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Registered number:
Charity number:
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
For the Year Ended
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Contents
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Reference and Administrative Details of the Company, its Trustees and Advisers
For the Year Ended 31 December 2024
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Trustees' Report
For the Year Ended 31 December 2024
The Trustees present their annual report together with the audited financial statements of the Company for the period 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024. The Annual Report serves the purposes of both a Trustees' report and a directors' report under company law. TheTrustees confirm that the Annual Report and financial statements of the charitable company comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the charitable company's governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).
Since the Company qualifies as small under section 382 of the Companies Act 2006, the Strategic Report required of medium and large companies under the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic Report and Directors' Report) Regulations 2013 has been omitted.
Objectives and activities
a. Policies and objectives
The principal activities of the charitable company are:
(a) To promote the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment by supporting access and conservation projects and programmes that both protect the cliff and mountain environment and the wider countryside and also promote responsible and sustainable use of these environments for the public benefit of walking, climbing, hill walking and mountaineering. (b) The advancement of public education of awareness and understanding of cliff, mountain and nature conservation.
In setting objectives and planning for activities, the Trustees have given due consideration to general guidance published by the Charity Commission relating to public benefit, including the guidance 'Public benefit: running a charity (PB2)'.
b. Strategies for achieving objectives
∙Support rural access and conservation projects that protect access and promote sustainable usage.
∙Educate and raise awareness of conservation issues.
∙Inform people about areas of ecological sensitivity.
∙Research the benefits and impacts of mountain recreation and tourism.
∙Train and support BMC Access and Conservation Volunteers.
c. Main activities undertaken to further the Company's purposes for the public benefit
We have referred to the Charity Commission's general guidance on public benefit when reviewing our aims and objectives and in planning our future activities. In particular, the trustees have considered the activities of the Charitable Company as set out in the Objectives and Activities section above and the Review of Progress and Achievements in the Year and assessed their future plans. They are satisfied that the criteria for public benefit are comprehensively achieved.
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Achievements and performance
a. Main achievements of the Company
BMC Access & Conservation Trust (BMC ACT) funds projects to protect our cliffs and mountains: for over 30 years BMC ACT has helped to support valuable projects in the hills and mountains. BMC ACT aims to promote and safeguard sustainable access to cliffs, mountains and open countryside by facilitating education and conservation projects throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland.
People can donate to the charity with online donation facilities, enabling easier methods of payment allowing people to support BMC ACT’s valuable work. BMC members can also let the conservation of uplands in the United Kingdom and Ireland be their legacy, by donating to the charity in their will. Details are outlined on the ACT section of the BMC website. Between 2024 and 2025, BMC ACT funds were used to deliver 7 Mend Our Mountain projects across the country ranging from path repair work to supporting of volunteers to carry out path maintenance and vegetation clearance. These projects were carried out in the Cotswolds National Landscape, the Lake District National Park (Fix the Fells), North York Moors National Park, the South Downs National Park, the Peak District National Park, Dartmoor National Park and the volunteer initiative, Get Stuck In. As a result of these projects, 12,433m of paths were repaired, 15 hectares of peatland were restored and over 200 volunteers were engaged in various activities. No further applications for ACT funding from external organisations were made during this period.
Financial review
a. Going concern
b. Reserves policy
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Structure, governance and management
a. Constitution
BMC Access and Conservation Trust is registered as a charitable company limited by guarantee and was set up by a Trust deed. It is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association.
The Company is a charity registered in England and Wales and therefore non-profit making and its directors and trustees are volunteers. The company has been incorporated without share capital as it is limited by guarantee, to a maximum of £1 by each of its members.
b. Methods of appointment or election of Trustees
c. Organisational structure and decision-making policies
The Board meets approximately four times per year. These meetings include the directors/trustees, supporting staff and the company secretary. Minutes from the previous meeting, and discussion and/or decision papers are circulated before the scheduled meeting. The discussion papers are presented either by a director/trustee or a member of the supporting team. During the meetings, progress is assessed against strategy and plans and measured against targets. The current status of the planned work is considered and discussed with actions identified where necessary. The task of revising the organisational strategy began during the year and was considered in conjunction with the ongoing work programme. Day-to-day management is predominantly the responsibility of the supporting team, who report to the Board of Trustees.
d. Policies adopted for the induction and training of Trustees
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Structure, governance and management (continued)
e. Board of management
British Mountaineering Council Robert Nolan Laetitia Sterling Louise Stewart Richard Holland Rosanna Moore All trustees are volunteers and received no remuneration for their services during the year. None of the Trustees who served during the year had any beneficial interests in the charitable company. The Directors of the British Mountaineering Council at the date of the approval of the accounts were: S Clark, H Doherty, N Hockley, D Oughton, P Ratcliffe, A Say, B Diffin, T Smith, J Thomas.
Statement of Trustees' responsibilities
Disclosure of information to auditors
Each of the persons who are Trustees at the time when this Trustees' Report is approved has confirmed that:
∙so far as that Trustee is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the charity's auditors are unaware, and
∙that Trustee has taken all the steps that ought to have been taken as a Trustee in order to be aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the charity's auditors are aware of that information.
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Auditors
The auditors, Hurst Accountants Limited, have indicated their willingness to continue in office. The designated Trustees will propose a motion reappointing the auditors at a meeting of the Trustees.
Approved by order of the members of the board of Trustees and signed on their behalf by:
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Independent Auditors' Report to the Members of BMC Access and Conservation Trust
We have audited the financial statements of BMC Access and Conservation Trust (the 'charitable company') for the year ended
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditors' responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the United Kingdom, including the Financial Reporting Council's Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
The other information comprises the information included in the Annual Report other than the financial statements and our Auditors' Report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the Annual Report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Independent Auditors' Report to the Members of BMC Access and Conservation Trust (continued)
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
∙the information given in the Trustees' Report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements.
