saltmarshes. Key to the project’s success is that this work is led, supported, and understood by communities. One early action has been to establish a community tree nursery, using gardens, allotments, and community sites across the borough, with seed collection from local woodlands, seed germination. This will provide a sustainable source of tree stock for local planting projects.

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Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

Objectives and activities

The charity’s objectives are to protect and improve the natural environment, to create a better future for wildlife and people. Established in 1979, it works to safeguard scarce and threatened wild animals and plants, to improve the area’s green and wild spaces and to inspire people through the natural world.

The policies adopted in furtherance of these objectives include:

There has been no significant change in these objectives during the year.

The trustees have paid due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.

FOCUS FOR NEXT YEAR AND LONG-TERM STRATEGIES

The Trust sets out full details of its objectives in an annual Business Plan. From these, we can highlight the following objectives for 2021/22.

Protecting and Restoring Nature

We are seeking to restore space for nature at greater scale in order that ecosystems can function at sustainable levels. We have aligned with The Wildlife Trusts ambition for 30% of land to be beneficial for wildlife by 2030. During the year we will seek opportunities to deliver nature conservation across landscapes, working in partnership with others.

Connecting People with Nature

In 2021/22 we will explore new ways to engage communities with our work, empowering people to take actions which restore nature and from which they will also benefit in terms of their mental and physical health and wellbeing.

Tackling the Climate Crisis

In addition to continuing our work with Climate Action Middlesbrough, we will audit our own carbon footprint and set out ways in which we can work towards making the Trust carbon neutral and encourage others to commit to their own actions for the climate.

8

Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

Financial review

A priority at the start of the year, with the onset of the pandemic was to protect the Trust’s financial position by controlling expenditure and seeking external financial support through the immediate crisis. We faced threats to our income generation from our paid activities with schools and also our fundraising and membership recruitment at public events. We received welcome support from government covid business grants and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough) using this to support posts that were unable to continue to operate under government Covid regulations.

All our funders gave assurances that their grants could be used flexibly during Coronavirus lockdown and our expenditure contracted as a result of reduced staff travel and restricted delivery of practical projects.

We also refocussed activity during lockdown towards developing new projects and programmes and this resulted in new grant funded projects with the National Lottery Heritage and Community Funds.

By the end of the year, the Trust was in a sound financial position with a good basis of project funding for the coming year, although with much effort now needed to recover our income and support from membership and donations.

Reserves policy

The free reserve is an important part of the Trust’s risk management process, protecting the organisation from a number of potential risks such as a short-term downturn in fundraising income. In addition, with some of the Trust’s project income paid in arrears of expenditure, the free reserve is also essential for managing cash-flow.

The trustees have agreed to establish a level of financial reserve that would support the operational costs of the charity for between 3 and 6 months. The funds currently available to the charity are £127,971. The trustees have reviewed the level of its free financial reserve against current staff numbers and the budgeted expenditure for the current financial year. They have concluded that this meets their requirements.

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Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

Structure, governance and management

Tees Valley Wildlife Trust Limited is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission and is also a company limited by guarantee. It was founded in 1979 and was formerly known as the Cleveland Nature Conservation Trust and Cleveland Wildlife Trust. The organisation’s governing document is its Memorandum and Articles of Association. Anyone can become a member of the Trust.

The Council of Management of the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust Limited comprises a minimum of 10 and maximum of 15 trustees, who are also the directors of the company limited by guarantee. The Council is responsible for setting policy and strategy and for approving major commitments. A Chief Executive is appointed by the Council to manage the day-to-day operations of the charity. Trustees are elected from the membership and all members can nominate trustees prior to the Annual General Meeting. Trustees must retire at the third AGM following their election, although they are eligible for re-election. Council may co-opt additional trustees at any time. Trustees appointed by this method must not exceed one third of its elected membership and must retire from office at the next AGM.

New trustees undertake an induction following a written procedure, to brief them on their legal obligations under charity and company law and the management and operation of the charity. An induction pack is provided and includes items such as the governing document, trustee minutes and audited accounts. New trustees meet key employees of the charity and have the opportunity to visit its nature reserves and current project sites. The charity encourages training for trustees where this helps them to undertake their duties.

