1.3.4 Becoming a Trustee
Any member who would like to become a Trustee should email chair@whitchurchwaterway.uk , or come forward under Nominations for Trustees from the Floor at the AGM.
Prospective Trustees will need to complete a trustee eligibility declaration for the Charity Commission which declares that they are suitable to become a charity trustee (for example, not disqualified from acting as a charity trustee, no unspent conviction for an offence involving dishonesty or deception etc). The names of Trustees are publically listed by The Charity Commission.
The Charity Commission publishes a useful guide “The Essential Trustee: what you need to know, what you need to do (CC3)”, which tells you about being a charity Trustee. See
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-to-know-cc3
What trustees must do is nothing to worry about and is well within the capabilities of an ordinary person who has the Trust's interests at heart.
1.4 Trustees Report
1.4.1 Governance
The Whitchurch Waterway Trust is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation dedicated to the restoration, maintenance and use of the Whitchurch Arm of the Llangollen Canal for the education and benefit of the general public. The trustees meet 4 times a year, including the Annual General Meeting. Our trustees are:
Mark Lacey (Chair) David Torrens (Treasurer) Kath Oldham (Membership Secretary) Hilary Seward (Whitchurch Business Group representative) Giles Sullivan (Whitchurch Town Council representative) Simon Tasker (co-opted) Bernise Tasker (co-opted)
Our regular volunteers include:
Helen Brockman (Secretary) Lindsay Green (Moorings) Arthur Kitt, Bob Sumner, Charlie Evans & David Stanier (Maintenance) Anthony Gilmore (Photography, Leaflet Distribution & Social Media) Joe Sheldon (Signage & Advertising Groundworks)
Many other volunteers help at the annual festival.
1.4.2 Financial
In 2022, the first ‘normal year’ since the pandemic, we are reporting a profit of £5,218 on income of £10,984, leaving us with free reserves of £42,285. This compares with a loss of -£672 in 2021. The reserves figure has to be viewed in the context of increasing contractor dredging and piling charges. Within this figure, we have established a designated fund of £30,000 for future maintenance costs. We will continue to explore cheaper options for carrying out this work.
1.4.3 Festival
The first canal festival for 3 years was held on the first weekend of September 2022. It was successful and raised around £2900 towards the upkeep of the canal. The best dressed boat competition was judged by a team comprising Vince Hunt, Chair of Shropshire Council, Cllr Peggy Mullock and Rose Hall, Deputy Mayor of Whitchurch Town Council. First prize and a bottle of champagne went to Jan Vallance who has ‘Tonka’, otherwise known as The Art Boat. The judges were impressed by the way Jan’s atmospheric canal-themed paintings were displayed along the side of her boat.
1.4.4 Whitchurch Country Park
Our stage 1 application for a Community Asset Transfer of the Whitchurch Country Park, including Greenfields Local Nature Reserve was accepted by Shropshire Council, who own the site. The second and final stage of the process is to develop a business plan and agree the terms of a lease agreement. We plan to
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create a partnership of local organisations to manage the site alongside the section of canal owned by WWT. A public consultation about the scheme will end after the Blackberry Festival in October.
1.4.5 Maintenance
Our team of volunteers has continued to do an excellent job of maintaining the arm throughout the year. We used a grant of £400 from Whitchurch Town Council towards the cost of a commercial standard strimmer which was vital in clearing the land prior to the 2023 festival. David Stanier has recently joined the team which means we now have Arthur, Bob, Charlie and David. We are now recruiting for an Erica and a Frank.
1.4.6 Moorings Agreement We have agreed terms with the Canal and Rivers Trust for a new agreement. CRT has been extremely responsive to our calls for an agreement that recognises that both parties have an interest in ensuring that the Whitchurch Arm is properly maintained. In order for that to happen, WWT needed flexibility to generate more income from its moorings. We hope to sign the new agreement in time for the next summer season.
1.4.7 Advertising
Hilary Seward has led a group replacing signage and adverts on the Whitchurch Arm with support from our designed, Joe Sheldon of Audlem Printers, who also contributed through voluntary work on site. We asked for tasteful signage in keeping with the environment and the results produced have surpassed all expectations with many positive comments coming from the public. Further replacement of signage is planned for 2024.
