Company number: N1058223
Friends of Belfast Botanic Gardens
Company Limited by Guarantee
Trustees, Report and financial statements
for the period ended 31 March 2023

Friends of Belfdst Botanic Gardens
Contents
Legal and administrative information
Trustees, report
Independent Examiners. report to the members
Statement of financial activities
Balance sheet
Notesto the financial statements

Friends of Belfast Botanic Gardens
Legal and administrative informatlon
Trustees
MrAdrian Walsh
Miss Ann McBrien
Mr Frank Caddy
Miss Brigid McElhill
Company Number
N1058223
Charity Number
107301
Registered Office
Suite 5. Ormeau House
91-97 Ormeau Road
Belfast
Co. Antrim
BT7 ISH
Accountants
Cleaver Black
Suite 5 Ormeau House
91-97 Ormeau Road
Belfast
BT7 15H
Bankers
Santander
PO Box 1109
Bradford
BDI 5ZF
Solicitors
Page 1

TrUSTEESANNUALREPORT
Frf¢nd50f Belfast Botsni¢ Gardens
la compary Ilrnlted by8uaTrnteel
The trustees present their rekvrt and the unaudited finanrial statemgnts of thè company torthe PeriLy3 end&1
31 March 2023.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTrATJVE DETAtLS
Ref8rence and sdminTStrative d&t8ils are Sho￿ in the Schedu￿ of members of the board and professs¢Jnal
athsers on page 1 ofthe finan¢kg1 ststsment5.
THE TRUSTEES
Thè trustaès who sèrvad thè companyduring tl* wiod ￿tre as ftlltr•ts'.
MrAdrian Peter Wdsh
Miss Ann MeBrien
Mr Frank Caddy
Miss Brigid McElhill
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Friends of Bewast Botanic Gardens is a charity and OFerates a5 a corn￿ny lirnited by guarantee. The company
is rnanaged by the dir*Tr ofthe cornpany.
OBJECTrVES AND ACTMTIES
The Friends of Bglfa¥l Botanic Gardens IFOBBGI grwp wks to advan￿ the kn￿edge of botany, hoitieulture and the
hort[￿1[tUr8l legacy of Beltsst Bot8ni¢ Gardens for the public benefit and to promote Belfast Bot8ni¢ Gard8n$ as a centr•
tr horticultural excellence, bt)tanical edueab.on and public amenty. It aims to promote the conservation, Maintenan￿ and
development of the Gardens, buildings and monuments therein. enhance the sryentific value of the plant mllections and
support the wvironmental vnrth of the gardens as a habitat forwildlrfe in Belfast oty.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORf4fjANCE
This year, 2022123, is our second yearof rep￿tiNJ to the Charity Commis&on Nl on the achEvement of our d)arttable.
objects for public benefit
In 2022123 ￿ resumed our face lo face meetings rather than meeting by Zoom.
This Nwds 8 Very￿E1c0m& dèvelopment We continuad to engage ¥￿th th¢)se ar8 inlerasted In thè ￿lI￿re
of Belfast Botanic Gardens wa the ww.fobbg.￿.Uk *Ebsite, Facebook and Twitter.
We n¢)w have 947 frjll0￿tts oftho FOBBG F8cabook p8gè and 604 follaN*ts on Twitt8r.
The Global Medicine Ga￿en IGMGI in the Botsnic Gardwts coth.nues to be an important educth.onal asset
in helping us to attain our th8ritsb* objects.
Th$ xientft value of this ¢¢41ecti¢n ¢ontinues trj te d￿Urnented on thtrK*bsite with des¢ripti¢ns #nd ph¢t¢gr8phs.
Members continued to be enthusiastic in volunteering to help out vAth the rnaintenance and pjanting in the gard￿ on
Sunday momings between April and November 2022.
The range of sigwe has been consTderably expandsd bytsvo ol our members $nd there arè nowapprwrn*ly
70 signs within the garden. Each geographical area has a sign that identifies it. a sign with the names of the main yants in that area
and wgns for some ol lh• indivklual ￿ants that g*vtr the namg ofthe pixnl in s¢me cases its msditynat use&
These signs help advance the knO￿ledge of bolany for public t*nefrL
We have $150 MY)rking B8Wast City Council to develop 8 largerfornial sign *the entrancè b the GMG
that wll show a map of the garden, some background historical infomiation on the develOpm￿t of hèrballphysi¢ gardens
and the uses of some of the key plants tOgèthar￿ith somè Informati￿ on th# history ofthè site wrthin th8 Botsni¢ garden3.
P4ge2

