WOOLSTON EYES CONSERVATION GROUP
ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS
YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
Reference and administrative details
Name of charity: Woolston Eyes Conservation Group Charity registration number: 700362 Mailing address: WECG, 9 Lynton Gardens, Appleton, Warrington WA4 5ED Website: www.woolstoneyes.com Independent examiner: Steve Williams, 90 Edward Gardens, Woolston, Warrington, WA1 4QT
Trustees, Officers and Group Members
The Woolston Eyes Conservation Group is a charity registered with the UK Charity Commission (no. 700362). It was formed with an agreed constitution in 1978.
WECG is managed by a committee which comprises up to 12 members who elect trustees and officers at an Annual General Meeting
| B Ankers | Chairman and Trustee |
|---|---|
| D Bowman | Vice-chairman and Trustee |
| B Martin | Recorder and Trustee |
| D Spencer | Treasurer and Secretary |
| J Blundell | Committee Member |
| D Hackett | Committee Member |
| J Haddock | Committee Member |
| S Haddock | Committee Member |
| A Mansfield | Committee Member |
| D Owen | Committee Member |
| H Wynn | Committee Member |
Objectives and Activities
The purpose of the Woolston Eyes Conservation Group (WECG) is to maintain and enhance the environment of the Woolston Eyes deposit grounds which are owned and managed by Peel Holdings/Manchester Ship Canal Company (the owners). The deposit grounds are classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
WECG’s main activities are:
1. Habitat Management:
Woolston Eyes SSSI is a nationally important site for its breeding bird assemblage of lowland open waters and their margins, including nationally important numbers of Black-necked Grebe, Gadwall and Pochard. Approximately 25% of the UK population of Black-necked Grebes breed at Woolston. In addition to its ornithological interest, Woolston Eyes is also Cheshire’s premier butterfly site with large numbers of wider countryside species occurring along with notable assemblages of common amphibians.
2. Data Collection
The members and permit holders collect data on the fauna and flora of the site by:
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Monthly Wetland Bird Surveys from September to April
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Breeding Bird Surveys between March and July.
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Bird ringing on Deposit Beds 1 and 3 carried out throughout the year by members of the Merseyside Ringing Group.
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Regular surveys of butterflies and dragonflies.
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Occasional surveys of other flora and fauna types, such as moths, beetles, wildflowers and fungi
The data collected is used by the WECG to guide habitat management activity and by Natural England when re-designation of the SSSI status occurs. It also informs the relationship with the owners to ensure that the quality of the habitat is maintained.
3. Visitor Access
The WECG 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.
Permit holders pay an annual fee for access to the Reserve of £20 per annum for an individual permit and £30 per annum for a family permit.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
Habitat management
We’ve been fortunate at Woolston Eyes to see our application for nearly £100,000, from the national Species Recovery Programme, being successful. The fund, which is administered by Natural England, has been created to try and halt the decline in some of the nation’s most important species. For us, it’s our critically important Willow Tits. The money will be used to employ a contractor to coppice 54 hectares of woodland and scrub across the Reserve, turning back the succession to mature woodland. Willow Tits need young, low scrub with diverse ground cover and a supply of rotting stumps, in which they excavate their nests, in order to thrive. Research is another aspect of the programme, with successful bidders being required to contribute to our knowledge of species recovery nationally. So, we’ll be trialling different approaches to coppicing and monitoring their outcomes, in terms of breeding Willow Tit pairs.
In addition to this new development a large amount of the more routine habitat management work has taken place throughout the year which has focused on reed restoration, tree coppicing and maintenance of our grasslands. This work is carried out by RSPB wardens funded by WECG.
Annual Report
We published a report on the fauna and flora recorded on the Reserve in 2022. We are very grateful to wildlife artist Colin Woolfe who illustrates our front cover; this year’s painting was of a Penduline Tit which was recorded for the first time on the Reserve in November. The only other Cheshire record is of one on 14[th] September 1986 on the Wirral at Meols.
The report for 2023 sightings is currently in preparation and will be published in 2024.
Fauna and flora reports from previous years can be found via our website www.woolstoneyes.com. In addition, all the data collected on birds, butterflies and dragonflies are entered into RECORD, a biodiversity information system serving Cheshire, Halton, Warrington and Wirral.