Environmental Policy

The Trust works hard to reduce all aspects of its negative environmental and ecological impacts. The ecological crisis is directly linked to global warming, and we are setting out ways of reducing our own greenhouse gases while encouraging others to do likewise. We have identified that the majority of our carbon dioxide emissions are related to transport with staff commuting, work vehicles, staff and volunteer mileage accounting for 90% of our carbon footprint. We have already installed solar panels and made energy saving measures to our building and will be investing in further measures to reduce our emissions in the coming year.

Public Benefit

The Tees Valley Wildlife Trust Limited is a local and independent charity which addresses threats to people and the natural world such as unsustainable consumption of the world's natural resources and damage to the natural ecosystems which support the planet. We work with local partners to ensure that wildlife and natural places contribute to the environmental, social and economic regeneration of the Tees Valley.

Investment Policy

The trustees, having regard to the liquidity requirements of the charity’s project programme, some elements of which receive payment in arrears from grant funders and to the financial reserves policy, have operated a policy of keeping available funds in interest bearing deposit accounts with competitive levels of interest and with ethical investment policies.

Remuneration Policy

Our approach to remuneration is designed to ensure we can attract and retain the talented and motivated people we need to achieve our mission and deliver our goals. It is applied consistently across the organisation.

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Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

The trustees aim to pay staff competitively in the not-for-profit sector within the context of affordability. Salaries are benchmarked across the Wildlife Trusts partnership and against other environmental charities working in the Northeast of England.

Risk Management

The Trustees are responsible for ensuring that the organisation has a sound system of internal control to safeguard its assets and funds, and that they use their best endeavours to ensure that its policies are implemented, and its aims and objectives met. For reasons of cost and practicality, the system of internal control is intended to manage rather than eliminate risks, and to give reasonable rather than absolute assurances.

The system of internal control includes:

The Covid19 crisis prompted a set of emergency measures being introduced in March 2020. The major risks to the Trust were identified as being the health and wellbeing of staff, volunteers and project participants and financial risks relating to membership and fundraising income. We responded by closing our office base and asking key staff to work from home while making arrangements to furlough others under the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Volunteering, activities and events were all ceased during the lockdown, and new ways of working, including use of digital media, were introduced. Our experiences and lessons learnt through this crisis will be used to strengthen the Trust’s emergency and contingency planning.

This report was approved by the Council of Management on 15[th] July 2021 and is signed on their behalf by the Chair:

John Dear

11

Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF TEES VALLEY WILDLIFE TRUST

I report on the accounts of the company for the year ended 31st March 2021 which are set out on pages 13 to 23.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The charity’s trustees, who are also the directors of Tees Valley Wildlife Trust for the purposes of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. The Charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of the Institute of Chartered Certified Accountants.

Having satisfied myself that the Charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner’s report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the financial statements presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements, 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 no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the next statement.

Independent examiner’s statement

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

J Gresham Azets

New Garth House Upper Garth Gardens Guisborough Cleveland TS14 6HA

12

Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

Notes
Income from:
Donations and legacies
Charitable activities
2
Investments
Other income
Total income
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
3
Net (outgoing)/incoming
resources before transfers
Gross transfers between funds
Net income/(expenditure) for the
year / Net movement in funds
Fund balances at 1st April 2020
Fund balances at 31st March 2021		 Unrestricted
funds
2021
£
99
108,003
46
65,362
173,510
198,176
(24,666)
48,037
23,371
677,568
700,939		 Restricted
funds
2021
£
23
199,093
-
30,335
229,451
247,165
(17,714)
(48,037)
(65,751)
322,597
256,846		 Total
Total
2021
2020
£
£
122
4,786
307,096
836,288
46
118
95,697
3,530
402,961
844,722
445,341
567,743
(42,380)
276,979
-
-
(42,380)
276,979
1,000,165
723,186
957,785
1,000,165

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account under the Companies Act 2006.

