Company No.
Registered Charity No. 1053982
REPORTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED
30th SEPTEMBER 2024
HOATHLY HILL TRUST LIMITED (Limited by Guarantee)
YEAR ENDED 30th SEPTEMBER 2024
CONTENTS
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Trustees Report | Pages 4 - 7 |
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Statement of Financial Activities | Page 8 |
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Balance Sheet | Page 9 |
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Notes to the Financial Statements | Pages 10 - 13 |
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Independent Examiners Report | Page 14 |
HOATHLY HILL TRUST LIMITED (Limited by Guarantee)
GENERAL INFORMATION
Directors: | |
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Company Number: | 3072476 |
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Registered Charity Number: | 1053982 |
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Registered Office: | |
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Accountants: | |
| 95 Bridge Lanes |
| Hebden Bridge |
| Yorkshire |
| HX7 6AT |
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Banks: | |
| PO BOX 250, |
| Skelmersdale |
| WN8 6WT |
HOATHLY HILL TRUST LIMITED (Limited by Guarantee)
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF REPORT
YEAR ENDED 30th SEPTEMBER 2024
The Trustees, who are also directors for the purposes of company law, present their annual report together with the financial statements of Hoathly Hill Trust Ltd (the charity) for the year ended 30th Sept 2024. The Trustees confirm that the Annual report and financial statements of the charity comply with the Charities Act 2011 requirements, the Charities Financial Reporting Standard 102 and the Companies Act 2006.
1. REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATION DETAILS OF THE CHARITY, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS
T
Registered Charity Number 1053982
Company number 3072476
Incorporated 26 June 1995
Registered Office
Arc Hall Hoathly Hill, West Hoathly, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 4SJ
Trustees/Directors and Officers Serving through the year
Roy Church - Treasurer, Director and Trustee
Charlene Collison - Director
Vaughan Williams - Director
Amy Probert – Director
Accountants and Advisors
Living Lightly Limited, 95 Bridge Lanes, Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, HX7 6AT
2. STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governing Document (Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association) June 1995 (This was revised on 01 August 2020). Hoathly Hill Trust Limited is a private company limited by guarantee and not having a share capital dated 26 June 1995.
Trustees are generally recruited from the membership of the trust and more widely from Hoathly Hill Community and beyond. Names are put forward and if necessary, elections held. Regular Trustee meetings are held, and we have an Annual General Meeting for members.
3. OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES ALTERED SINCE AGM
The Trust's objects were rewritten at our 2022 AGM to be specifically restricted to the following:
The advancement of environment protection or improvement.
- | Flora, fauna or the environment generally. |
- | The promotion of sustainable development and biodiversity. |
The promotion of rural community life.
- | The running of a Community Hall for community activities, kindergarten and other activities. |
- | Celebration of festivals. |
The advancement of education.
- | Community education. |
- | The development of individual capabilities, competence skills and understanding. |
HOATHLY HILL TRUST LIMITED
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
YEAR ENDED 30th SEPTEMBER 2024
3. OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES ALTERED SINCE AGM continued
The advancement of the arts and culture including: drawn and physical art such as sculpture.
- | The promotion of crafts and craftsmanship |
- | Drama |
- | Drawn and physical art such as sculpture. |
The relief of elderly people in need.
The relief of those in ill-health or with disability.
Relief of those in financial hardship or other disadvantage.
Our changed objectives have not been accepted at the Charities Commission.
4. MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS OCT 2023 TO SEPT 2024 AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS
This year has seen the land the Trust holds return to being more productive. It has been good to see the aims and objectives of the Trust being more productive. We cultivate the land in a biodynamic manner and our tenants are very happy to cooperate with us to bring this to fruition. We have begun exploring partners who will work on the land with us to further this aim at Hoathly Hill.
The forest garden is a half-acre project which grows food, medicine, fuel and fibre by encouraging a natural ecosystem, which exists in close relationship to the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) plot adjacent, and the allotments nearby.
It also benefits the ecological environment (wider than the land itself) through biodiversity and habitat, as well as regenerating soil.
Forest gardens with their perennial growing systems are a resilient way of working towards food security with minimal human input, being more able to withstand drought and other challenging weather conditions in comparison to working with exclusively annual agriculture.
Our forest garden site is also a home for nature connection education and hosts a range of inspiring experiences from mother and child groups to home education collectives.
The CSA scheme is managed by someone who leases the land. During the growing season they produce a box load of vegetables for members of the Hoathly Hill Community members and also for the wider community. This is a labour of love and virtual no money of any amount is made even to cover labour costs. We are very happy that this scheme works for the community and the land is managed in a biodynamic basis.
