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2022-12-31-accounts

Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Resioration Trust ANNUAL REPORT 2022 g4 IIA ftESTORArioN rRusr

Chair's report

What a year it’s been! The hard work and dedication of our volunteers, plus the continued support of our members, sponsors, donors and partners, means we can look back on 2022 with pride and a real sense of achievement.

Our teams have built over 260 metres of canal channel and restored and constructed the towpath at Tamworth Road, overcoming many complexities along the way. Around 600 metres of landscaping security was created at Fosseway and about 250 metres at Tamworth Road. 4,600 hedging whips and trees were planted at Falkland Road, Fosseway and Tamworth Road. At Muckley Common our green and grounds team was assisted by corporate volunteers to clear 4,000m² of dense undergrowth and brambles and 300m² of canal channel was cleared near to Moat Bank Lane. Almost 1km of nature trail/towpath was tidied and repaired at Fosseway.

We ask regular volunteers to complete timesheets to capture the enormous contribution they make. Although not everyone does, we recorded over 18,030 volunteer hours in 2022 including Duke of Edinburgh students, corporates and adults. This was all unpaid and took place in all weathers, as the climate has been so variable. Huge thanks to every one of them, without whom we would not make such progress towards our vision to rebuild, restore and reconnect the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals to the national network.

All the success on the front line is ably supported by trustees and officers active behind the scenes. These important roles include planning, technical, land and property; construction, operations and environment; communications, marketing, finance and governance (ie: risk management, recordkeeping, statutory returns and various legalities).

During 2022, we concluded our review of how the Trust works and launched a new Board and governance structure, reducing from eleven to nine Trustees.

In so doing, we said a huge thank you and farewell to John Bryan, Stefan Szulc, Luke Walker, Steve Webster and Brian Williams. Happily, Steve, Brian and Stefan are still involved with LHCRT. Trustees are supported by a fantastic team of officers and other volunteers who make great things happen.

Our membership has grown by 130 to 2,423. Our members are incredibly important to us. They’re our advocates and supporters and their engagement, via events, fundraising, social media and volunteering, all enable us to make progress and strengthen our public profile, visibility and viability. Some have extremely useful connections with business, public and voluntary sector organisations and decision makers, influencers and funders. They also contribute financially via subscriptions, donations and other routes to help cocreate a lasting legacy for current and future generations to enjoy.

Restoring the canals is a costly business. Since the Trust was established in 1988 general prices have increased by over 250%. Building inflation has been particularly high recently, so purchasing materials and running plant and equipment is now much more expensive than it was. For example, £10 received in 1988 has the equivalent spending power of c£3.85 in 2023.

2

Therefore, we focus on securing all kinds of income. Grants are vital, as successful bids can bring in hundreds of thousands of pounds. Bob, Colin, Peter, Chris and Derek worked hard to secure grants totalling £353k from three awarding bodies, to enable us to start work on the Darnford Moors Ecology Park.

Following considerable preparatory construction activity by our talented operations team (which saved us a fortune), specialist contractors came on site in early 2023 and we’ll see part of the channel in water by this time next year. Further funds are needed to enable us to complete the rest of the section up to Darnford Lane. We’re very grateful to everyone who contributes through their membership subscription, donations, buying prize draw tickets or merchandise, coming to events and those who’ve kindly remembered us in their wills.

As you’ll see from our finance report starting on page 9, the Trust is responsible for the stewardship of net assets of £960,472, with income last year of £231,161 and expenditure of £133,641. This is well managed by our Finance and Funding Trustee, Bob Williams, who’s been involved with LHCRT soon after its inception, and is assisted by our Company Secretary Colin Booker. Bob prepares and presents management accounts to our monthly Board meetings, completes and submits VAT and Gift Aid returns, and accounts for the Trust and its Retail Trading subsidiary company, liaises with our external auditors and much more.

----- Start of picture text -----
2022
----- End of picture text -----

With such substantial funds and big ambitions, it’s essential that we’re clear about our priorities. With that in mind, 2022 also saw the launch of our new strategy (summarised on page 18) followed up in early 2023 by our operational plan for 2023/24 set out on page 19.

As a charity, we’re open and transparent about what we’re doing and planning, so our capable communications and marketing team keeps people informed via several routes. We’ve again seen our social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Linked In and TikTok) followers increase to 14,731. We have an informative website at www.lhcrt.org.uk thanks to our web administrator Paul Marshall, who’s also responsible for the fantastic films on our YouTube channel. We issue press releases to print and web media, and publish our quarterly members' magazine, Cut Both Ways, which has a new look.

