## **Annual General Meeting**
## **Wednesday 1 October 2025**
# **Annual Report & Statement of Accounts For year to 31 August 2025**
Charity No. NIC104814 **M:** 07907 866 628 **E** : **info@friendsACG.co.uk www.friendsACG.co.uk** ~~ee~~ Antrim Castle Grounds And Clotworthy House, Randalstown Road, Antrim BT41 4LH
Friends of Antrim Castle Gardens – Registered Charity in N.I. No: 104814 Page **1** of **11**
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## **The Trustees’ Annual Report - Year Ending 31 August 2025**
The Trustees present their report and the financial statements of the charity for the year ending 31 August 2025.
## **Structure, governance and management**
The charity is a voluntary association. It is governed by a constitution and managed by a Management Committee, who are also the charity’s Trustees.
The Trustees have had regard to guidance issued by the Charities Commission of Northern Ireland on public benefit in carrying out their statutory duties in the governance of the charity. The Trustees govern the activities of the charity in line with the objectives set out in the charity’s constitution.
## **The Trustees**
The Trustees who served the charity throughout the period are:
- Chairperson – Anne McAuley
- Vice Chair & Coordinator – Steve Humphrey
- Secretary & Fundraiser – Marie Bradley
- Vice Secretary & Coordinator – Rodney Gillen
- Treasurer – Diane Greenwood
- Vice Treasurer – Irwin McLaughlin
- Events’ Organiser & Coordinator – Eileen Black
- Coordinator – Hugh King
- Donation Hub Coordinator- Irene Moran
- Scarecrow Planner - Gary McMullan
## **Trustees' responsibilities**
The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.
They are required to:
- Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.
- Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.
They are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose, with reasonable accuracy at all times, the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the law. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Friends of Antrim Castle Gardens – Registered Charity in N.I. No: 104814 Page **2** of **11**
## **The Management Committee**
The Committee carries out its governance role throughout the year by way of monthly meetings. These meetings enable review of the performance of the charity and make decisions regarding the charity’s financial and operational matters.
The charity is registered with HMRC for tax purposes.
## **Objectives and activities**
The objectives of the charity are:
- To advance education in horticulture and gardening; and
- To promote conservation and protection of the environment of Antrim Castle Gardens for the public benefit in Antrim and surrounding districts.
The charity carries out its activities on a ‘not for profit’ basis.
The strategies employed to assist the charity to meet these objectives include the following:
1. Encouraging, fostering and creating an interest in horticulture, good gardening, horticulture heritage, conservation and other related areas through maintenance of the courtyard gardens within Antrim Castle Gardens and Clotworthy House.
2. Providing an opportunity for members of the charity and the public to participate in organised visits to other gardens, enhancing their knowledge of horticulture and providing an opportunity to foster friendships.
An overview of the Charity’s activities from September 2024 to August 2025
## **Volunteers**
A massive thanks to all our volunteers for their hard work and dedication Currently are 33 volunteers
- 13 females & 20 males
- Ages range from 24 - 85 yrs
During the year:
- 8 new volunteers joined and 4 left
- There were 10 ‘Graduates’
## Sessions held
- 4 sessions per week
- Mon – Thurs 9:30 – 12:30
- Held 193 sessions
- Each session - managed by a Coordinator:
Saturday watering rota (March – August)
Friends of Antrim Castle Gardens – Registered Charity in N.I. No: 104814 Page **3** of **11**
## **Gardening activities**
- Maintained the flower beds, feeding, planting, watering and replacing soil
- Added bark, grit, pebbles and logs
- Dead headed, divided plants and collected seeds
- Made hanging baskets
- Potted plants for the donation hub for the public
- Painted fences and gates
- Brushed and tidied
- Stripped, sanded & repainted tables
- Cleaned the greenhouse inside and out
- Cleaned and sharpened tools
- Thinned, cut back and removed grasses
- Created 2 more alpine beds
- Erected bird boxes
- Revamped the lavender beds with new lavender plants
- Remodelled the sensory area into the new pollinator plaza
- Planted and harvested fruit and vegetables
- Painted a photo booth
- Dried rose petals and lavender
- Dressed the scarecrows – Halloween, Christmas, Valentine, St Patricks, Easter and Volunteers
- Helped the council with planting
- Weeded
## **Administration activities**
- 11 Management Committee meetings
- 2 Planning meetings for the gardens & upcoming events
- Accounting
- Volunteer packs
- Posters, Notices, Signage
- WhatsApp communication
- Funding applications
- Award applications
- Events organisation
- Social media posts – plant of the month
- Charity Commission and HRMC returns, Insurance renewals
Friends of Antrim Castle Gardens – Registered Charity in N.I. No: 104814 Page **4** of **11**
## **Events, outings, speakers, fundraising activities**
|Oct|AGM – Dunsilly Hotel|
|---|---|
|Oct|Visit to Willow and Greene Gardens|
|Oct|Scarecrow selfies (fundraiser)|