13

Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31[st] MARCH 2021

----- Start of picture text -----
2021 2020
Notes £ £ £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 7 588,382 593,789
Current assets
Debtors 8 2,415 28,715
Cash at bank and in hand 385,403 416,599
387,818 445,314
Creditors: amounts falling due
within one year 9 18,415 38,938
Net current assets 369,403 406,376
Net assets 957,785 1,000,165
Income funds
Restricted funds 13 256,846 322,597
Unrestricted funds - general 700,939 677,568
957,785 1,000,165
----- End of picture text -----

The company is entitled to the exemption from the audit requirement contained in section 477 of the Companies Act 2006, for the year ended 31[st] March 2021.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for ensuring that the charity keeps accounting records which comply with section 386 of the Act and for preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at the end of the financial year and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the financial year in accordance with the requirements of sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements. So far as applicable to the company.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 15[th] July 2021

J Dear Chairman

Company Registration No. 1528307

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Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

1. Accounting policies

Charity information

Tees Valley Wildlife Trust is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Margrove Heritage Centre, Margrove Park, Saltburn, TS12 3BZ.

Accounting convention

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the charity’s governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and “Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)” (as amended for accounting periods commencing from 1 January 2016).

The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

Going concern

At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus, the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

Charitable funds

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives unless the funds have been designated for other purposes.

Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.

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Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

1. Accounting policies

Income

Income is recognised when the charity is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that the income will be received.

Legacies are recognised at the earliest of the date the charity is notified of an impending distribution or of the legacy being received.

Cash donations are recognised as income in the year in which they are receivableAny income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.

Grants receivable are shown gross and are recognised in the SOFA to the extent that they relate to the period up to the year end. Where funding has been given for a period that spans the year end, the amount that relates to the following period is deferred and carried forward.

Expenditure

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under the headings that aggregate all costs related to the category.

Direct charitable expenditure includes the direct costs of the activities and depreciation on related assets. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of the resources.

Governance costs are those incurred in connection with administration of the charity and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.

Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses. Gifted assets are included at fair value.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

Freehold land nil
Buildings over 50 years
Fixtures, fittings and equipment over 12 years
Motor vehicles over 4 years

Equipment purchases for restricted projects is written off in the year it is acquired due to the often short term nature of the projects.

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the net income/(expenditure) for the year.

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Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

1. Accounting policies

Pension costs

The company operates a defined contribution scheme for the benefit of its employees. The costs of contributions are written off in the year they are payable.

Retirement benefits

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.

1. Critical accounting estimates and judgements

In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

17

Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

2. Income from charitable activities

Conservation
Education
Membership
Total income		 Unrestricted
funds
2021
£
-
-
108,003
108,003		 Restricted
funds
2021
£
175,708
23,385
-
199,093		 Total
Total
2021
2020
£
£
175,708
641,692
23,385
87,570
108,003
107,026
307,096
836,288

3. Expenditure on charitable activities

Staff costs
Direct costs
Premises costs
Office costs
Accountancy
Legal fees
Depreciation
Staff costs
Direct costs
Premises costs
Office costs
Accountancy
Legal fees
Depreciation
Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds		 Conservation
2021
£
228,058
55,803
-
-
-
-
-
283,861
49,673
234,188
283,861		 Education
2021
£
41,266
6,069
-
-
-
-
-
47,335
34,358
12,977
47,335		 Unrestricted
funds
2021
£
126,397
26,513
17,142
13,409
6,120
3,188
5,407
198,176
Membership
2021
£
26,129
10,827
-
-
-
-
-
36,956
36,956
-
36,956		 Restricted
funds
2021
£
193,201
53,964
-
-
-
-
-
247,165
Core
2021
£
23,842
7,777
17,142
13,409
6,120
3,492
5,407
77,189
77,189
-
77,189		 Total
Total
2021
2020
£
£
319,598
376,919
80,477
142,173
17,142
18,815
13,409
18,280
6,120
6,120
3,188
-
5,407
5,436
445,341
567,743
Total
Total
2021
2020
£
£
319,295
376,919
80,476
142,173
17,142
18,815
13,409
18,280
6,120
6,120
3,492
-
5,407
5,436
445,341
567,743
198,176
208,744
247,165
358,999
445,341
567,743

Expenditure is allocated on a direct basis.

18

Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

4. Trustees

None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration or benefits from the charity during the year.

5. Employees

Number of employees
The average monthly number of employee during the year was:
Management and administration
Charitable activities
The average number of FTE emplyees was:
Management and administration
Conservation
Education
Fundraising and membership		 2021
2020
No
No
3
3
14
18
17
21
6
9
3
5
1
1
1
1		 2021
2020
No
No
3
3
14
18
17
21
6
9
3
5
1
1
1
1		 2021
2020
No
No
3
3
14
18
17
21
6
9
3
5
1
1
1
1
11 16
Employment costs
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Other pension costs		 2021
2020
£
£
291,058
342,425
17,055
20,700
11,182
13,794
319,295
376,919

There are no employees who received total employee benefits of more than £60000.