Although the focus has been on the Lichfield section, we continue to keep a watching brief on the Hatherton Canal, particularly against impact of adverse developments. Some of the Trustees had an enjoyable afternoon inspecting and exploring a substantial length of the canal, which is in water and a very attractive walk.

We’re well into 2023 as I write this report and, building on last year’s great progress, construction continues apace at Darnford Moors and Tamworth Road, whilst we maintain our other sites. We will shortly be submitting planning applications to the local authority, working to discharge planning conditions and continuing to liaise with landowners to establish a flow of work to achieve our vision to rebuild, restore and reconnect. With so much underway, it’s a very exciting time for LHCRT and all those associated with the Trust.

Carole Mills, Chair of Trustees

3

Restoration

Bunds, bricks and brambles were some of the keywords that summarised the work of our volunteers in 2022, but all with a smile on their faces and increased determination to get more of the canal in water.

The year started with the successful completion of two environmental bunds on the Lichfield Canal; one along the majority of Falkland Road and a shorter one along Tamworth Road, both planted with hedging whips and interspersed with new trees.

They have a dual-purpose, not only providing new habitats for wildlife but also a barrier to prevent vehicle incursion. It was the vehicular barrier, which was necessary as a pre-requisite for the land transfer at Falkland Road, by Staffordshire County Council, and as soon as that transfer is complete and planning permissions are granted, more work can continue at these locations.

Meanwhile at the Tamworth Road section near old lock 24, work continued to progress from the old lock. The lock had been retired to allow the canal bed to be lowered sufficiently to pass under a lower Cricket Lane bridge, which will need to be built nearby. The new, realigned towpath was been extended a further 50 metres, with an adjacent dry-stone wall, thanks to many hundreds of reclaimed bricks, and the canal dug out further away from the old lock cottage. By the end of the year, you could begin to see what the finished canal will look like along that stretch of the route.

Maintenance was constantly taking place throughout the year, to prevent nature reclaiming the work already carried out, with regular work at Fosseway and Summerhill sections, plus new work at Muckley Common by corporate groups and the Saturday morning Duke of Edinburgh volunteers, seeking out and marking up the route.

We have an excellent t eam, led by Steve Webster, responsible for maintaining and repairing our diggers, dumpers, mowers and strimmers, many of which are aging.

This equipment is used to great effect across our sites and enables us to progress more quickly and effectively.

4

Big news came in November with the announcement of a successful funding bid to create an ecology park and put a section of the canal in water at Darnford Moors. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is providing £41,200 of the grant, with match funding of £75,000 from HS2’s Community and Environment Fund (CEF). Bluetech Waterfront Solutions Ltd, which had developed the new extension to the marina at Lichfield Cruising Club, was commissioned to engage specialist contractors to put the canal channel in water, and become an aquatic habitat In the meantime, LHCRT’s volunteers prepared the site, removing very thick and high brambles on the sides of the channel and from the sheet piling.

It took many volunteer hours, before the outline of the canal was again visible. The sheet piling installed by a WRG canal camp in the 1990s has stood the test of time and just needed some upgrade work. The rear of the sheet piles were exposed and sealed, and additional anchor piles and longer three-metre rods were tied into the existing waling beam, to provide additional support, before the area was backfilled up to towpath level.

On the opposite bank to the piling, the batter profile was created with specialist tracked dumpers and excavators. Blessed with good weather one weekend, some 800 tonnes of soil was moved and a 115metre section of the canal channel was expertly re-profiled.

A part of the works to create the ecology park included the creation of a nature trail, adjacent to former lock 29, as well as a wildlife pond. The pond has been created by using the natural low flood plain area from the adjacent Darnford Brook, and will provide a very important all-year round boost to the ecology of the wetland area. The area was then ready to be handed over to a ground works contractor at the start of 2023, to create the non-permeable canal bed.

Paul Jewitt, volunteer at Fosseway;

When I retired over six years ago I spent a few months sorting out the shed and was looking for something to take my interest and keep me active. The canal restoration work has fitted perfectly with great like minded people.

5

Volunteering

Volunteering hours Volunteering hours In 2022 we carried out over 18,083 In 2022 we carried out over equivalent to £750,000hours

h ~~ours~~ equivalent to £750,000

Our volunteers carry out a wide range of activities, from building the canal to hidden activities that we call 'management and admin', this covers a very wide range of activities such as writing funding bids, preparing accounts, Board meetings, liaising with other organisations such as developers, councils and utility companies, volunteer inductions and much much more. We often under report too!