TRUfftESANNU￿REp0RT{￿lhY￿D
Frf¥dsof 8¢fts¥(BttsTrlcGardens
l•<UmpaTryllmiiedby8￿aran￿Tr
ACHIEVEMEP￿S AND PERFORMMJICE
Jn 2022123 M opened the GMGto the on Tuesday8 *d ThutsdayslrDm 10.C#J am to4.OOF4n.
Thiswas so succassful thatthe GMG isnow open to the PUbl￿e¥ery day. meMbe￿ofth8 publlcconllTrue to engage
wth memberswhen we the ga￿en on Sundays. We have been atAe lo tsVKto local r8s&#ent8 and iriskorsfrom
8tr0$s North￿ Irdand. tjtherparts oflhÈ UK and in*rn81Jcfial ￿ abcththe G￿. itspiants and hk4ty.
Seed5 are haNe5ted from the pLants In the GMG 8nd 8 fflemberpack8w them in hand-mad8 pockat env8W8
made fTDm p8ges 0f￿Sed brOcht￿5. WheD members are wwknn9 in the GMG otat pknt5aks,
these seeds arÈ avaJabkfor¥iytors to tske and grrMin ther¢mn gaTrJen whlch he* advartL*lhe knO￿dge ofhrybrJJ1￿r8.
Durng 202W23 we have hosted by some prestpjbusgreups ie the GMG. sorne ￿ resprnse to dwect rewests
and some passed on from B4f8sI Ctycounol. The GMG ￿ noWa￿pIed as an 8ttr8c*on visibng.
We have had ￿Sit5 ftom a grw of hort￿￿￿raItst$ from Vancouvet. a woup of Amefican 8nd UK sc*ntists on a ¢4nferEnc* v15rt
to Behsl. Groomsport Gardenng Group, Bauynahinch Gardenrg Club an¢J Castle Ewe Welattd CÈnlte.
We have been helped bythe'Bol Crew, who ate partofthp gardening staff the gardens,
in fa￿￿Ating these vists and wearevery gTrteful lorthlswFyorL
In Auwst 2022 OUTrnember. Prt)fessorJc*n Pik*er, gave a publtlafk entilled
'8ogs- a ￿ndowN￿O the ￿$t and hDpe forthe fubjre. in the 8rapJ Centre in BabymÈna.
ThL8was very Kell receNed and advan￿￿ the knth￿edge and undÈrstaAding of botany
r￿15)n tothe dèvdoFmentofbDgS overthousands ofye8rand Ihelr import2n¢e as a naturdi assèt
terrnsof proTh?tng the gardens as a *ntre of hrytryltt*ral exCel￿￿e. FOBBG
continu8S to b? a memberofthe UK'Friends of Botanic Gardens FLvum'. k5 purpose is lo provlde 8forum farthe tsXth￿ge oflnformation
between Friends of8018nicG*dÈNsgft)ups in thwr support and ￿gagement of Ihe ffliSSK)n of their￿specbYe tN)tan(cgardens.
The Chainan of FrÈnds of Belfast Bot*)ic Gardeftsheld$a key rD]e as Sec¥elary ofthis Fonsm
whK* helps 10 furthÈrpTamDle Fo88G and the Be￿ast Botan￿ Gardens to thewiderUK andworfd audence through Ihe
Frfends Fomm website Ivm.tbgf.oryl-11 aso enab￿$ FoB8G lo gain aKessto the educ2È"onal and 8CtMtie$ that tslher
UK Bot8nIcGard￿S are Inva￿ed in and genetate ideas to Fo8BG meet obietts.
We continue our'GaTdèns Fo￿$ Cknp, meeting5V￿t￿ 8eWast City Cound m8n8ger¥ forthe ga￿enS and repre5ertaUves of the gardetrJBig s18ff.
At the meetitsgs ￿ 202W23 FoB8G d￿￿sSed 8St8LIiSh￿i9 a c(Alection ofwoody pbnts ￿ an area that0n￿ he￿ a wl*£*on of
barnb￿S and grasses butwhrh ￿ now grassed. Inthi discussions ￿ntre¢ arr>und 8 colecli)n Ih8thad assoctations vllth Irish ￿rdene
orplani huntws. At Iht January 2023 Fneeting this idea lormab.sed Riio the £*ealon of a'John TempktDn fraf wthin lae g8rd8n.
This <x)ntain a se]pGbon of trees and shnjbs that the natsjrabsl John Templetan 11766- 182S1 had ki hk8 garden In Ctanmore, NlalDn•.
One memberhas assembkd a L6tof sorrte oltheselyees and shrubsfrom records ofthe F4ènl Tempkton's garden.
In our2023124 rep￿ rÈr¢rt umm1￿ment oflh8 pknting.
Atthe G8nlens Fotsjs Gtwp ￿￿ellIg we c4)nlinue to rak8e ts need to preseNe and Ihe
atthitethta herttsge ofbuldthgs and monuments within the gardens $uth as the Palm House and the K8Mn m8mortal 8taiue.
During 202y13￿ have attended Stake*￿*derMe8Ungs, hosted by Bewast Cty Councl and Queens Unfversty8eNast,
on the'LJPSURGE' prolectforthe LowerBotaThic Gan1￿¥ This is a natyre based 50kthn forpubV¢an¢J ￿￿ronMen181 beneft
whth Isfvnded from EU Horfzon 2020funds.
ThesB meelYw5 have rewttad in a draftoutkne forthe use of the area.
Friends of Bewasi BOlan￿ Gardens has been alk)(xled a plot the site and w? have been dscus*ng *ith B8K8StCty C￿ntil
thè p￿[POSe10rv￿iGh use this plot tofuvfi the brief ofthe projectand to MoetOUTtharitab￿ obieta5.
FUNDRAISING
The Fiien¢Jsgroup conynues to rai8elundsfrom mÈml)etshry) substJi)Ix)ns. pknl sa*5 and sale5dc8r4m*8 that 8re
h8nd-m8de by tnefftbet5 us￿1g fptns from the Botan￿ Gzrdens and Queen's Quarter.
The ceramic$ a￿ a¢(x)TNpHnEd by an infomats.on card 8bout Belfast80tsn￿ Gardens.
Dumg 2022r23 we ￿Trtinued to have smaU'poTrup' s8lesln the 8r8a beslde the GMG.
ThisgNos usaddrf40n81 oPPDrtUn￿eS to lalkto the pUbr￿aboUt the B¢tanlcGa￿lens and th8 P￿nts they arebuying.
sorfWd ofwhth have been taiw ui the gardens.
The Fr￿ndS group eoniinL￿S to gEtan adMin￿￿e grant of £3LSJ from Beffast Cty Counc4.
Ourmember5hip subs￿pI￿n k4£12 fora membershi), £20 tsrIo￿t membetshryi and£5 forfjiudent membethb.

