## **Trustees' Annual Report for the period** Period start date Period end date 1st April 2023 ~~**T**~~ 31st March 2024 **From** **o** ## Section A Reference and administration details **Charity name** BIRCH THOMPSON MEMORIAL FUND **Other names charity is known by** |**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee(if any)**| |---|---|---|---| |1 Keith Berry|Chair||BTMF Trustees| |2 Jeetendra Kumar|Secretary||BTMF Trustees| |3 Paula Davies|Treasurer||BTMF Trustees| |4 Jane Stringer|||BTMF Trustees| |5 Dilys Williams|||BTMF Trustees| |6 Duke Jackson|||BTMF Trustees| |7 Duane Williams|||BTMF Trustees| |8 Gerald O’Hara|||BTMF Trustees| |9 Andrew Morris|||BTMF Trustees| |10 LucyHeeley||1 November 2022|BTMF Trustees| |11 Tamika Grundy||1 November 2022|BTMF Trustees| |12 Hannah Willetts||1 November 2022|BTMF Trustees| |13|||| |14|||| |15|||| |16|||| |17|||| |18|||| |19|||| |20
~~Oe~~|~~Oe~~|~~Oe~~|~~Oe~~| **TAR** March **2012** 1 ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** |**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**|**Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)**| |---|---|---| |**Type of adviser **
**Name**
**Address**||| |**Accountancy**|Mark Fletcher|| |**Management**||| |**Management**|Richard Skirrow|| |**Design and Build**|Mark Twynam|| **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** ## **Section B Structure, governance and management** ## **Description of the charity’s trusts** Trust Deed sealed on 1[st] October 1981, Scheme Sealed on 13[th] May 2002 Type of governing document RefN72(S)/ 02 Case No: 202156 (eg. trust deed, constitution) Trust How the charity is constituted - (eg. trust, association, company) Elected by continuing Trustees Trustee selection methods - (eg. appointed by, elected by) ## **Additional governance issues (Optional information)** You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant, about: - policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees; - the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works; The Charity operates under a Declaration of Trust dated 1[st] October 1981 and a scheme to provide a power of amendment which was sealed by the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales on 13[th] May 2002. The scheme included the regulations for appointment of trustees. Clause 9(b) of the Constitution was amended to read “There shall be a quorum when five of the Trustees are present at any meeting.”. The Trustees have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance when interpreting the original Trust Deed and its continuing objectives. - relationship with any related parties; - trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them. ## **Section C Objectives and activities** - The provision of educational trips and holidays designed to supplement and advance the education of pupils attending Colton Hills School. **Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document** - To acquire and convert property to provide hostel accommodation. - To equip, maintain, repair, insure, reconstruct and generally to keep up to the required standard Gelliwig, the premises acquired by the Charity in 1985. - To make grants to pupils **TAR** March **2012** 2 |**Summary of the main**
**activities undertaken for the**
**public benefit in relation to**
**these objects (include within**
**this section the statutory**
**declaration that trustees have**
**had regard to the guidance**
**issued by the Charity**
**Commission on public**
**benefit)**|
To do all such other things as the Trustees in their absolute
discretion think fit with three provisions cited in the original deed.

To obtain, collect and receive money or funds by way of
contributions, donations, legacies, grants and any lawful method.| |---|---| ||
Year 7 from Colton Hills School students were taken on 4
residentials in June 2023

Other groups including the Royal School, three groups of
Sanctuary Seekers , Wolverhampton Vocational Training Centre,
all from Wolverhampton and South Cheshire Climbing Club
stayed at Gelliwig.in the year. Community groups such as Paul
Tucker’s Swimming for Charity agreed and interpreted by the
Trustees stayed at Gelliwig.