Volunteer hours by type of work each quarter

Restoration Environmental work Management and admin Sales and marketing 0 2,500 5,000 7,500 10,000

Volunteer hours by location each quarter

Tamworth Road Fosseway Heath Summerhill Darnford Moors Muckley Common Home/other 0 2,500 5,000 7,500 10,000

6

Throughout 2022 we had 170 volunteers. The largest group was our Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) volunteers, who typically spend three months with us to cover their volunteering segment of the award. Some continue after the initial three months, some chose to return as part of their silver award, and two of our plant team are former DofE volunteers who have never left.

Current teams

Many of our volunteers have more than one role, this chart is based on the main role of each of our volunteers.

----- Start of picture text -----
Plant maintenance
Planning, finance, land etc 4
13
Marketing/events
15
DofE
71
Workparty
41
Green/grounds team
26
----- End of picture text -----

Volunteer stars

Our volunteers were recognised in the Support Staffordshire Lichfield and District Volunteer Star awards in 2022.

Our president, Eric Wood, received a commendation in the 'Lifetime achievement' category, and plant team volunteer, Tom Wright, was joint runner up in the 'young volunteer of the year' category.

Proving that you can volunteer at any age.

7

Marketing

Social media

A big part of our communications and marketing toolkit is our social media reach and engagement. From showcasing the work of our volunteers, to encouraging people to become members or volunteers, and promoting our online appeals, social media has a huge impact. Our followers count, reach and engagement increases year on year, as the chart below shows.

----- Start of picture text -----
2021 2022
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
YouTube Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn
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Website

Our website continues to be a vital source of information about our work and about how to become a member, volunteer and how to donate. Over 26,400 people viewed our website a total of 128,645 times over the year, and over 50% of those people viewed it using a mobile phone. Our web administrator, Paul, has worked hard and successfully to make the website mobile responsive.

Events

Marketing and retail trade generated income of £26,673, compared to £20,707 in 2021, due to the hard work of our marketing volunteers. From arranging our own events, such as the Brownhills Canal Festival and Eric's all-day Easter coffee morning and attending other events, selling Grand Prize Draw tickets, making cakes and auctioning antiquities, the marketing team are always working hard to ensure the money comes in.

8

Finance

Balance sheet

Fixed assets

Ogley Cottages

No new property was acquired this year.

The realisable freehold assets are two tenanted properties, 271 and 272 Ogley Cottages, at the summit of the Lichfield Canal, which have the original infilled Lock 1 under their front gardens. Depreciated at 2% p.a. to £442,410, their market value is estimated at £550,000.

These are jointly mortgaged to the Charity Bank securing the loan shown under Liabilities. Raised initially in 2007 towards the cost of installing a canal tunnel under Birmingham Road, it was increased in 2018 to contribute to the Tunnel Vision Fund intended to extend the tunnel under the railway embankment: see comment under Liabilities below.

----- Start of picture text -----
£0.55million
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Land and structures

Unrealisable areas of land donated by district and county councils brought the number of canal site possessions to 18, at a historic cost of £165,686.

Over 25 years, there have been a further 12 areas of donated land and structures built by or for LHCRT at an estimated historic cost of £3million, but without a realisable value due to their specific locations beyond the Trust’s possession.

Plant

A used 8-tonne excavator was bought for heavier work, taking the collective depreciated fleet value to £29,680.

Our fleet is expertly maintained by our volunteers and we thank our Plant Manager, Steve Webster and his team for the substantial highvalue items of privately-owned plant made available for Trust work.

Share capital

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£29,680
----- End of picture text -----

£1,000 share capital is held in the subsidiary Retail Trading Company for non-charitable activity.

9

Finance Balance sheet

Current assets

Debtors

The only debtor is the subsidiary company stock and cash of £1,386.

As the Trust is registered for VAT, refunds of £21,713 were received; totalling £327,822 over 20 years.

----- Start of picture text -----
£21,713
vat refund
----- End of picture text -----

Reserves

There are three categories of bank balances in line with our Reserves Policy; restricted, designated and unrestricted. These funds are held for purchase of land and property, plant and restoration work, and administration where there is a need to amass funds for projected expenditure.

Restricted funds provide reserves for asset management. In particular, the Sir David Suchet Tunnel Vision Fund, including the above mortgage, totalled over £0.570m after related costs. However, as we’ve been unable to secure grant funding to enable the canal to pass under the railway line, estimated at over £3million, this project is currently deferred.