TRUSYEESAN14UALREPORTlt4%thued)
Frfend501BelfattBotaBl¢Garden5
laeèrnpany limited tyguaranteel
As well as mrtthly tojsiness t￿￿e￿n￿$￿the Frlend5 grouparrnn8e5 scclal evattsfor members.
These Èvents w¥ere-ertablIsl￿ 202V23 afterthe Com&19 pandem*.
AveraÉe èttendances * ft)eetings in 202212acompareO to prknryear$15 shown below.
Yeor
2017
18
2018
19
2019120
2020121
202
22
2022
Attendees
13
17
16
Is.
io"
12
li
PLANSFOR FLwfuRÈ PERIODS
Wewlll contlnueto develop aUrv￿bsIteto advanc2the knovAe(*e of botany. h0rhculbJreandthe*ort￿ulIUrdT legacyof
8etsf 8¢tanic Gardensforthe publlc benefitandto promots Bdfast BotanicGarden$ 3s a centrefor horticulturèl
excellence. b)tanical edutatvjn and amÈrsity. During 2022123 we have been ¥Jor*ing
with a group of empbyees from a So￿a￿e companywho ar28ivinKtheirtimÈforfreet# fielp refveshthewebthe.
We ￿pe10 relaunch theT*wweb51te1rt2023n4.
We¥￿I1£00tirueto workwr(h Belfast CW Council inthe'G•rdens Focu5 Group, todevelop a listof priorty prtsjects within
treKardensthat￿ll benefftthepublit and pr4motetheconservation. maintenanceandd*elopmentoftheGardens,
building5 and rronuments therein and enhancethescientific valueofthe planttoll*titrTh5.
Th￿workwill includethestartof ￿antingtorthe'JOhn TempthnTrail' and also theInc5us￿n of more Libellin8 inthesardens.
Wewill conttnueto work with 8dfastCrty Councu aTrd Queefis uft1vers￿ySe￿aSt0n the'UP5URGE' prolecL
INDEPENDEKf fKAMINER
aeaver 8latkh8s be￿ rtrappoltstedas in¢Jependwtexamlnerforthe ensulngyear.
SMALLCQMPANYPROV1510NS
This reporthas been prepared in aceordantewith theprowsions appI￿ablet0 Companies entstled tothesmall companlesexemobn.
ined on bth8lftsfthÈt
Walsh
Dlrecror