Brian Martin, our Reserve recorder and co-founder, has published a book entitled ‘Woolston Eyes - From Wasteland to Wetland’. Brian’s book outlines the history of the Woolston Eyes Conservation Group from its earliest days in the 1980s and its trials and triumphs as it created, with the help of the landowners and other partners, one of the foremost wetlands in the country. Local photographers have contributed many great pictures and there are also papers on some of the most important aspects of the Reserves natural history.
Visitor Access
There was a continuing strong demand for permit sales and approximately 700 permits were sold this year. We are grateful to our permit holders, whose positive support we greatly value and whose permit fees help to fund the habitat management work and provision of visitor facilities, which are at the centre of our committee’s activities.
.
FINANCIAL RESULTS
In 2023 £22,361 was raised from the sale of permits including Gift Aid compared to £20,676 in 2022. reflecting the continuing support from our permit holders.
Countryside Stewardship grants, totalling £35,447 were received/pending for habitat management work on No.3 and No.4 beds. A grant of £3,595 was also received from Natural England as a contribution towards the costs of security fencing and gates on No.4 bed.
The major expense during the year have been costs of the RSPB wardening services which amount to approximately £40,000. Other significant expenditures have been the No.4 gates and fencing (total cost £7,500 including the contribution from Natural England), ~£2,760 on a campaign of Giant Hogweed spraying on No.4 bed and £11,000 on willow removing from the No.4 wetland.
The accounts show that we remain in a sound financial position. At the end of 2023 we have £164,573 cash in the bank. We owe an estimated £159,000 to the RSPB for their services between 2016 to 2023and allowing for this and accruing the £23,616 outstanding RPA payment, we have surplus funds
of approximately £29,189 at the end of 2023. This is a decrease from 2022 when our surplus was £46,831, reflecting the significant one-off expenditures which have occurred in 2023.
The groups policy is to hold a surplus of at least £20k which would be intended to deal with any significant unplanned expenditure on our equipment or hides. As the committee comprises all volunteers our financial commitments are relatively small and the committee considers a £20k surplus sufficient to cover any financial risk.
B Ankers Chairman
| Section A Receipts and payments CC16a 01/01/2023 31/12/2023 No 700362 Woolston Eyes Conservation Group Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~————-~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments CC16a 01/01/2023 31/12/2023 No 700362 Woolston Eyes Conservation Group Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~————-~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments CC16a 01/01/2023 31/12/2023 No 700362 Woolston Eyes Conservation Group Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~————-~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments CC16a 01/01/2023 31/12/2023 No 700362 Woolston Eyes Conservation Group Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~————-~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments CC16a 01/01/2023 31/12/2023 No 700362 Woolston Eyes Conservation Group Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~————-~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments CC16a 01/01/2023 31/12/2023 No 700362 Woolston Eyes Conservation Group Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~————-~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments CC16a 01/01/2023 31/12/2023 No 700362 Woolston Eyes Conservation Group Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~————-~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments CC16a 01/01/2023 31/12/2023 No 700362 Woolston Eyes Conservation Group Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~————-~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments CC16a 01/01/2023 31/12/2023 No 700362 Woolston Eyes Conservation Group Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~————-~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments CC16a 01/01/2023 31/12/2023 No 700362 Woolston Eyes Conservation Group Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~————-~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments CC16a 01/01/2023 31/12/2023 No 700362 Woolston Eyes Conservation Group Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~————-~~ |
Section A Receipts and payments CC16a 01/01/2023 31/12/2023 No 700362 Woolston Eyes Conservation Group Receipts andpayments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ~~————-~~ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted funds |
Restricted funds | Endowment funds |
Total funds | Total funds | Last year | ||||||
| to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | to the nearest £ | |||||||
| A1 Receipts | |||||||||||
