for the Period Ended 30 June 2024
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Community Interest Report |
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The notes form part of these financial statements
The directors have chosen not to file a copy of the company's profit and loss account.
This report was approved by the board of directors on
and signed on behalf of the board by:
Name:
Status: Director
The notes form part of these financial statements
for the Period Ended 30 June 2024
Basis of measurement and preparation
for the Period Ended 30 June 2024
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The CIC was established with the aim of supporting individuals and groups to benefit from improvement to or prevention of, physical and mental ealth issues through nature-based interventions including forest bathing, forest therapy, woodcraft and expressive arts. We offer one-off events, multi-session programmes and weekend retreats in a variety of local outdoor and natural settings across the North East. Through the Trees is in its infancy as this is our first year and we only started trading in Sep-tember 2023. Due to the somewhat seasonal nature of our work, trading was minimal through the winter months. We also worked hard on finding and establishing links with landowners to gain permission to run events in outdoor locations across the north east. We ran a few Forest Bathing pilot projects to begin including a pay-what-you-feel Forest Bathing session, sessions for staff at Birkheads Wild and Stomping Grounds and for BSc Health and Social Care students at Northumbria University. Feedback from all of these ses-sions was positive with beneficiaries telling us how clam and present they felt, how much they noticed in nature that they wouldn’t usually and how much they enjoyed the tea, snack and cakes made from foraged produce! We have run a successful 8 week Integrative Forest Therapy pilot scheme with Aspire Psy-chological Services hosted by the National Trust at their Washington Old Hall site. It was open to parents and carers who have an adopted or looked after child who are accessing or have accessed Aspire’s services. The group met once a week, for 8 weeks for a 2.5hr guided forest bathing walk. We collected data throughout which suggested 100% of participants had a positive change to their wellbeing. Heart rates (bpm) lowered on average by 15% by the end of each session. Nature connectedness improved or remained high for all participants. New or renewed love of nature and the outdoors was found. New friendships were made, a supportive community created and they gained a tool kit of techniques to manage stress and anxiety. The feedback from participants and Aspire was very positive. In some cases, the sessions were having such a positive impact on the parents attending the programme that it had a direct positive impact on their children/young people who were accessing Aspire’s ser-vices. Aspire Psychologists were able to see improvements to relationships within the fami-lies during the 8 week programme which continued beyond. One of our Directors is an adop-tive parent and another works with families of adoptive and looked after children/young peo-ple. Their experiences and this pilot project were the inspiration for our application to the Na-tional Lottery Community Fund. In February we were successful in our application to the National Lottery Community Fund to fund a year long project called ‘Thrive with Nature’. The aims of the project are to strengthen health, wellbeing and support networks for parents, carers, guardians, families and support workers of adoptive and looked after children. Activities support individuals and groups to benefit from improvements to or prevention of physical and mental health issues through na-ture connection including forest bathing, forest therapy, woodcraft and expressive arts. We are one third through the project and have run one-off Forest Bathing sessions for adoption agency staff, completed 1 x 6 week Integrative Forest Therapy (IFT) programme and are half way through another 6 week IFT programme. The impact of these sessions has been very positive. During the 6 week programmes we collected data each week to inform a feedback report for participants at the end of the 6 weeks. We gather evaluations from participants and the impact has often included real change in their lives - from becoming a volunteer with the Wildlife Trust, going outdoors for walks with their family more frequently, to developing parts of their own gardens to allow them to get out into nature more. The project includes monthly supervision support for our practitioner. We have run successful one off Forest Bathing sessions for a variety of groups across the north east including PROPS Family Recovery (families impacted by drug and/or alcohol abuse), Changing Lives (women on probation), Earth Sea Love / Sheroes (programme for Muslim inner city young girls), Durham University, Gateshead Community Link Workers, and National Trust staff and volunteers as well as part of their Durham City in Blossom Programme. The impact at the end of sessions is not only visible but people are keen to tell us, and often surprised, that they have been able to slow down, feel more calm and notice the nature around them. We have run events open to the general public including a one day Forest Bathing and For-aging collaboration with The Cramlington Forager and a weekend wellness retreat in North-umberland. Requests for further similar events from participants shows their impact and suc-cess. We have registered as a Food Business with Gateshead Council due to the increased fre-quency of including home baked goods made from foraged, seasonal produce at the end of sessions. This gives our participants and collaborators reassurance that any food we provide is prepared safely, in line with guidelines and legislation. Our practitioner has completed ap-propriate training and set up food safety management procedures. Our evaluations show that this is a particularly popular part of our sessions. We have gained a 1 year permit from the Forestry Commission in preparation for running potential events in Hamsterley and Chopwell woods (from June 2024). We are in the process of applying for a licence from National Trust to run events at Gibside.
The stakeholders of our social enterprise are our users/participants. As we started trading we ran a few Forest Bathing pilot projects to begin including a pay-what-you-feel Forest Bathing session open to the public, sessions for staff at Birkheads Wild and Stomping Grounds and for BSc Health and Social Care students at Northumbria University. We ran some free sessions at Gibside, National Trust for local charities, staff and volun-teers. We also ran an 8 week Integrative Forest Therapy pilot scheme. Feedback from all of these sessions was either verbal or written and was positive with beneficiaries telling us how clam and present they felt, how much they noticed in nature that they wouldn’t usually and how much they enjoyed the tea, snack and cakes made from foraged produce. These events helped us establish our business model is workable. We collect feedback following each event or programme - verbally, on email or through use of an evaluation form. These consultations have informed what future events we will offer and where. They also informed our application to the National Lottery Community Fund as we realised what a large need there was to support the health and wellbeing of families with adoptive or looked after children. Feedback has informed the locations suitable for different types of events, where the ‘need’ is most for events geographically, facilities different types of groups require and accessibility to locations. Particularly in relation to our ’Thrive with Na-ture’ project, working with families with adopted or looked after children, geographical ’hubs’ have started to emerge informing us where suitable locations are to assist this community in being able to support each other beyond our events. How stakeholders are consulted - completion of evaluations at the end of an event or programme - Bi-annual Directors Meeting to discuss the direction and management of Through the Trees. - Communication with Gateshead Council, Forestry England, National Trust, The Wildside, Stomping Grounds NE, Lampton Estate, Durham University, about potential use of their land -Local Partners: We have built up contacts and partnerships with staff at several local charities and organisations whom we consult with about future/on going projects: Forestry England, National Trust, Changing lives, Arc Adoption, Adopt North East, FCA (Foster Carers Association), Durham University, Northumbria University, New-castle University, Aspire Psychological Services. We test out project ideas and take time to understand their context and the needs of their service users to help develop projects and activities. - WhatsApp Groups - closed groups for each group of participants taking part in a 6 week Integrative Forest Therapy Programme to keep connected to users. We some-times use this method to invite ideas, test ideas, get feedback and develop new ideas
The aggregate amount of emoluments paid to or receivable by directors in respect of qualify-ing services was £5357.00 There were no other transactions or arrangements in connection with the remuneration of directors, or compensation for director’s loss of office, which require to be disclosed.
No transfer of assets other than for full consideration
This report was approved by the board of directors on
30 September 2024
And signed on behalf of the board by:
Name: Ms L K Mawhinney
Status: Director