Independent Examlner's Report
Friends of Belfast Botsnit Gardens
la company limited by guarantee)
I report ort the accounts ofthe charity for the pertod ended 31 March 2023 which are set out on pages 5 to ID.
RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBiimES OFTRUSTEES AND EXAMINER
As the charity trustees land also directors of the company for the purposes of company lawl you a￿ responsible
for the preparation of accounts in atcordante wtth the requirèmerTrts of the Companies Act 2006.
Having satisfied myself thatthe comparw rs not subject to audit under company law and is eligiblefor
iDdependent examination, it is my responsibility to:
examlne the accounts under section 65 of the Chartties Act
follow the procedures13id down in the general Directions 8iver¢ by the Charity Commission for Northern
Ireland under section 6519llbl of thè Charrties Att
to stste whether particular matters have cometo my attent￿)n.
BASIS OF THE INDEPENDETr￿ EXAMINER'S REPORT
I have exarnined your charity accounts as required under section 65 of the Charities Act and my examination was
carried out in accordance with the general directions gtven by the Charity Commission of Northern Ireland under
5ertion 6519llbl of the ChaTitie5Act. The e￿arnIn￿tion included a review of the atcountlng Tecords kept by the
charity and a comparison of the 3ccount5 presented with those records. ￿ also intluded eonsideration of any
unusual ttems disclosures in the accounts. and seekin8 explanations from you as charity trustees concemin8
any such matters.
My role is to state any material matters have come to my attention giving me cause to believe:
That accounting record5were not kept in accordan￿ with sèctÉon 386 of the Companles Act
That the accounts do not accord with those accounting records
31
That the accounts do not tofflply with the accountin8 requ1￿Ments of section 396 o*the Companies
Art 2￿)6 and with the principle5 of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice applic3ble
to charities prep8rin8 their attounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard
appE1￿ble in the UK and the Republit tsf Ireland.
Thatthere is further information needed for a proper understanding of the accounts to be reathèd.
BASIS OF THE INDEPENDE￿ EXAMINER'S REPORT
I have completed my examination and have no concerns in ￿Spect of the matters111 to141 listed above and,
in connection with the following Direttions of the Charlty Cornmission for Northem Ireland, I have found
no matters require drawingto your attention.
Cleaver Black
Independent examiner
Suite 5 Ormeau House
91-97 Ormeau Road
Belfast
BT7 ISH
tyr)",)
Page5

Fri￿dS of Bdfast Botanic Gardens
StstemÈnt of Financial Activities
forthe period ended 31 Marth 2023
Restrirted
Revenue
Funds
Unrestrlcted
Funds
2023
Total
2022
Total
Note
Incoming Resources
Incoming resources from generated funds..
Voluntary Income
Incoming resourtes from
Charitable Acitivites
Other Incoming Resource5
Total Incoming Resour
915
915
4,346
367
5,628
4,346
367
5,628
2,867
303
3,811
Resourtes Expended
Costs of generating funds:
Charitable Activities
Governance Costs
1,831
865
1,831
865
1.327
863
Total Resource5 Expended
2,696
2,696
2,190
Net in¢ominB I loutgoingl reswros
for the year before revaluations
2.932
2.932
1,621
Transfers between fvnds
Net movement in funds
2,932
2,932
1,621
Totsl funds brought fotward
34,519
34,519
32,898
Total fvnds carried forward
37,451
37,451
34.519
The Statement of Financial Activities includes all gains and losses in the year and therefore a statement of totsl
recognised gains and losses has not been prepared.
All of the above amounts relate to continuing attivities.
The notes on page$ 7 to 10 form part of these financial statement
P89è 6

Frlends of Belfast Botsnic Gardens
Balance Sheet
as at31 March 2023
Notes
2023
2022
CURRENT ASSErs
Debtors
Cash at Bank & in hand
1,717
36,454
38.171
35,429
35,429
CREDITORS- Amounts falling due
within one year
720
910
CURRENT UABIUTIES
37,451
34.519
Net assets
37,451
34,519
FUNDS
Unrestrirted Income Funds
Restrirted Revenue Funds
37,451
34,519
37,451
34,519
For the period ended 31 March 2022 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under s￿tIOn
477 of the Companles Act 2006 relating to small Companies.
Trustees responsibilities-
l The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the
year in question in accordance with section 476- and
2 The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for complylng with the requirements
of the Art with respert to accounting record5 and prepardtion of accounts.
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subjett
to the small companies reglme.
These financial statements were approved bythe Board and signed on its behalf by
Adrian Walsh
Director
Date
Company number: N1058223
The notes on pages 7 to 10 fomi part of these finanual ststements.
Pa9e 7