A plot of land is allocated to the Hoathly Hill Community and to members of the wider community to grow vegetables and fruit on allotment size patches. The number of people involved varies but we are always looking for new members to join the happy growers.
Part of the land is used to recycle waste in a biodynamic manner. We have recently decided to compost more of the thin twigs and allow them to compost. The compost is used by various gardens around the estate.
We have a field that is leased to a family who run a chicken farm for eggs and rear beef. This lease has been running for 4 years and is very popular with the Hoathly Hill Community and the wider neighbourhood. The biodiversity has increased in the field over this period, with increasingly diverse types of wild flowers, as well as regular sightings of rarer birds, including Barn Owls, which reinforces that the field is harbouring more life than is visible at first sight.
HOATHLY HILL TRUST LIMITED
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
YEAR ENDED 30th SEPTEMBER 2024
The lease of Arc Hall which has been operating under the Pericles Charity is coming to an end this year, with a possible new tenant in late-stage discussions on occupation. There is also potential for the lease to include the Herb Garden, which also sits under the Trust, and allow a biodynamic land management principle to be reinforced in areas which are potentially in need of more attention.
The Sculpture Studio is recovering post Covid and it now has a reasonable number of students attending the courses it runs.
5. FINANCIAL REVIEW
The Statement of Financial Activities shows an overall Deficit of £5,922 (2023: £1,755). The unrestricted funds show a deficit of £6,474 (2023: surplus of £107) and the restricted funds show a surplus of £552 (2023: surplus of £1,648). Reserves at 30th Sept 2024 are £96,429 unrestricted (2023: £102,903) and £149,737 restricted (2023: £149,185).
6. PUBLIC BENEFIT STATEMENT
The Trustees have complied with their duty to have regard to s17 (5) of the 2011 Charities Act relating to the public benefit statement. The Trust's activities are spread across a number of projects and which we believe are providing a service that is to the public benefit, and in accordance with recently revised objectives.
The Sculpture Studio is leased from the trust and offers tuition in sculpture, stone and wood carving to the general public of all abilities. It is a unique studio place where people can freely explore, learn and also socialise and support each other.
The Land project is leased from the trust and facilitates the operation of a Community Supported Agriculture Scheme which is open to the wider community. Participation offers the public organically grown boxed produce together with the opportunity to grow their own vegetables and fruit on an individual allotment.
Arc Hall is currently leased to Pericles, but is still available for hire to the general public.
The Forest Garden Project runs a weekly mother and child group, which is a useful additional facility for parents in the local area together with other courses.
Ashurst Field is leased to the Greens who rear chickens for their eggs and cattle for meat production. This is a very successful small farm offering eggs and beef to the Hoathly Hill; Community and the wider neighbourhood
HOATHLY HILL TRUST LIMITED
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
YEAR ENDED 30th SEPTEMBER 2024
7. STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES RESPONSIBILITIES
The Trustees are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations. Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period.
In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
• | Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; |
• | Observe the methods and principles in the charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP); |
• | Make judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. |
• | State whether applicable UK accounting standards 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 appropriate to presume that the Trust will continue in operation. |
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Trust and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Trust and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charity website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of the financial statements and other information included in the annual reports may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.
Signed on 25th May 2025 on behalf of the trustees by
Vaughan Williams
HOATHLY HILL TRUST LIMITED (Limited by Guarantee)
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30th SEPTEMBER 2024
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| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | Total |
| Note | Funds y/e | Funds y/e | y/e Sept | y/e Sept | y/e Sept |
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| Sep-24 | Sep-24 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
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| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ |
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE |
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Incoming resources |
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Subscriptions |
| 150 | - | 180 | ||
Donations and gifts |
| - | - | - | 10,025 | |
External service charges |
| 369 | - | - | - | |
Arc Hall Rents |
| 5,220 | - | 7,260 | ||
Ashurst Rent and Wayleaves |
| 37 | - | 694 | ||
Rural payment agency |
| - | - | - | - | |
Grant Income |
| - | - | - | - | - |
Garden Rents and Waste Mgmt |
| 700 | - | 2,700 | ||
Bequest to Elderly fund |
| - | - | - | - | 5,988 |
Other restricted income |
| 30 | - | - | - | |
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Total incoming resources |
| 6,506 | - | 26,847 | ||
Resources expended |
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Direct charitable expenditure | 2 | 8,717 | - | 12,015 | ||
Grant Awards | 2 | - | - | - | 2,000 | - |
Management and administration | 3 | 3,711 | - | 2,820 | ||
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Total resources expended |
| 12,428 | - | 14,835 | ||
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Funds Transfers |
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Interest (paid)/received |
| (2,452) | 2,452 | - | - | - |
Internal Contribution to General Funds |
| 500 | (500) | - | - | - |
Internal Rent Paid to General Funds |
| 1,400 | (1,400) | - | - | - |
Other Funds transfers and closures |
| - | - | - | - | - |
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| (552) | 552 | - | - | - |
Net (Outgoing)/Incoming |
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Resources for the year |