Several private groups used Gelliwig which was a source of
income for the Charity and in keeping with the wider community
vision of the parent school. This practice was endorsed by
correspondence with the Charity Commission in May 1999 and
the key sentence was “There is no problem in allowing other
pupils to use the facilities at the current rate providing the
beneficiaries do no lose out as a result”.| ## **Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)** **TAR** March **2012** 3 The Trustees, all volunteers not only attended for 10 formal meetings during the year but went on working weekends but five of them also led groups to stay at Gelliwig.. The Charity is utterly dependent on volunteer group leaders who go beyond their normal job schedules to take 24/7 responsibility for the whole group and manage our self- catering Centre. You **may choose** to include further statements, where relevant, about: In addition seven Trustees accompanied groups to Gelliwig for residentials. - policy on grantmaking; - policy programme related investment; - contribution made by volunteers. ## Section D Achievements and performance - Lettings at Gelliwig. Increased usage by the prime beneficiary Colton Hills School - Involvement of more volunteers on working parties - Preparation for the provision of synthetic turf at the rear of Gelliwig - Generous donations from individuals and Charities , essential support of Colton Hills School and Right Track. **TAR** March **2012** 4 Section D Achievements and erformance p Work done at Gelliwig was increasingly managed by Andrew Morris who **Summary of the main** liaised with our Warden Joe Gaffey on many occasions. He negotiated **achievements of the charity** work on the roofing including the provision of a seagull deterrent. **during the year** Ground maintenance was done with working parties from Right Track and Trustees. A brand new fire escape was agreed to be constructed by Oakworth under the guidance of former student Mark Twynam , MD of Benchmark Design. This was paid for in the current financial year to be installed at a later date. Andrew Morris and his team laid the foundation concrete pad to exact specifications provided. The link with the Wolverhampton Society of Friends(Quakers) and the Wolverhampton City of Sanctuary (Charity Number 1176101) has continued and resulted in three group holidays in August for Sanctuary Seekers in the Wolverhampton Area with volunteer leaders/Minibus Drivers from all three Charities. The 43[rd] event for the Charity with Todd Miller and the Joe Loss Orchestra took place , managed by Colton Hills and a 44[th] event in November 2024 was agreed. A post Jools Holland and his Orchestra concert collection at the Grand Theatre initiated by Patron and former student Dave Swift took place in July. Dave has been the bassist to the Orchestra for over three decades and is one of the UK’ highest profile bass Players. The web-site was greatly improved by the efforts of Tammy Foo and Trustees Hannah, Lucy, Gerald and Jeet throughout the year. Planning for a “ Steps up Snowdon” event to motivate Trustees to get fit and raise funds for the Charity were explored with a view to take place in the future. **TAR** March **2012** 5 ## **Section E Financial review** The Charity has increased its policy of retaining £5,000 in reserves to **Brief statement of the** £10,000. **charity’s policy on reserves** This has . **Details of any funds materially in deficit** At the year end the Charity secured interest free loans to the value of £11,000 to enable it to carry out landscaping work deemed essential by them to create an improved area surrounding the building. Land at the rear of the property will come into use once funding has be acquired. ## **Further financial review details (Optional information)** You **may choose** to include additional information, where relevant about: - the charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising); - how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity; - investment policy and objectives including any ethical investment policy adopted. The three main sources of funding during the year were as follows Donations £32,800 Rental £9752 Interest free loans £11,000 - The Donations include significant amounts from Tettenhall Rotary Club , Mr J and Dr M Samra, our local Councillor Sally Green, - A Special mention goes to Colton Hills Teacher Amardeep Malhi who raised over £1,000 by completing the Everest Base Camp Trek. - The Interest free loans enabled the Charity to proceed with Landscaping work agreed by the Trustees in consultation with Mark Twynam . Steve Barclay, Trustee Andy Morris and David Mcdougal of McCardle Sport Tec. Once again the Charity is greatly indebted to our Treasurer Paula Davies for her meticulous attention to detail of all the activities of the Charity in addition to her consistent book-keeping. The contributions from Karen Fletcher and Michael Denley in the production and examination of the of the Annual Accounts was again a most valuable effort for the Charity. ## **Section F Other optional information** During the Year Peter Thacker and Rakesh Kapoor had given voluntary help to the Charity on Working Party or Fund-raising and were to be asked to serve as Trustees in the future. ## **Section G Declaration** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **TAR** March **2012** 6 **Signature(s)** **Full name(s)** Keith Berry **Position (eg Secretary, Chair,** Chair **etc) Date** 29 January 2025 **TAR** March **2012** 7 ## **BIRCH THOMPSON MEMORIAL FUND** ## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES** ## **YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2024** |**2023**|**INCOME**|**2024**| |---|---|---| |7016|Rental income from property|9752| |31|Fundraising|1356| |590|Covenant deeds|750| |26|Bank interest received|136| |23799|Donations|32800| |**31462**||**44794**| ||**EXPENDITURE**|| |198|Property Maintenance/repairs|82| |3115|Property services|5149| |401|Telephone|448| |3055|Insurance|3631| |2130|Caretaking costs|2700| |1237|Equipment/furnishings|0| |28872|Refurbishment costs|9940| |0|Professional fees|675| |3220|Hire of equipment|0| |90|Sundries|52| |**42318**||**22677**| |**-10856**|**SURPLUS (2023:DEFICIT) FOR THE YEAR**|**22117**| BIRCH THOMPSON MEMORSAL FUND BALANCE SHEET 31ST MARCH 2024 3110312023 3110312024 FIXED ASSETS 300000 133841 Freehold land and buildings Additions - Gelliwig Development Project 300000 149710 433841 449710 CURRENT ASSETS VAT reclaim Other debtors 234 903 789 789 1137 5000 Cash at Bank Current Account Lloyds Bond 30 day Business Account 5000 10900 3296 15900 8296 LESS . CURRENT LIABILITIES 12260 452 14500 Deferred income VAT liability Interest Fr8e Loans 2708 11000 27212 13708 423318 TOTAL NET ASSETS 445435 Represented by.. 237674 SURPLUS - brought foNiard 226818 196500 Revaluatlon reserve 196500 -10856 Surplus12023'deflcitl for the year 22117 423318 NET WORTH - Carrled forward 445435 The freehold Land & Buildings were revalued on 14th February 2008 by Tom Parry & Co. Ltd., Surveyors and Estate Agents, based in Porthmadog, Gwynedd. Slgned K Berry MBE, JP Chair Birch Thompson Memorial Fund INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF BIRCH THOMPSON MEMORIAL FUND I report on the accounts ol the trust for the year ended 3151 March 2024. Res ective res nsibilities of trustees and examiner As the charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparatlon of Ihe accounts; you consider that the audit requirement of Section 43 (21 of fee Charities Act 1993 does not apply and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts lunder section 4313) lal of the 1993 Acl): - to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directbons wven by the Charity Commissioners (under section 43(7) Ib) of the 1993 Act); and - to state whethef particular matters have come to my attention. Basis of inde ndent examiner's re ort My examination was carried out in accordance with the GeneTal Directions given by the Charities Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any items or disclosures in the accounts and the seeking of explanations from you as Trustees conceming 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. IrKle endent examiner's statement In connection with my examination. no matter has come to my attention: a) whith gives me cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements io keep accounting records in accordance with section 41 of the 1993 Act: and . to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting fequirements of the 1993 Act have not been met. or blto which, in my opinlon. attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understandin8 of the accounts, to be reached Mob4- MKh•el R l)enley FCCA eq v SANJUALY 2025 O•