## WOOLSTON EYES CONSERVATION GROUP ANNUAL REPORT This short report has been prepared for the purposes of the Charity Commission. It summarises our activities during the financial year 1st January 2020 to 31st December 2020. ## PURPOSE OF THE GROUP The purpose of the Woolston Eyes Conservation Group (WECG) is to maintain and enhance the environment of the Woolston Eyes deposit grounds owned and managed by Peel Holdings/Manchester Ship Canal Company (the owners). The deposit grounds are a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). In addition, we facilitate access to the Reserve by managing a permit system on behalf of the owners. We also provide facilities so that visitors can observe and enjoy the wildlife. In cooperation with the owners WECG undertakes three types of activity to achieve its purpose. ## Data Collection The wardens and permit holders collect data on the fauna and flora of the site by: - Monthly Wetland Bird Surveys from September to April - Breeding Bird Surveys between March and July. - Bird ringing on Deposit Beds 1 and 3 carried out throughout the year by members of the Merseyside Ringing Group. - Regular surveys of butterflies and dragonflies. - Occasional surveys of other flora and fauna types, such as moths, beetles, wildflowers and fungi A report for 2020 on the fauna and flora of the Reserve is currently in preparation and will be published later in the year. Fauna and flora reports from previous years can be found via our website www.woolstoneyes.com. In addition, all the data collected on birds and butterflies is entered into RECORD, a biodiversity information system serving Cheshire, Halton, Warrington and Wirral The data we collect is used by the WECG to guide habitat management activity and by Natural England when re-designation of the SSSI status occurs and to inform their relationship with the owners to ensure that the quality of the habitat is maintained. ## Habitat management A major new expansion on the Reserve is the development of No.4 bed into an extensive new wetland. This will more than treble the amount of wetland habitat on the Reserve. The first stage was completed in March 2020. WECG were successful in obtaining a Countryside Stewardship grant of £485,000 for Phase 2 of the development which commenced in June 2020 and is progressing well. The completion date is expected to be December 2021. Thanks are due to Peel Ports for the consents involved and to our colleagues in the RSPB and Natural England for their unstinting support. In addition to this we have continued the habitat management on No.3 bed. We were able to continue an agreement with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) for them to second to WECG a warden to carry out and supervise the habitat maintenance works agreed with Natural England. Unfortunately because of COVID-19 it has not been possible to organise any volunteer parties to work on the Reserve in 2020. We hope to restart our volunteer work programme as soon as restrictions allow. ## Visitor Access WECG currently has approximately 650 permit holders who pay an annual fee for access to the Reserve of £15 per annum for an individual permit and £25 per annum for a family permit. The support of our permit holders is very much appreciated and is vital to the management activities. Most of the funding for our warden post is derived from the sale of permits (the balance coming from a Countryside Stewardship Grant). In line with other nature reserves, the Reserve was closed during the first COVID lockdown in the spring and early summer. We have been able to keep the Reserve open for the remainder of the year however by limiting visitor numbers in hides and providing hand and surface sanitising equipment. Because of COVID 19 we did not feel it appropriate to allow any group visits or ran any training workshops in 2020. Normally we have strong demand for group visits by organisations such as bird clubs, RSPB groups and the U3A. In recent years we have also ran training workshops for members of the local communities and university students on bird, butterfly and dragonfly surveying methods as well as bird ringing demonstrations. ## FINANCIAL RESULTS The accounts show that we remain in a sound position. At the end of 2020 we have £41,113 cash in the bank. Allowing for an estimated £106,000 we owe the RSPB for their services between 2016 to 2020 and £116,000 we expect to receive from the Rural Payment Agency for work done in 2020 for the No.4 bed development, there will be an additional £10,000 surplus. David Spencer Secretary/Treasurer 11[th] May 2021 Charity Registration No 700362 86 Edward Gardens Woolston Warrington WA1 4QT 01925 831170 davidpspencer@outlook.com CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLANO AND WALES Recei tsand ments accounts CC16a For th• p•rlod from To 01ffj1r2020 31112r2020 Section A Receipts and payments Endo fund• fund• fund• Totsl fund• L•st y•ar tolh• n•w••t £ loth• n•ii*t£ *lh• rwHtt trJlh• r*•r••t£ to th• nww•st¢ A1 R•c•l QfftAd Pwrnth. 6ts DonthrA Mmc Rural P•yrneDIAooncy an •n¢•g• Lotttry Fund Grint J.127 J.127 14,820 5.023 208 14,BSS 4023 203 1,282 26,618 39.847 Coun￿￿•￿t￿￿￿￿P Gr•nl ST.J42 mss incomg AR) 21975 1513rKI 1741J3 1L¥J,139 rof•i rocdpts 22.9 174,113 .13 Admin & In8uran¢• ReB8rv• M•n•o•rMnt Bird Food MMcdlan•oui Exwn No 4 Bed PhBJe I No 4 Btd Phaw2 4492 1016 1,0 783 113 1T7.geo 1n,9UO Sub ￿¢*1 78 A4 A•••t •nd In¥••tb)W Sub fot•l 10,61JO 2n.960 69.378 N•t 0fr•¢•I￿1PeymontrJ A3 Tran*f•rn b•twwn fund• AO fA•h funds la•t y￿r ond Cash funds thls yMr ènd 12.37 70,529 128,75 70.529 116,377 80,761 37,11 157.51 CCXX R1 acthjnts ISS} 14n)512021 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted fund• ton••mstE Restricte fund• t* n¢are¥¢e Endowment fund8 . 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