With the rise in interest rates, the Charity Bank mortgage was reduced by £0.150m whilst retaining the donated element in restricted deposit funds. As crossing major roads will also require canal tunnels, this could be more appropriate than the railway in advancing the overall Lichfield Canal restoration if other opportunities arise.

----- Start of picture text -----
£570,000
----- End of picture text -----

Liabilities

A £34,380 reserve is held from the Summerhill restoration grant awarded in 2015 pending decisions on Department of Transport land surrounding the M6Toll aqueduct.

A similar amount was raised, via a Big Give Campaign in December towards the cost of a pedestrian lift-bridge across the canal between Tamworth and Longbridge Roads in Lichfield.

----- Start of picture text -----
£35k
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10

Finance Income and expenditure

Income

Membership subscriptions

Membership subscriptions of £12,543 in 2022 (after costs), plus welcome voluntary member donations of £3,786 raised an average of £13.76 per paying member. As fees have remained unchanged for thirty years, whilst costs have increased, they are being reviewed. The average cost of servicing al ~~l member~~ s was £2.33 per head (21.4% of basic subscriptions) due to prudent administration.

Marketing and retail activity

Marketing and retail trade generated income of £26,673 (£20,707 in 2021), due to the hard work of our marketing volunteers

Donations

Our promotions and appeals have attracted donations from home and abroad.

Income streams

----- Start of picture text -----
Retail profit
Gift Aid
Grand Prize Draw £1,386
£4,822
£6,861
Membership subs
£14,457
Legacies
£74,290
Ogley Cottages rent
£18,935
Donations
£22,381
Appeals (restricted)
Big Give appeal
£40,615
£39,135
(Tunnel Vision, land and
property, restoration and
plant, piling appeal)
----- End of picture text -----

11

Finance Income and expenditure

Expenditure

Hatherton Canal

Lichfield Canal continues to be the focus of current restoration work. Meanwhile, we keep a watching brief on developments affecting the Hatherton Canal, where the section in water is owned by the Canal and River Trust.

Lichfield Canal

Our volunteers, aided by regular youth and corporate teams, again made substantial progress on several sites.

As an exceptional benefit, Persimmon Homes’ housing development at St. Johns Grange, alongside the Lichfield Southern Bypass, included canal channel formation on land being donated to the Trust. Constructive negotiation with Persimmon and Amey for county highways regarding the position of bypass foundations enabled former Lock 23 to be saved due to the Trust’s Engineer, Peter Buck applying innovative curvature design proposals to allow for boat movements.

Not yet in the accounts, extensive work secured three overlapping grants totalling £0.353m to bring the neglected canal east of Darnford Lane (SE of Lichfield City Centre) back in water. The inherent ethos is for habitat and natural environment improvements towards combatting climate change. Our volunteers undertook a detailed procurement to engage a qualified commercial contractor to carry this project into 2023.

----- Start of picture text -----
Expenditure at each site
£25,000
£20,000
£15,000
£10,000
£5,000
£0
Darnford Moors Gallows ReachTamworth Road Fosseway Summerhill
----- End of picture text -----

Management and admin costs

Labour, management and administration costs were underpinned by the dedicated hard work of directors, officers and other volunteers. Extensive negotiations and support both behind the scenes and on the ground defended the Trust’s position against adverse developments and planning issues that could impede canal restoration works.

12

Finance

Income and expenditure

Total expenditure

----- Start of picture text -----
Insurance
£4,947 Darnford Moors (funded)
Membership admin
£23,052
£5,700
Plant and tools
£8,755
Ogley Cottages expenses
£10,952
Professional fees
£20,197
Restoration
£15,037
Gallows Reach (CIL)
£19,608
----- End of picture text -----

Conclusion

The combined efforts of Trust and visiting volunteers, aided by high level professional and institutional support have yielded great results for public benefit. Converting volunteer time records for 2022 gives an annual monetary value of c£750,000.

R.O. Williams, Finance Director

Leon Southern is part of our green and grounds team.

I've loved canals and the Midland Navigations all my life and I'm currently selling up to liveaboard full time. Being able to support the restoration of this lost navigation is fantastic. I have learned new skills and have been able to pass on my knowledge of ecology and nature conservation from previous experiences volunteering. Although I work full time, I donate my time whenever I can.

In 2022 we planted 4,600 hedging whips, 4,180 funded through our Big Give appeal and 420 donated by The Woodland Trust.