|Nov|Christmas wreath workshop (fundraiser)|
|Nov|Volunteers’ wreath and table centre decorations|
|Dec|Christmas dinner – Dunsilly Hotel|
|Jan|Rangers talk on pollinators|
|Feb|Willow and Greene window box workshop|
|Feb|Anne’s award celebration|
|Feb|Visit to Willow and Greene for vegetable planting talk|
|Mar|Dobbies propagation talk|
|Mar|Mothers’ Day Planters' with the Ladies Shed (fundraiser)|
|Apr|David Donmoney talk in The Old Court House|
|May|Visit to Maureen’s garden and train|
|Jun|Garden Fete and official opening of the Pollinator Plaza
(fundraiser)|
|Jun|Volunteer week dinner in Mulligans|
|Jun|Garden Show Ireland - 3 days (fundraiser)|
|Jun|Visit to Diane’s garden|
|Jun|Visit to Bangor Castle’s walled gardens|
|July|Fireside Quiz (fundraiser)|
|Aug|Visit to Wicklow – 3 gardens|
|Aug|Treasure Hunt (fundraiser)|
|Aug|Visit to Bangor Castle – Green Flag award|
A grand total of total volunteering hours, gardening, admin and events = 5,102 hours
Friends of Antrim Castle Gardens – Registered Charity in N.I. No: 104814 Page **5** of **11**
## **Awards received**
- Anne won the UK ‘Best of the Best’ award 2024
- We achieved the Green Flag Community Award
## **Purchases and expenditure**
- Plants, bulbs, seeds, vegetables
- Tools, stones, paints
- Uniforms, gloves, name badges
- Insurance
- NICVA membership
- Mobile phone
- Laptop security
- Microsoft office package
- Events/Outings/Transport
- Catering
- Invited speakers
- Stationery, labels
## **Sponsors,supporters and links with other organisations**
- The Ladies Shed Antrim
- Tesco Antrim
- Enkalon Foundation
- Dunsilly Hotel
- Live Here, Love Here
- Asda Antrim
- Willow and Greene
- Mann’s Café
- NHSCT – Day Opportunities
- Action Mental Health
- Antrim Newtownabbey Borough Council
- Devine Design
- Drop Inn Charity Shop
- National Lottery Community Fund
- Public Health Agency
## **Future plans**
- Increase sustainability through propagation, recycling and waste reduction
Friends of Antrim Castle Gardens – Registered Charity in N.I. No: 104814 Page **6** of **11**
- Encourage volunteers to participate in courses which will enhance skills and knowledge
- Continue to enhance our involvement at Garden Show Ireland and other relevant events
- Continue to recruit new volunteers and increase sessions
- Continue to seek funding and hold fundraising events
- Invite inspirational speakers and visits to other gardens
- Increase our social media coverage
- Work closely with other voluntary/statutory organisations
The Committee will continue to govern the charity in line with the constitution to achieve the objectives listed above.
The Trustees are satisfied that the performance of the charity during the year, in terms of both financial matters and operational activities, is in line with the charity’s constitution and key objectives.
## **Financial review**
The net income for the year is detailed in X1 and X2. The surplus for the year will be added to capital reserves brought forward.
## **Trustees' responsibilities**
The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.
The Trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent.
They are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose, with reasonable accuracy at all times, the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the law. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The accounts have been prepared on an Income and Expenditure basis. Signed by order of the Committee on their behalf
______________________________________________________
Diane Greenwood Treasurer Dated 1 October 2025
Friends of Antrim Castle Gardens – Registered Charity in N.I. No: 104814 Page **7** of **11**
## **Independent examiner’s report to the charity trustees of Friends of Antrim Gardens**
I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 31 August 2024, which are set out on pages X1 and X2.
## **Respective responsibilities of charity trustees and examiner**
As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008.
It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 65 of the Charities Act
· follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Commission under section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act
- state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner’s report**
I have examined your charity accounts as required under section 65 of the Charities Act and my examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland under section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act.
My examination included a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also included consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as charity trustees concerning any such matters.
My role is to state whether any material matters have come to my attention giving me cause to believe:
1. That accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 63 of the Charities Act
2. That the accounts do not accord with those accounting records
3. That the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act
4. That there is further information needed for a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
I have completed my examination and have no concerns in respect of the matters (1) to (4) listed above and, in connection with following the Directions of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, I have found no matters that require drawing to your attention.
