SLADEBANK WOODS C.I.C.

Company limited by guarantee

Company Registration Number:
10157786 (England and Wales)

Unaudited statutory accounts for the year ended 30 April 2024

Period of accounts

Start date: 1 May 2023

End date: 30 April 2024

SLADEBANK WOODS C.I.C.

Contents of the Financial Statements

for the Period Ended 30 April 2024

Directors report
Profit and loss
Balance sheet
Additional notes
Balance sheet notes
Community Interest Report

SLADEBANK WOODS C.I.C.

Directors' report period ended 30 April 2024

The directors present their report with the financial statements of the company for the period ended 30 April 2024

Directors

The directors shown below have held office during the whole of the period from
1 May 2023 to 30 April 2024

Martin Jakes
Kesty Jakes


The above report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions in part 15 of the Companies Act 2006

This report was approved by the board of directors on
15 October 2024

And signed on behalf of the board by:
Name: Martin Jakes
Status: Director

SLADEBANK WOODS C.I.C.

Profit And Loss Account

for the Period Ended 30 April 2024

2024 2023


£

£
Turnover: 19,240 26,494
Cost of sales: ( 17,264 ) ( 22,965 )
Gross profit(or loss): 1,976 3,529
Administrative expenses: ( 2,232 ) ( 2,244 )
Operating profit(or loss): (256) 1,285
Profit(or loss) before tax: (256) 1,285
Profit(or loss) for the financial year: (256) 1,285

SLADEBANK WOODS C.I.C.

Balance sheet

As at 30 April 2024

Notes 2024 2023


£

£
Fixed assets
Tangible assets: 3 1,293 1,942
Total fixed assets: 1,293 1,942
Current assets
Debtors: 4 1,435 2,000
Cash at bank and in hand: 778 677
Total current assets: 2,213 2,677
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year: 5 ( 1,755 ) ( 2,612 )
Net current assets (liabilities): 458 65
Total assets less current liabilities: 1,751 2,007
Total net assets (liabilities): 1,751 2,007
Members' funds
Profit and loss account: 1,751 2,007
Total members' funds: 1,751 2,007

The notes form part of these financial statements

SLADEBANK WOODS C.I.C.

Balance sheet statements

For the year ending 30 April 2024 the company was entitled to exemption under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.

These accounts have been prepared and delivered in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

This report was approved by the board of directors on 15 October 2024
and signed on behalf of the board by:

Name: Martin Jakes
Status: Director

The notes form part of these financial statements

SLADEBANK WOODS C.I.C.

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the Period Ended 30 April 2024

  • 1. Accounting policies

    Basis of measurement and preparation

    These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of Section 1A (Small Entities) of Financial Reporting Standard 102

    Turnover policy

    Turnover is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable. Turnover includes revenue earned from events, site hire, grants receivable and donations. Grants receivable Grants received are recognised as income, to the extent that the grant has been spent by the end of the financial year. Unspent grants are shown on the balance sheet as liabilities.

    Tangible fixed assets depreciation policy

    Plant and equipment: 25% straight line

SLADEBANK WOODS C.I.C.

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the Period Ended 30 April 2024

  • 2. Employees

    2024 2023
    Average number of employees during the period 0 0

SLADEBANK WOODS C.I.C.

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the Period Ended 30 April 2024

3. Tangible assets

Land & buildings Plant & machinery Fixtures & fittings Office equipment Motor vehicles Total
Cost £ £ £ £ £ £
At 1 May 2023 2,595 2,595
Additions
Disposals
Revaluations
Transfers
At 30 April 2024 2,595 2,595
Depreciation
At 1 May 2023 653 653
Charge for year 649 649
On disposals
Other adjustments
At 30 April 2024 1,302 1,302
Net book value
At 30 April 2024 1,293 1,293
At 30 April 2023 1,942 1,942

SLADEBANK WOODS C.I.C.

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the Period Ended 30 April 2024

4. Debtors

2024 2023
£ £
Prepayments and accrued income 1,435 2,000
Total 1,435 2,000

SLADEBANK WOODS C.I.C.

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the Period Ended 30 April 2024

5. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year note

2024 2023
£ £
Trade creditors 1,365
Accruals and deferred income 390 360
Other creditors 2,252
Total 1,755 2,612

COMMUNITY INTEREST ANNUAL REPORT

SLADEBANK WOODS C.I.C.