13

Finance Balance sheet as at 31 December 2022 31 De￿mber102l FIXED AsseTS F¢e¢hoW 08ley Cott4¢s 271 & 2n Id¢pret4ted @ 2% pal 18area5 of freehold land •t (ost Inm dekwffi•tedl Plant & Machinery I¢y4er Él,OXSperitern. depre£￿ted) Investment m 5ubsidiJry company thares lassets belywl 442.410 S.M6 453,7 165.686 1,795 .776 622261 CURRENT ASSETS Dabto Net assets available IrLYn subsk11aryccthpanyl+ cwal th Net GroipVAT pJy4ble S&+MT￿nI Wètr. rI￿d QLpirtt 2,W2 LKhfidd Canol. Special lundi 2020 Pilin8A4yal Fund. net of •xpndkur Land & Property Fund Idonltedl n•t oltxp•ndlture Ro5toratK>n & Want Fund Idonatedl nwt of exynditw• ftF • P•8e It8xyfty knck paddh8•ar RF •wil￿¥ L￿k9¥ n•rrr lynd RF 1.557 8A95 Z2.131 814 957 8,156 10.313 4,0261 456 1 T•m¥¥orth Road lift brld8• app•al SIB Summerhill 2015irJnt remi1￿ David Such•tTunn•l ViliQn Fund ff•sthrt•d iMilm ftF 34,3 570,426 1 25&363 } AAA 361245 587519 David SuchetTunnel Vision Fund d4Mt•4 Land & Propety Fund ITN5t allocationl Re¥tor4tK>n & W•nt Fund Id¢yinatedl n•tol•w(Itur• RestoratkJn Fund site b￿lerb•lIKe$ Cannock Covn¢il- HJtherton C4n•l W4trStu¢fyb•L• 5evem Trent Water nsh re￿•(ment bI￿nCe •) Club Cap￿41 Fund (s￿01 incorn• kn th• yoarl 33,0Tr) 1.322 Is,oLY) 1.455 1,134 1.322 15,(4)) 1.455 L134 1.712 1.740 Is￿33 S5￿51 T¢uSt fvnds f¢)r ihral 74,611 74hll 126,1991 126, Unty Trust Bank. Trust current al< Fund• In h•nd or in ¢wrs¢ olco1￿¢1￿)n Untty Trust Bank, mark•t1￿¢￿rr•ts1 alc and in hand Totsl ￿gets b•lor• Il•bllttl•• 15,369 S6 J69 627 817,542 363,645 L181.187 ¥Z57,11 LIABILITIES.. Sl8ir•nt P•￿￿rrtIrQS+rVtr Loanredurtlon t•llni thje ¥vllhln The Charity Bank Ltd- mort8ay lo•n Lo•noutrtaDdlwaft•roney•ar The Charity Bank Ltd. mort8•pIDJn C(l••e¥ 1343 134.3￿} 11752 110,2261 Il86,3361 960,471 1335,4531 TOTAL NET RESOURCES 6JI.106 329,265 877,071 RESERVES.. Incom• & Expndllur• Attoumi 960,471 877,071 NOTES: STWICRTfish SUpp￿rernalrthr available 11.4(M)I asat31.12.22 U35 691 L695 £4.013.910 £3AI3.963 Retail Tradir4Co CIAatUrMtyTruSt 8ar andd Retail TradI￿CO stoth of uoodsforselal c05tl Cvmvlaii¥e Trysl Exndiitye fv¢m stèrt irt 19wio 2022 I￿ludIng11 1reisofdonatedlar￿orC￿n SInKture￿￿I ￿OrrOri&l1nOtkni￿ realNt42V￿Ue Tr4atiorl Y4uEofdtYttd tirf". £lOpertw)w. ntyrnertarKJ Éify)fv 1,616 1552 UM260 £3A16 £707SYY KEY." LFxiarvJ & PTopErty FLvd OC-C¥lryCotW lFw1￿51[￿￿t1unF￿vJ. 14

Finance Income and expenditure

1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022

15

2 Membership 2

Our members are vital to the success of the Trust. They contribute financially via subscriptions and donations, and help to strengthen our public profile, showing the level of support we have.

In 2022, our membership grew by 130 to 2,423, with adult and family memberships bringing in the majority of regular subscription income during the year. The majority (80%) of members paid by standing order, Direct Debit or PayPal subscription, avoiding the administration costs and volunteer time needed to send renewal reminders. This meant that our membership expenditure wa ~~s £2.33 pe~~ r head (21.4% of basic subscriptions).