Name: Ian Lindsay Retired Chartered Accountant
Address: 5 Marmont Park , Belfast, BT4 2GR
Date: 1 October 2025
Friends of Antrim Castle Gardens – Registered Charity in N.I. No: 104814 Page **8** of **11**
## **Friends of Antrim Castle Gardens**
|**Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended**|**Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended**||**31/08/2025**|**31/08/2024**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Unrestricted**|**Restricted**|**Total**|**Total**|
|**Income**|||||
|Donations|1,849.16||1,849.16|3,120.43|
|Antrim and Newtownabbey BC Christmas|||||
|Dinner|0.00|500.00|500.00|490.00|
|Antrim and Newtownabbey BC Insurance|0.00|988.95|988.95|747.04|
|Clothing|91.30||91.30|93.40|
|Enkalon|0.00||0.00|1,000.00|
|Lottery|0.00||0.00|6,900.00|
|Radius Housing|0.00||0.00|2,680.00|
|Asda|900.00||900.00||
|Developing|||||
|Healthy|908.00||908.00||
|Enventbrite|||||
|Operations|215.76||215.76||
|John Moores Foundation|1,250.00||1,250.00||
|Advisory Income|150.00||150.00||
|Keep NI|||||
|Beautigul|1,487.82||1,487.82||
|Funday|763.74||763.74||
|Garden Show|||||
|Ireland|254.05||254.05|0.00|
|Quiz and Treasure Hunt|828.07||828.07|1,676.61|
|Dividends|133.11||133.11|149.12|
||8,831.01|1,488.95|10,319.96|16,856.60|
|**Expenditure**|||||
|Fees Teresa|0.00||0.00|-34.50|
|Fees Caroline|0.00||0.00|-548.96|
|Watering|||||
|Payments|-345.00||-345.00|-105.00|
|Plants and garden materials|-2,159.46||-2,159.46|-1,566.74|
|Uniforms and|||||
|clothing|-1,696.24||-1,696.24|-1,891.39|
|Tools Repairs Small items|-2,725.68||-2,725.68|-748.69|
|Website design|0.00||0.00|-810.90|
|Wreathwork|-448.69||-448.69||
|Insurance|38.47|-988.95|-950.48|-747.04|
|Speakers|-581.00||-581.00||
|Radius Housing Expenditure|0.00||0.00|-2680|
|Telephone|-129.89||-129.89|-98.82|
|AGM Expenses|-738.00||-738.00|-435.00|
|Christmas|||||
|Dinner|-73.05|-500.00|-573.05|-754.75|
|Volunteer Dinner and outings|-923.26|-2,922.28|-3,845.54|-1,025.75|
|Sundries|-981.37||-981.37|-502.03|
|Change in valuation of M&G Charibond|||||
|Units|0.00||0.00|134.53|
|Depreciation|-683.00||-683.00|-967.00|
||-11,446.17|-4,411.23|-15,857.40|-12,782.04|
Friends of Antrim Castle Gardens – Registered Charity in N.I. No: 104814 Page **9** of **11**
|**Net movement in**
**funds**
**Fund balances at**
31/08/2024
**Fund balances at**
31/08/2025
**Balance Sheet as**
**at**
**Fixed Assets**
Note 2
**Current Assets**
M&G Charibond Charities Fixed Interest
Units
Bank
Debtors
**Current**
**Liabilities**
Creditors
**Income Funds**
Restricted
Unrestricted
Approved by the trustees on the
01/10/2025
**Anne McAuley**
**Chair**|-2,615.16
21,666.60|-2,922.28
6,504.00|-5,537.44
28,170.60|
|---|---|---|---|
||19,051.44|3,581.72|22,633.16|
||3,567.55
14,968.60
0.00|**31/08/2025**
4,097.01
18,536.15|3,567.55
19,978.35
0.00|
||18,536.15
0.00||23,545.90
-155.31|
||**Page**|||
|||22,633.16||
|||3,581.72
19,051.44||
|||22,633.16||
|||**X1**||
**Friends of Antrim Castle Gardens Notes to the Financial statements for the year ended 31/08/2025 1 Accounting Policies** The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards and under the historic cost convention.
Friends of Antrim Castle Gardens – Registered Charity in N.I. No: 104814 Page **10** of **11**
Depreciation is provided on tangible assets so as to write off the cost or valuation, less any estimated residual value. Over their expected usefull life as follows:
|Shed
Computer
equipment
Hub
**2 Fixed Assets**
**Cost**
As at
31/08/24
Additions
As at
31/08/25
**Depreciation**
As at
31/08/24
Charge for period
As at
31/08/25
**Net book value**
As at
31/08/24
As at
31/08/25|20% of
cost
20% of
cost
10% of
cost
Leasehold
Fixtures
and
Shed
Hub
Computer
Total
950 6,829
470 8,249
0|
|---|---|
||950 6,829
470 8,249|
||950 2,049
470 3,469
683
683|
||950 2,732
470 4,152|
||0 4,780
0 4,780
0 4,097
0 4,097|
**Page X2**
Friends of Antrim Castle Gardens – Registered Charity in N.I. No: 104814 Page **11** of **11**