| (6,474) | 552 | ( | ( | 12,012 |
Balances brought forward |
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1st Oct 2023 |
| 102,903 | 149,185 | 252,088 | 253,843 | 241,831 |
Balances carried forward |
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30th Sept 2024 |
| 96,429 | 149,737 | 246,166 | 252,088 | 253,843 |
The notes on pages 9 to 13 form part of these financial statements
HOATHLY HILL TRUST LIMITED (Limited by Guarantee)
BALANCE SHEET
AT 30th SEPTEMBER 2024
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| y/e Sept 2024 | y/e Sept 2023 | y/e Sept 2022 | |||
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FIXED ASSETS |
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Tangible assets | 4 |
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CURRENT ASSETS |
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Debtors |
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Cash at bank and in hand | 5 |
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CURRENT LIABILITIES |
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Creditors: Amounts falling |
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Due within one year | 6 | ( |
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Net current assets |
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NET ASSETS |
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Represented by: |
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Unrestricted funds | 7 |
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Restricted Funds | 7 |
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TOTAL RESERVES | 8 |
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The directors have prepared accounts in accordance with section 398 of the Companies Act 2006 and section 138 of the Charities Act 2011.
Approved by
And signed on their behalf by: -
……………………………………… Vaughan Williams
HOATHLY HILL TRUST LIMITED (Limited by Guarantee)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30th SEPTEMBER 2024
1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of accounting
Other income
Expenditure
Tangible fixed assets
Leasehold land and buildings | Nil |
Improvements to property | |
Fixtures and fittings |
Funds
The charity has two restricted funds and one unrestricted fund.
2. DIRECT CHARITABLE EXPENDITURE AND GRANTS
| 2024 | 2024 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total | Total |
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ |
Staff & Volunteers | 563 | - | 62 | ||
Insurance & Sculpture Studio | 801 | - | 781 | ||
Property running/ cleaning costs | 464 | - | 438 | ||
Depreciation and amortisation | 185 | - | 185 | ||
Advertising and Promotion | 72 | - | - | ||
Repairs and renewals | 496 | - | 5,383 | ||
Land expenditure | 6,137 | - | 4,666 | ||
Discounts and other | - | - | - | - | 500 |
Grants to Sculpture Studio | - | - | - | - | - |
Other Grants | - | - | - | - | |
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| 8,717 | - | 11,565 | 12,015 |
HOATHLY HILL TRUST LIMITED (Limited by Guarantee)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30th SEPTEMBER 2024
3. MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION
| y/e Sept 2024 | y/e Sept 2023 | y/e Sept 2022 |
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Bookkeeper costs | 792 | ||
Accountancy | 2,028 | ||
License fees | - | - | |
| 2,820 | ||
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(Deficit)/Surplus on ordinary activities | ( | ( | 12,012 |
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The deficit on ordinary activities is stated after crediting: |
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External Interest receivable | - | - | - |
Rent received | 5,957 | 6,081 | 10,654 |
Rents
These were received for Arc Hall, the Garden and Ashurst Field. HHT also charges HHA for Waste Management.
Trustees' remuneration and reimbursed expenses
No trustees' remuneration has been paid during the year.
Taxation
4. TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS
| Leasehold | Arc Hall | Sculpture | Equipmt, |
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| Land and | Improv- | Improve- | Fixtures |
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| Buildings | ments | ments | & Fittings | Total |
Cost | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ |
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B/fwd 1 Oct 2023 and C/fwd 30th Sept 2024 | |||||
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Depreciation |
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B/fwd 1 Oct 2023 | |||||
Charge for year | - | - | |||
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C/fwd 30 Sept 2024 | |||||
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B/fwd Net Book Value at 1 Oct 2023 | - | ||||
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C/fwd Net Book Value at 30th Sept 2024 | - |
HOATHLY HILL TRUST LIMITED (Limited by Guarantee)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30th SEPTEMBER 2024
5. CASH
| y/e Sept | y/e Sept | y/e Sept |
| 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| £ | £ | £ |
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General Fund bank account |
6. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE - WITHIN ONE YEAR
| y/e Sept 2024 | y/e Sept 2023 | y/e Sept 2022 |
| £ | £ | £ |
Trade Creditors | - | - | - |
Deferred Income | - | - | - |
Festive Funds | ( | ( | |
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7. ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS ASSETS BY FUND
| Fixed Assets | Direct Cash &Drs | Ascribed Cash | Internal Loans | Creditors | Total |
Unrestricted funds | 179,105 | 38,718 | 2,595 | (124,086) | (97) | 96,429 |
Elderly Restricted | - | 247 | - | 124,086 | - | 124,333 |
Sculpture Restr'd | 24,661 | 3,338 | (2,595) | - | - | 25,404 |
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| 203,766 | 42,303 | - | - | ( |
8. STATEMENT OF FUNDS
Internal interest charges of 5% (L/y 2%) are applied to the loan balance of £124k (L/y £122.6k) to allow the Elderly Fund to recoup a value on its investment in the Arc Hall. This rate is expected to rise as Bank Base Rate increases. £2,452 (L/y £2,252) has been charged this year by the General fund to compensate the Elderly fund for this finance. Internal Contribution charges of £500 (L/y £500) have been made from the Elderly fund to the General Fund. No Internal Contribution applies to the Sculpture Studio. HHT owns the Leasehold property and the Heating systems within the Sculpture Studio. Rent of £1,400 (L/y £1,400) was transferred from the Sculpture Studio fund to the General Fund. HHT owns the Leasehold property and the Heating systems within the Sculpture Studio.