Company Number: 10157786 (England and Wales)

Year Ending: 30 April 2024

Company activities and impact

1. Inclusive and Mixed ability projects We try to concentrate on what we do best - providing a safe nature space with fire, food and craft. In recent years we have run projects with asylum seekers from hotels in Gloucester and wheelchair users from St Rose’s in Stroud. We have supported sessions run by Cotswolds Natural Landscapes ‘Caring for the Cotswolds’ programme, involving students from Thomas Keble School, and hosted a project for women in recovery from the Nelson Trust. In 2022, 2023 and 2024 we also took part in the HAF (Holidays and Food) programme funded by the DfEE through GCC. This programme has now come to an end and we are exploring future possibilities with the District Council. We actively seek to work with vulnerable children from the local community and more widely. We hope to work with the Allsorts mixed disability organisation in the coming months. Much of our work is focused around the words ‘Invitation’ and ‘Welcome’. During this period we have established an interpretation trail using QR Codes to encourage wider engagement with woodland users, covering Uses, Ecology and Folklore. 2. Revision of Management Plan and establishing Forestry Commission Felling Licence The whole woodland is covered by a Tree Preservation Order. In 2019, we agreed a 10 year Felling Licence with the Forestry Commission, and related to that a 5 year Planning permission from Stroud District Council. One of the overarching features of this process is managing the effects of the spread of Ash Dieback (ADB), and future re-stocking to maximise the potential for long term resilience. We employed a professional tree surveyor to establish a clearer idea of tree health especially in the main areas of public use, thereby reducing potential risks as we encourage wider access. During July 21 we had all the trees re-surveyed and sadly identified several ash trees with advanced ADB that needed felling in Winter 21/22. These we successfully completed, leaving monoliths where possible. Felled trees go to provide firewood, but have also supplied a local chairmaker, and have created benches and sculptures. In January 2023, we re-introduced herbivores to the land in the form of a local ram, to help with grassland and wider diversity management, guided by GWT and NT. In Summer 25 there is potential to have a short period of grazing by cattle through the NT. We extended the post and wire fencing around our orchard and we have recently begun reseeding. (see also 6) 3. Application for Planning permission for partial change of use and associated structures We received partial change of use to Education from SDC in 2019, with associated pole structure and toilet shed. We completed the pole structure during Autumn 2020. (see also 5). We feel that the accessible toilet shed, which can be opened with a RADAR key, has significantly changed our ability to welcome groups and individuals to the Educational Area. 4. Funding The accessible pathway and toilet was largely funded by the Barnwood Trust. Funding was also secured from Mayfield Home Trust, Caring for the Cotswolds (AONB/CNL), Education Services (2010), Stroud Town Council, and Gloucestershire County Council’s (GCC) capital Short Breaks fund. GCC also funds the HAF programme through the DfEE. We have run a range of public events - Open Weekend May 2024, Folk Music and Open Mic events July and August 2024, as we work towards our vision of the woodland being self funding in the long term primarily through venue hire for local groups. 5. Community access We are continuing to explore improvements to the access across Summer Crescent play park and into the woodland. As well as improving access to the woods as a whole, we anticipate that the whole community would benefit from all weather access to the green spaces, whether for elderly or infirm visitors, or those with young children. We are building our relationships with the 2 local authorities. We made an informal approach during 2021 to get across the Park; this has now become a joint approach with Barnwood Trust and St Rose’s school, but it looks like this will be a long term aim. We completed approximately 200 metres of wheelchair accessible pathway through the woodland during July and August 2021. We have acquired a Tramper Mark 3 off road mobility scooter to assist with woodland access. 6. Resilience The woods are successional in that they were a field of cows up until 1970. This fits with current themes of ‘rewilding’ and carbon sequestration. We continue to manage the woods so they can be a community resource in the long term and provide options for education, and supporting community mental health and well-being (see also 2).

Consultation with stakeholders

Our stakeholders are the neighbours that border our woodland, and the communities in Summer Crescent and Langtoft Road in particular. They are also the various users of the woodland who visit either casually or by invitation. Although the woods are private we do allow permissive access, so we do have regular dog and other walkers passing through. We also hold public events such as Open Weekends and regular outdoor sessions for groups with a range of abilities. We have developed a system for monitoring and evaluating the experiences of visitors and participants. We will be growing partnerships with other organisations, and in future we anticipate becoming a Centre of Excellence both ecologically and sociologically. We are developing a story collection process with the local community, and have started this by gathering stories from our monthly woodland management group. We send out regular news information sheets advising houses neighbouring the woods on current developments and inviting feedback and enquiries, as well as updates for when woodland work will be carried out. We have responded to concerns raised about noise by successfully applying for funding from Stroud Town Council for battery operated chainsaws. In the same vein, we commissioned a professional bird survey over the coming months, partly in response to a complaint about disturbance during nesting season. We also successfully responded to a complaint concerning adequate planning permission for the accessible pathway and structures in the woods. We have recently had representation from families on Summer Crescent in our mixed ability projects which is a step forward. Although not exactly a consultation, we have secured two broadcasts with BBC Points West, which has helped to spread our message and raise our profile. One in September 2021 as the accessible pathway was being completed, and again in September 22 as we welcomed St Rose’s for the first time

Directors' remuneration

See note 7 to the accounts

Transfer of assets

No transfer of assets other than for full consideration

This report was approved by the board of directors on
15 October 2024

And signed on behalf of the board by:
Name: Martin Jakes
Status: Director