1.4.8 Communications
In addition to Facebook, we now also have accounts on Instagram and X, thanks to Anthony Gilmore. These have been heavily utilised in the run up to the festival and we aim to keep posting news items throughout the year. Mark featured in a towpath interview by Katy Tebby from Radio Shropshire and Hilary Seward was also interviewed by the station on the first morning of the festival.
1.4.9 And Finally………….
A big thank you to Lindsay Green and her family for their continued support, including the use of Chemistry Farm outbuildings and for opening her home to visitors during the festival.
Mark Lacey
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The Whitchurch Waterway Trust Accouts Report for 2022
Profit and Loss
| Profit and Loss | ||
|---|---|---|
| For Period: 01/01/2022 to 31/12/2022 | ||
| TURNOVER | 2022 | 2021 |
| 4010 Mooring Fees Net | £3,001.75 | £1,947.72 |
| (Mooring fees less the 40~~% due to CRT)~~ | ||
| 4400 Canal Festival Income | £3,275.02 | |
| (No Festival in 2021) | ||
| 4800 Grants Income | £1,450.00 | £200.00 |
| 4906 Advertising Income | £390.00 | £540.00 |
| 4907 Bric a Brac Sales Income | £280.00 | |
| 4908 Donations Income | £635.20 | £739.89 |
| 4909 Membership Subscriptions | £1,083.04 | £1,014.00 |
| 4910 Bank Account Interest Received | £5.15 | £25.08 |
| 4911 Investment Income (COIF Units) | £774.24 | £629.82 |
| 4912 Capital Value Change COIF Fund | -£937.68 | |
| Total: | £10,894.40 | £4,158.83 |
| LESS COST OF SALES: | ||
| 5006 Arm Maintenance (north Chemistry Bridge) | -£2,965.05 | -£1,049.95 |
| 5007 Build or Maintain South of Chemistry Brg | -£780.00 | |
| 5490 Canal Festival Miscellaneous Expenses | -£354.55 | |
| Total: | -£4,099.60 | -£1,049.95 |
| GROSS PROFIT: | £6,794.80 | £3,108.88 |
| LESS EXPENSES: | ||
| 7504 Facebook Design and Maintenance | -£50.00 | |
| 7505 Website Design and Maintenance | -£700.00 | |
| 7506 Hosting Fees and IT Consumables | -£186.55 | |
| 7507 Office Stationary and Postage Costs | -£51.39 | -£177.90 |
| 8201 Subscriptions | -£79.00 | -£28.96 |
| 8204 Insurance | -£509.60 | -£414.40 |
| Total: | -£1,576.54 | -£621.26 |
| Profit Before Tax: | £5,218.26 | £2,487.62 |
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End of Year Balance Sheet
| End of Year Balance Sheet | ||
|---|---|---|
| FIXED ASSETS: | ||
| 10 Freehold Property | £1,600 | £1,600 |
| Total Fixed Assets: | £1,600 | £1,600 |
| CURRENT ASSETS: | ||
| 1010 Lloydes Bank Shares | £144 | £144 |
| 1200 Current Account | £11,052 | £3,387 |
| 1210 Business Instant Access | £3,006 | £3,001 |
| 1211 COIF | £31,417 | £31,417 |
| Total Current Assets: | £45,620 | £37,950 |
| CURRENT LIABILITIES: | ||
| 2100 Creditors Control Account | £451 | |
| (Above was some expences not Paid until 2023) | ||
| 2300 Canal and River Trust Liability | £2,884 | £882 |
| Total Current Liability: | £3,335 | £882 |
| Current Assets less Current Liabilities: | £42,285 | £37,067 |
| Fixed Assets + Current Assets less Current Liabilities: | £43,885 | £38,667 |
| CAPITAL AND RESERVES: | ||
| P&L Account | £43,885 | £38,667 |
| Total Capital and Reserves: | £43,885 | £38,667 |
Approved by the Trustees
and signed on behalf of the WWT Trustees by David J G Torrens (Treasurer).................................