HOATHLY HILL TRUST LIMITED (Limited by Guarantee)
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30th SEPTEMBER
8. STATEMENT OF FUNDS (continued)
| Brought | Incoming | Resources | Funds | Carry |
| Forward | Resources | expended | transfers | forward |
Unrestricted funds |
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General/Unrestricted total | ( | (552) | |||
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Restricted funds |
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Elderly | 122,381 | - | - | 1,952 | 124,333 |
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Sculpture Studio | 26,804 | - | - | (1,400) | 25,404 |
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Restricted total | 149,185 | - | - | 552 | 149,737 |
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Grand Total | ( | - |
9. FUNDS INFORMATION
General fund
Purpose of the fund is to receive incoming revenue and to pay any general expenditure incurred by the trust. The fund owns all the land and property of the Trust except that noted in ‘Sculpture Studio' below. The fund is unrestricted but limited to the aims of the charity in Objectives 3 above.
Income Rental from Arc Hall. The collection of membership subscriptions, gifts and donations. Rents from the West Paddock and other land, and charges for the recycling of green waste and allotments.
Expenditure Payments for the insurance, legal fees, Companies House fees, service charge to lessor, the land, the fabric of the Arc Hall not covered by the tenant and other general expenditure to cover the running costs of the trust.
Elderly
The main purpose of this restricted fund is to support in whatever form that might take any elderly person in need of assistance.
Income: Nil.
Transfers: The only ongoing source of income currently is interest made by Elderly fund to General to finance Arc Hall. There is an internal loan from the Elderly fund to the General Fund and so internal interest applies. Bequests and Grants Received.
Expenditure: Payments are for grants made only. There is an internal contribution made to the General Fund for maintenance of the Elderly Fund by the general fund.
Sculpture Studio
The actual Studio operation has separate finances and equipment. The HHT restricted fund for Sculpture Studio is limited to the ownership of the Sculpture Studio leasehold building, at original cost, and certain large equipment used by the Sculpture Studio onsite. This fund is restricted to the original cost of the leasehold land when bought for the property occupied by the Studio.
Income: There was no income this year.
Transfers: The grant mentioned above is being used to pay a modest internal rent to the General Fund. Expenditure: Nil.
10. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
The company was under the control of the board of trustees throughout the current and previous year.
Small payments have been made to the directors for stationery expenses which have been repaid at cost. No other payments were made to the directors.
Independent examiner's report to the Trustees of Hoathly Hill Trust Limited
I report on the accounts of the company for the year ended 30th Sept 2024, which are set out on pages 5 to 12.
This report is made solely to the charity's Trustees as a body in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 and regulations made under section 154 of that Act. My work has been undertaken so that I might state to the charity's Trustees those matters I am required to state to them in an Independent Examiners Report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity's Trustees as a body, for my work or for this report.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The trustees, who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. The Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act) but that an independent examination is needed.
Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under charity and company law (Part 16 Companies Act 2006) and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:
• | examine the financial statements under section 145 of the Act; |
• | to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act; and |
• | State whether particular matters have come to my attention. |
Basis of independent examiner's report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the financial statements presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements, and the seeking of explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and, consequently, no opinion is given as to whether the financial statements present a ‘true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner's statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements:
• | to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 31 of the Act; and |
• | to prepare financial statements which accord with the accounting records, comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Financial Reporting Standard 102a have not been met; or |
(2) To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
M R Hill ACMA
Independent Examiner
For and on behalf of Living Lightly Ltd
25th May 2025