Types of members by number

Income by types of members

----- Start of picture text -----
Groups and
businessesG & B
Life
7
261 £5,000
£4,000
Retired/unwaged £3,000
473
Family £2,000
1,196
£1,000
£0
Adult
478
Adult FamilyRetired/unwaged GroupSmall business
----- End of picture text -----

Membership Income v expenditure

----- Start of picture text -----
Membership income
Membership expenses
£0 £5,000 £10,000 £15,000
----- End of picture text -----

16

About us

Trustees (as at 31 December 2022)

Carole Mills Chair Appointed 2021

Bob Williams

Finance and Funding Appointed 1996

A former CEO and CFO at five unitary councils. Currently a non-executive director in the NHS and housing sector.

Bob held an FCIB banking qualification and has experience of customer commercial business at NatWest Bank.

Jeff March Land and Property Appointed 2017

Chris Bull Environment Appointed 2017

A former education assistant principal, with experience on strategic planning and feasibility studies with VSO.

A former estates surveyor, with experience of lease restructuring, negotiation of new leases, renewals, and lease terminations.

Peter Buck

Construction/Operations Appointed 2011

Peter has a degree in Civil and Structural Engineering and has worked for a number of major construction companies.

Derek Lord

Planning and Technical Appointed 2019

A drainage specialist having worked on road, rail, canal, sewerage and development drainage, with a water company and consultants.

Christine Howles

Communications/Marketing Appointed 2016

A member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), Christine works full time as communications lead in the civil service.

Colin Booker

Company Secretary Appointed 2021

A qualified management accountant, Colin worked in the criminal investigations division of HMRC as a senior forensic accountant.

How you can help

If you’d like to support us there are many ways you can help:

17

The future Our Strategy

What we want to achieve

Restore the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals, thereby creating a green and blue corridor for the benefit of our local and wider community and make them available for navigation.

Building on what’s already been achieved, to complete full restoration of both canals and provide the following benefits:

Green and blue space for walkers, runners, cyclists etc.