| Gift Aid | 3,813 | - | - | 3 | 3,813 | 3,418 | |||||
| Permits,etc. | 20,362 | - | - | 20 | 20,362 | 18,865 | |||||
| Donations | 1,284 | - | - | 1 | 1,284 | 1,261 | |||||
| Misc | 7 | - | - | 7 | 7 | 189 | |||||
| Rural Payment Agency | - | 11,830 | - | 11 | 11,830 | 35,447 | |||||
| No.4 Bed Wetland Development Phase 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 128,114 | |||||
| Countryside StewardshipGrant | |||||||||||
| NEgrant | - | 3,595 | - | 3 | 3,595 | 9,000 | |||||
| Bank Interest | 3,184 | - | - | 3 | 3,184 | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | 28,650 | 15,425 | - | 44,075 | 44,075 | 196,294 | |||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). - - - - - - - - - Sub total - - - - - Total receipts 28,650 15,425 - 44,075 196,294 ~~——_———~~ |
|||||||||||
| A3 Payments | |||||||||||
| Admin & Insurance | 5,610 | - | - | 5 | 5,610 | 5,861 | |||||
| Reserve Management | 27,979 | 3,595 | - | 31 | 31,574 | 15,246 | |||||
| Bird Food | 1,148 | - | - | 1 | 1,148 | 1,574 | |||||
| Miscellaneous Expenses | 2,109 | - | - | 2 | 2,109 | 852 | |||||
| No.4 Bed Phase 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 108,000 | |||||
| No.4 Bed Platform | - | - | - | - | - | 25,745 | |||||
| RSPB wardeningfees | - | - | - | - | - | 47,000 | |||||
| No4 Wet Woodland Development | 4,680 | - | 4 | 4,680 | - | ||||||
| Bank Charges | 213 | - | - | 213 | 213 | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 41,739 | 3,595 | - | 45,334 | 45,334 | 204,278 | |||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) - - - - - - - - Sub total - - - - - Total payments 41,739 3,595 - 45,334 204,278 ~~—————~~ |
|||||||||||
| Net of receipts/(payments) | - 13,089 | 089 | 11,830 | 830 | - | - | - 1 | - 1,259 | 259 | - 7,984 | 984 |
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | **- ** | - | - | - | - | |||||
| A6 Cash funds last year end | 63,356 | 63,356 | 102,475 | 102,475 | - | 165 | 165,831 | 33,129 | 33,129 | ||
| Cash funds this year end | 50,267 | 50,267 | 114,305 | 114,305 | - 164,572 | - 164,572 | - 164,572 | - 164,572 | 25,145 | 25,145 |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
19/01/2024
1
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Unrestricted | Restricted funds | Restricted funds | Endowment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Categories B1 Cash funds |
funds to nearest £ 11,502 - 38,765 50,267 OK Current Countryside Stewardship Savings Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) ~~=== ~~ |
funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - 11,878 - 102,427 - 114,305 - OK OK ~~==~~ |
|||||
| Unrestricted | Restricted funds | Restricted funds | Endowment | ||||
| funds | funds | ||||||
| Details | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | ||||
| B2 Other monetary assets | - 23,616 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Outstanding RPA payments for 2023 ~~===>~~ |
||||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
||||
| B3 Investment assets | - - - - - - - - - - ~~===~~ |
||||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
||||
| B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use |
36,395 - - - - - - - - - - - Hides/Platform/Storage Units Storage Units Enviroloo Tractor Miscellaneous Equipment ~~===>~~ |
||||||
| Fund to which | Amount due | When due | |||||
| Details | liability relates | (optional) | (optional) | ||||
| B5 Liabilities | Restricted andUnrestricted 159,000 - - - - Amount due to the RSPB for wardening services ~~—==—=~~ |
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| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Signature | Print Name | Print Name | Date of approval | |||
| B Ankers | 13/01/2024 |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
19/01/2024
2
rva I report to the trustees on my examlnation ol Ihe accounts ol the Woolston Eyes Conservallon Group lor the year ended 31 Decembef 2023 As Ihe charity IfUSte8s ol the Trusl you are responsible lor the preparatlon ol the accounts in accordance wlth the requlrements of the Charitles Act 2011 (Ih8 Act.). I report In respect of my examinallon ol Ihe Trust's accounis carrled out under sectlon 145 01 the 2011 Aci and In carrying out my examinaiSon I have lollowed all Ihe appllcable Directions given by th8 Chaiily Commission under SelOn 145{5)(b) ol the Acl. I have compieteo my examlnatlon. I conllm that no maierlal matters have come lo my attentlon In connection with the examlna1l givlng me caus6 to belleve that In any material respect: 1, accounling records were not kept In respect ol the Trust a8 required by section 130 01 lh8 Aci; or 2. Ihe accounts do not accord wlth Ihose records I hav6 no concerns and have come across no other matters In connectlon with the examinatlon to whlch attenllon should be drawn In IhSs report in order to enable a proper understanding of the account8 lo be reached, Slgned Name: Stephen Williams Address; 90 Edward Gardens, Woolston, Warrington, Cheshiie Date:.