19

Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

6. Pension costs

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme in respect of certain employees. The scheme and its assets are held by independent managers. The pension charge for the year represents contributions due from the charity and amounted to £12,495 (2020 - £13794).

7. Tangible fixed assets

Cost
At 1st April 2020
Additions
Disposals
At 31st March 2021
Depreciation and impairment
At 1st April 2020
Disposals
Depreciation charged in the year
At 31st March 2021
Carrying amount
At 31st March 2021
At 31st March 2020		 Land
£
506,692
-
-
506,692
-
-
-
-
506,692
506,692		 Buildings
£
96,973
-
-
96,973
23,890
-
1,462
25,352
71,621
73,083		 Fixtures,
fittings &
equipment
£
18,335
-
-
18,335
13,321
-
1,795
15,116
3,219
5,014		 Motor
vehicles
Total
£
£
43,692
665,692
-
-
(20,682)
(20,682)
23,010
645,010
34,692
71,903
(20,682)
(20,682)
2,150
5,407
16,160
56,628
6,850
588,382
9,000
593,789

8. Debtors

Trade debtors 2021
2020
£
£
2,415
28,715
2,415
28,715

20

Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

9. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Amounts falling due within one year:
Trade creditors
Taxation
Other creditors
Accruals and deferred income		 2021
2020
£
£
(1,252)
20,067
5,497
5,231
12,113
10,898
2,057
2,742
18,415
38,938

10. Financial commitments

At 31st March 2021, the company had the following commitments
under non-cancellable operating leases:
Expiry date:
Within 1 year
2 - 5 years		 2021
2020
£
£
1,762
3,205
480
1,281
2,242
4,486

11.Guarantee

The company is incorporated as a company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital. The members of the company have each undertaken to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 towards any deficit arising in the event of the company being wound up. This guarantee applies during the period of membership and extends one year after membership ceases.

12. Transfers between funds

The transfers from restricted project funds to unrestricted funds represents management charges earned on projects and transfer of balances remaining on ceased projects.

21

Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

13. Movement in funds

Restricted funds
Conservation - main
Conservation - landfill
Education
Unrestricted funds
General funds
Total funds		 Balance at
1.4.2020
Total
£
326,040
-
(3,443)
322,597
677,568
677,568
1,000,165		 Incoming
resources
£
205,066
-
24,385
229,451
173,510
173,510
402,961		 Resources
expended
£
(234,188)
-
(12,977)
(247,165)
(198,176)
(198,176)
(445,341)		 Transfers
Balance at
31.3.2021
Total
£
£
(43,246)
253,672
-
-
(4,791)
3,174
(48,037)
256,846
48,037
700,939
48,037
700,939
-
957,785

Restricted funds are resources held by Tees Valley Wildlife Trust Limited for specific purposes.

Project balances include the following:

14. The National Lottery Community Fund

Included in restricted funds under Conservation was funding received from the following organisations, all of which has been expended.

Tees Valley Nature partnership £48863 Life Skills £23855

22

Tees Valley Wildlife Trust – Trustees Annual Report and Accounts NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021

15. Analysis of net assets between funds

Fund balances at 31st March 2020 are
represented by:
Tangible assets
Current assets
Current liabilities		 Unrestricted
funds
2021
£
572,968
142,875
(14,904)
700,939		 Restricted
funds
2021
£
15,414
244,943
(3,511)
256,846		 Total
Total
2021
2020
£
£
588,382
593,789
387,818
445,314
(18,415)
(38,938)
957,785
1,000,165

16. Contingent liabilities

The incoming resources of the company include grants which are subject to various terms and conditions. There is a contingent liability to repay all or part of such grants should the company breach any of the terms and conditions under which the grants are made. However, the Board are not aware of any such circumstances currently existing and therefore no provision is required.

17. Related parties

Note 17 - Related party transactions

There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2020 - none)

Remuneration of key management personnel

The remuneration of key management personnel is as follows.

Aggregate compensation 2021
2020
£
£
98,978
98,716

23