∙the Trustees' Report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Trustees' Report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
∙adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
∙the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
∙certain disclosures of Trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or
∙we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
∙the Trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies' exemptions in preparing the Trustees' Report and from the requirement to prepare a Strategic Report.
As explained more fully in the Trustees' Responsibilities Statement, the Trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the Trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Independent Auditors' Report to the Members of BMC Access and Conservation Trust (continued)
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an Auditors' Report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:
Identifying and assessing potential risks related to irregularities In identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we considered the following:
∙The nature of the industry and sector in which the company operates; the control environment and business performance including key drivers for directors' remuneration, bonus levels and performance targets.
∙The outcome of enquiries of local management and parent company management, including whether management was aware of any instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations, and whether management had knowledge of any actual, suspected, or alleged fraud.
∙Supporting documentation relating to the Company's policies and procedures for:
−Identifying, evaluating, and complying with laws and regulations
−Detecting and responding to the risks of fraud
∙The internal controls established to mitigate risks related to fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations.
∙The outcome of discussions amongst the engagement team regarding how and where fraud might occur in the financial statements and any potential indicators of fraud.
∙The legal and regulatory framework in which the Company operates, particularly those laws and regulations which have a direct effect on the financial statements, such as the Charities SORP, Charities Act 2011, Charities Commission, pensions and tax legislation, or which had a fundamental effect on the operations of the Company, including General Data Protection requirements, Anti-bribery and Corruption.
Audit response to risks identified
Our procedures to respond to the risks identified included the following:
∙Reviewing the financial statements disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with the provisions of those relevant laws and regulations which have a direct effect on the financial statements.
∙Discussions with management, including consideration of known or suspected instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations and fraud.
∙Evaluation of the operating effectiveness of management’s controls designed to prevent and detect irregularities.
∙Enquiring of management about any actual and potential litigation and claims.
Performing analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships which may indicate risks of material misstatement due to fraud.
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Independent Auditors' Report to the Members of BMC Access and Conservation Trust (continued)
We have also considered the risk of fraud through management override of controls by:
∙Testing the appropriateness of journal entries and other adjustments. We have used data analytics software to identify
accounting transactions which may pose a heightened risk of material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
∙Challenging assumptions made by management in their significant accounting estimates, and assessing whether the judgements made in making accounting estimates are indicative of a potential bias; and
∙Evaluating the business rationale of any significant transactions that are unusual or outside the normal course of business.
We also communicated relevant identified laws and regulations and potential fraud risks to all engagement team members and remained alert to any indications of fraud or non-compliance with laws and regulations throughout the audit.
There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above, and the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations are from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of them. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion.
A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our Auditors' Report.
This report is made solely to the charitable company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an Auditors' Report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and its members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
for and on behalf of
Chartered Accountants
Statutory Auditors
3 Stockport Exchange
Stockport
Cheshire
SK1 3GG
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Statement of financial activities (incorporating income and expenditure account)
For the Year Ended 31 December 2024
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Registered number: 04311391
Balance Sheet
As at 31 December 2024
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Trustees and signed on their behalf by:
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31 December 2024
BMC Access and Conservation Trust is a company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales, company number 04311391. The address of its registered office is 177-179 Burton Road, Manchester, M20 2BB.
The principal activity of the charity is to promote and safeguard sustainable access to cliffs, mountains and open countryside by facilitating education and conservation projects throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland.
2.Accounting policies
As the charity qualifies as small, it is not required to prepare a cash flow statement.
The trustees have reviewed the circumstances of BMC Access and Conservation Trust and consider that adequate resources continue to be available to fund the activities of the charity for the foreseeable future. The trustees are of the view that the charity is a going concern.
All income is recognised once the Company has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.
The recognition of income from legacies is dependent on establishing entitlement, the probability of receipt and the ability to estimate with sufficient accuracy the amount receivable. Evidence of entitlement to a legacy exists when the Company has sufficient evidence that a gift has been left to them (through knowledge of the existence of a valid will and the death of the benefactor) and the executor is satisfied that the property in question will not be required to satisfy claims in the estate. Receipt of a legacy must be recognised when it is probable that it will be received and the fair value of the amount receivable, which will generally be the expected cash amount to be distributed to the Company, can be reliably measured.
Income tax recoverable in relation to investment income is recognised at the time the investment income is receivable.
All donations and gifts are included in full in the statement of financial activities when receivable, provided that there are no donor imposed restictions as to the timing of the related expenditure, in which case recognition is deferred until the pre-condition has been met.
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31 December 2024
2.Accounting policies (continued)
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the Company; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the institution with whom the funds are deposited.
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31 December 2024
2.Accounting policies (continued)
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31 December 2024
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31 December 2024
There were no staff during the year other than directors and volunteers who received no remuneration.
No employee received remuneration amounting to more than £60,000 in either year. The key management personnel of the charity comprise the trustees who received no remuneration for their services during the year.
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31 December 2024
Page 18
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31 December 2024
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31 December 2024
Page 20
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BMC Access and Conservation Trust
(A Company Limited by Guarantee)
Notes to the Financial Statements
For the Year Ended 31 December 2024
13.Analysis of net assets between funds (continued)
The charitable company has no financial commitments or guarantees (2023 - £nil) at the balance sheet date.
The charitable company is limited by guarantee and does not have share capital. In the event of the company being wound up, the members are committed to a contribution of £1 each.
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