Why we want
to do this
Sustainable habitats for diversifying wildlife, increasing biodiversity and carbon capture
A navigable route for boaters
Economic benefits such as inward investment, tourism and new business for the wider
community
Training and development opportunities for volunteers of all ages
Health and wellbeing for volunteers and the public
How we will
do this
Construction / Completion
Strategy
People Strategy
Communications &
Marketing Strategy
Post-completion Strategy
Operational Strategy
Teamwork and respect
Sustainability
Community value
What we
stand for
Integrity
Inclusiveness
We are honest in our dealings with each other,
and with external people and organisations.
We seek to ensure that, working in partnership with others,
the canal restoration will always provide positive benefit
to our community.
We welcome people as part of our committed team whatever
their age, physical ability, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, religion,
experience or skills.
We value the teamwork and camaraderie of working together
and respect the abilities and contributions to restoration
made by our members, volunteers and contractors.
We ensure positive and permanent benefit to biodiversity and
the environment, by planning ahead to secure the gains
already achieved, and complete the canals’ restoration.
These are the
values that guide
how we work
Demonstrating
accountability
and good
governance
Returns to grant awarding bodies and other funders
Monthly report to Board meetings and volunteer forums
Formal reporting at our public AGM
Publication of a physical and digital Annual Report and Accounts
Articles in print, publications and posts on social media and our website
Project
management
Risk management
Financial
management
People
management
Comms Plan
Events reporting
Strategies, projects
and programmes
that will deliver the
restoration.
Projects and programmes on our sites
Maintenance Strategy
Financial Strategy		 Why we want
to do this
Sustainable habitats for diversifying wildlife, increasing biodiversity and carbon capture
A navigable route for boaters
Economic benefits such as inward investment, tourism and new business for the wider
community
Training and development opportunities for volunteers of all ages
Health and wellbeing for volunteers and the public
How we will
do this
Construction / Completion
Strategy
People Strategy
Communications &
Marketing Strategy
Post-completion Strategy
Operational Strategy
Teamwork and respect
Sustainability
Community value
What we
stand for
Integrity
Inclusiveness
We are honest in our dealings with each other,
and with external people and organisations.
We seek to ensure that, working in partnership with others,
the canal restoration will always provide positive benefit
to our community.
We welcome people as part of our committed team whatever
their age, physical ability, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, religion,
experience or skills.
We value the teamwork and camaraderie of working together
and respect the abilities and contributions to restoration
made by our members, volunteers and contractors.
We ensure positive and permanent benefit to biodiversity and
the environment, by planning ahead to secure the gains
already achieved, and complete the canals’ restoration.
These are the
values that guide
how we work
Demonstrating
accountability
and good
governance
Returns to grant awarding bodies and other funders
Monthly report to Board meetings and volunteer forums
Formal reporting at our public AGM
Publication of a physical and digital Annual Report and Accounts
Articles in print, publications and posts on social media and our website
Project
management
Risk management
Financial
management
People
management
Comms Plan
Events reporting
Strategies, projects
and programmes
that will deliver the
restoration.
Projects and programmes on our sites
Maintenance Strategy
Financial Strategy		 Why we want
to do this
Sustainable habitats for diversifying wildlife, increasing biodiversity and carbon capture
A navigable route for boaters
Economic benefits such as inward investment, tourism and new business for the wider
community
Training and development opportunities for volunteers of all ages
Health and wellbeing for volunteers and the public
How we will
do this
Construction / Completion
Strategy
People Strategy
Communications &
Marketing Strategy
Post-completion Strategy
Operational Strategy
Teamwork and respect
Sustainability
Community value
What we
stand for
Integrity
Inclusiveness
We are honest in our dealings with each other,
and with external people and organisations.
We seek to ensure that, working in partnership with others,
the canal restoration will always provide positive benefit
to our community.
We welcome people as part of our committed team whatever
their age, physical ability, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, religion,
experience or skills.
We value the teamwork and camaraderie of working together
and respect the abilities and contributions to restoration
made by our members, volunteers and contractors.
We ensure positive and permanent benefit to biodiversity and
the environment, by planning ahead to secure the gains
already achieved, and complete the canals’ restoration.
These are the
values that guide
how we work
Demonstrating
accountability
and good
governance
Returns to grant awarding bodies and other funders
Monthly report to Board meetings and volunteer forums
Formal reporting at our public AGM
Publication of a physical and digital Annual Report and Accounts
Articles in print, publications and posts on social media and our website
Project
management
Risk management
Financial
management
People
management
Comms Plan
Events reporting
Strategies, projects
and programmes
that will deliver the
restoration.
Projects and programmes on our sites
Maintenance Strategy
Financial Strategy		 Why we want
to do this
Sustainable habitats for diversifying wildlife, increasing biodiversity and carbon capture
A navigable route for boaters
Economic benefits such as inward investment, tourism and new business for the wider
community
Training and development opportunities for volunteers of all ages
Health and wellbeing for volunteers and the public
How we will
do this
Construction / Completion
Strategy
People Strategy
Communications &
Marketing Strategy
Post-completion Strategy
Operational Strategy
Teamwork and respect
Sustainability
Community value
What we
stand for
Integrity
Inclusiveness
We are honest in our dealings with each other,
and with external people and organisations.
We seek to ensure that, working in partnership with others,
the canal restoration will always provide positive benefit
to our community.
We welcome people as part of our committed team whatever
their age, physical ability, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, religion,
experience or skills.
We value the teamwork and camaraderie of working together
and respect the abilities and contributions to restoration
made by our members, volunteers and contractors.
We ensure positive and permanent benefit to biodiversity and
the environment, by planning ahead to secure the gains
already achieved, and complete the canals’ restoration.
These are the
values that guide
how we work
Demonstrating
accountability
and good
governance
Returns to grant awarding bodies and other funders
Monthly report to Board meetings and volunteer forums
Formal reporting at our public AGM
Publication of a physical and digital Annual Report and Accounts
Articles in print, publications and posts on social media and our website
Project
management
Risk management
Financial
management
People
management
Comms Plan
Events reporting
Strategies, projects
and programmes
that will deliver the
restoration.
Projects and programmes on our sites
Maintenance Strategy
Financial Strategy
We are honest in our dealings with each other,
and with external people and organisations.
Teamwork and respect
Sustainability
Community value
Inclusiveness		 We value the teamwork and camaraderie of working together
and respect the abilities and contributions to restoration
made by our members, volunteers and contractors.
We welcome people as part of our committed team whatever
their age, physical ability, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, religion,
experience or skills.
We ensure positive and permanent benefit to biodiversity and
the environment, by planning ahead to secure the gains
already achieved, and complete the canals’ restoration.
We seek to ensure that, working in partnership with others,
the canal restoration will always provide positive benefit
to our community.
Returns to grant awarding bodies and other funders Project
management
Risk management
Financial
management
People
management
Comms Plan
Events reporting
Monthly report to Board meetings and volunteer forums
Formal reporting at our public AGM
Publication of a physical and digital Annual Report and Accounts
Articles in print, publications and posts on social media and our website

18

The future

Our Operational Plan 2023/2024

Overall aim for 2023-2024

Our overarching aim for 2023-2024 is to get as much of the Lichfield Canal into water as possible and do this in a logical, progressive way, extending out from Borrowcop Locks Canal Park and Darnford Moors, ultimately enabling us to secure a reconnection to Huddlesford Junction .