Friends of Belfast Botanie Gardens
Notes to the Flnancial Statements
forthe period ended 31 March 2023
Accounting Policies
The following accounting policies have been applied consistently in dealing with items in the company'5
financial Statements.
1.1 Basis of Accounting
The financial ststements are prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with
FRS102, 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, and
Charities SORP IFRS 1021.
The financial statements are prepared in pounds sterling which is the funrtion currency of the company.
This entity is a Public Benefit Entity.
1.2 Fund Accounting
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in
furtherance of the general objettives of the Charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Designated funds comprise unrestritted funds that have been set aside by the Trustees for particular
purposes.
General funds may be transferred to designate funds where Trustees wish to use these funds for a specific
purpose. Such funds may be transferred back to general funds once the criteria forthe designation have
been met or are no longer applicable.
Restricted funds are funds which which are to be used in accordance with specific restrittions imposed by
donors or which have ben raised by the Charity for particular purposes. The cost of raising and
administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of restrirted fund5 is set
out in the notes to the financial statements. Restritted funds may only be transferred to general or
designated funds once the criteria for restrittion have been discharged or no longer apply.
1.3 Incoming Resources
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is legally
entTtled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. Grants, service
agreement, fee income and grants for equipment are recognised in the SOFA in the period in which they
are receivable.
IA Resources ExpondÈd
Resources expended are included in the Statement of Financial Artivttie5 on an accrua15 basi5, inclusive of
any VAT which cBnnot be recovered.
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its attivities and
services for its beneficiaries. It include5 both costs that can be allocated dirertly to such activities and
those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
P8ge 8

Friend5 of Belfast Botanic Gardens
Notes to the Financial Statements
forthe perfod ended 31 March 2023
1.4 Resources Expended rtd_.
Governan￿ costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements
of the charity and include the audit fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the charty.
All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories of the Statement of Financial Attivities on a basis
designed to reflett the use of the resource. Costs relating to a particular activity are allocated direttly,
others are apportioned on an appropriate basis.
1.5 Value Added Tax
Friends of 8elfast Botanic Gardens is not registered forVAT
1.6 Taxation
The company is a charity and the charitsble tax exemptions are therefore being claimed to the extent
that income and/or gains are applicable and applied to charitable purposes only. These exemptions
will remain in pla￿ as long as income and expenditure is applied to charitsble purposes only.
1.7 Cash and cash equivalents
Cash consists of cash on hand and demand deposits. Cash equivalents consist of short term highly liquid
investments that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash that are subjett to an insignificant risk
of change in value.
Page 9

Frlendsof Belfast Botank Gardens
Notes to the finanoal Statern￿ts
forthe perlod ended 31 March 2023
Restrlcted
Unrestricted R￿eftue
Funds
Funds
2023
Totsl
2022
Total
2 Voluntory Income
Donations & Membership Fees
915
915
915
915
641
641
Unrestricted Revenue
Funds
Fuftds
Z023
Totsl
20Z2
Total
3 CharitableA¢itivites
Plant sales
Workshops
Educational visits
Sale of ￿raMI¢S
930
930
695
3,416
4,346
3.416
4.346
2.172
2.867
Restrlcted
Revenue
Funds
Unrestricted
Funds
2023
Totsl
2022
Totrl
4 Other Incoming Resources
Government Grant
Deposit account interest
300
67
367
300
67
67
303
Restricted
Revenue
Funds
UnrestrlLted
Fuftds
2023
Tt)tsl
2022
Totsl
5 CharTtableActsvities Costs
PL6rchases
Sundry expenses
Global Medicine Garden expense
Website & E mall costs
1,119
20
128
564
1,119
20
128
1196
109
22
1,831
1,831
1,327
Restrirted
Revenue
Fund5
UnrestrKted
Fund5
2023
Total
2022
Total
6 Governance Q)sts
Insuran
Accountancy
Companies House
145
690
30
865
145
690
30
865
143
690
30
863
Page10

Friends of BeEfast Botsnlc Gardens
Notes to the financial Statements
for the perlad ended 31 March 2023
7 Credltors: an￿Unts falling due
within one year
2023
2022
Accruals and deferred income
720
910
720
910
8 Unrestricted funds
Revaluatlon
Loss
Opening
Incoming
Outgoing Transfers
Closing
Unrestricted Fund
34,519
5,628
12,6961
37,451
34,519
5.628
12,6961
37.451
9 Company limlted by guarantee
Friends of Belfrdst Botanic Gardens Ltd is a company limited by guarantee and does not have a share capital.
The liability of each member is limited to an amount not exceeding £1.
Page11