Our priority construction sites for 2023-2024 are:

Priority sites in 2023-24

Enabling and pipeline priorities

Benefits of the operational plan:

19

www.lhcrt.org.uk

Registered Office: Unit 16B, Chiltern Court, Asheridge Road, Chesham, HP5 2PX

Registered in England No. 2456172 Registered Charity No. 702429 VAT Registration No. 823 8213 41

REGISTERED fiUMBER: 036R61137 IEngl&nd and Unaudited Fina￿(7￿1 5tate￿e￿ts for ikne Year F.nded 3151 DerembeT 2022 Liethfield & Haihenon Canals Reig11 Tr*iin Limited

l.ichfield & HAtherti&n c.anals Retail ra In num r: 113686837 oi't ecem er 22 Balance Sheet

l.ichfield & HAtherti&n c.anals Retail ra In num r: 113686837 B¥I￿nCe Shcet .7 1st Deeember 2022 21122 2021 CURREiwf ASSETS 2J86 3,IM)2 CREDITORS Amounrs falling due within Ime )far NET CURRENT A.SSETS TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 1.000 i.￿0 CAPITAL APID RESERVES NOTES TO THE FJNANCIAL STATEMENTS STATUTORY INFOILIL4TIOf LiclifL¢ld & Hath¢itoii Canals Retail TiadiL)g Liiniied is a piivat¢ rowy. liinit¢d by slwit5 . i¢gister¢d in EligI￿ld ￿]d Wales. The company's registtred number and registered office address are &s below.. Registered number. 03686837 Registered office: Office 2 Grcswolde House 197b Station Road Kno￿1¢ Solihull B93 OPL AVERAGE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES Thc numb¢r ol ¥mployros during th¥ y¢ar wa NIL (2021 - NIL). The company is entitled to exemption from auth"t under Section 477 olthe Cornpanies Act 2￿6 for the year ended i Isi December 2022. The members have not ttquired tht L4)mpany lo obiain an audii ofits fU￿]ela1 staiements for the ytar ended 31st December 2022 in accordaiice with Section 476 ot the companie￿ Act L(K)6. The directors acknowledge their r¢sponbibililie9 for. lal ensiiring thai th¢ companv keeps a¢counrinb) re￿rdS which comply with Secrion5 386 and 387 of th¢ Companies Act 2006 and (bl preparing flnancial statements which give a true and fair view of ihe srate of afftlfb of the company as at the end of each rindn¢ial year of its priilit 01 I()￿￿ ltir ea¥h financidl Nedr in &corddn¢e w'ith the requiiemenLs ol'stttitsns 394 and 395 and which othcrwis￿ coinply with Ihc r¥quir¢m¥llts of thc CoMpafticD Aci 2(K)6 ￿lating to fjnancial stat¢mcnt5. 50 far a5 applicablc to ihe company. Page I continued...

l.ichfield & HAtherti&n c.anals Retail ra In num r: 113686837 B¥I￿nCe 8hcet- continued .7 1st Deeember 2 The financial statements have been prepared in accordanee with ihe micro-eniity provisions and delivered in accordanee with the provi%ions llppliLdblc tu COmPDnic% subjL*t to thL SI￿11 cumpllnits Te¥imc. The finJncial Sta￿mentS were approve4J by the PA)ard of Direciors and authorised for issue on 8th March 2023 ond were signed on its behalf by.. MTS C. M Howles- Director Page 2

This document was delivered using electronic communications and authenticated in accordance with the registrar's rules relating to electronic forni, authentication and manner of delivery under section 1072 of the Companies Act 2006.

Llchfleld and Hatherton Canals Restoratlon Trust Llmlted IA company limited by guarantee) Trustees. report (continued) For the year ended 31 December 2022 Statement of Trustees, rosponslbllities The Trustees (who a￿ also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees. ￿port and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Company law reqUI￿S the Trustees to p￿pare financial statements for each financial year. Under company law, the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they gwe a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the group and the company and of their incoming reSoUr￿S and application of resources, including their income and expenditure, for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to: select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistentty., observe the methods and principles of the Charities SORP IFRS 102)., • make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent., • state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards IFRS 102) have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements., prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the group will continue in business. The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the group and the companls transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the group and the company 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 group and the company and hence frjr taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. Approved by order of the members of the board of Trustees on 31 May 2023 and signed on their behaw by.. Chai