The Forres Community Woodlands Trust - Charities report

REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: SC202475 (Scotland)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: SC029987

Report of the Trustees and

Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

for

The Forres Community Woodlands Trust

Page

Report of the Trustees

1

to

2

Independent Examiner's Report

3

Statement of Financial Activities

4

Balance Sheet

5

Notes to the Financial Statements

6

to

10

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice 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).

The financial statements also comply with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended),

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

To conserve, regenerate and promote the restoration of native woodlands in and around Forres for the benefit of the public and to advance the education of the public and the local community about relevant countryside matters.

To work alone or in partnership with any organisation, agency, authority or other body to establish, manage and improve the woodlands in and around Forres, including access, recreation, conservation, environmental and cultural matters.

To encourage community involvement in the management of local woodlands.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Charitable activities

Volunteer work parties continued in all woodland areas and on the bike track.

Work continued in Sanquhar, Muiry, and Newforres woods to eradicate the invasive species: rhododendron and laurel.

Path repair work was carried out in Sanquhar, and the car parks at Muiry and Newforres were resurfaced.

School parties and other community organizations were hosted in Sanquhar.

Membership consisted of 75 memberships (including 41 family and 34 individual), comprising 116 members.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Financial position

The Trust has continued to be financially stable.

All projects are funded on an ongoing basis through grants and donations.

Principal funding sources

The trust relies on funding from donations, grants, legacies and membership fees.

Reserves policy

The Trust endeavours to have the equivalent of two years of working capital held in reserve.

FUTURE PLANS

Path improvements and general maintenance work will be carried out as required. Eradication of invasive species will continue with volunteer work parties and specialist contractors.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

Nomination of any Trustee shall be by not less than any two members of the Company. A candidate for Trustee, who must be an individual person, need not be a member of the Company but on being elected must immediately become a Member of the Company. Candidates shall be elected to the vacancy or vacancies on the Board in order of the number of votes cast, the Chairman having a second or casting vote in the event of equality.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered Company number

SC202475 (Scotland)

Registered Charity number

SC029987

Registered office

Forres Town Hall

High Street

Forres

IV36 1PB

Trustees

D Wright Chairman

Mrs G MacFarquhar

S J Hull

G Whymant

D Binney

P Kendall

D M MacFarquhar

G Shewan

Independent Examiner

Gordon Scott

Chartered Accountants

Scottca Ltd

34 Ferryhill

Forres

Moray

IV36 2GY

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 5 December 2025 and signed on its behalf by:

D Wright - Trustee

I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 set out on pages four to ten.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). The charity's trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1)(a) to (c) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under Section 44(1)(c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of the independent examiner's report

My examination was carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking 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 I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

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 44(1)(a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations; and

-	to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with Regulation 8 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations

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.

Gordon Scott BAcc CA

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland

Gordon Scott

Chartered Accountants

Scottca Ltd

34 Ferryhill

Forres

Moray

IV36 2GY

5 December 2025

31.3.25

31.3.24

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

funds

Notes

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

2,467

2,361

4,828

2,400

EXPENDITURE ON

Charitable activities

Community Woodland

4,448

1,146

5,594

5,103

Other

(240

)

-

(240

)

240

Total

4,208

1,146

5,354

5,343

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

(1,741

)

1,215

(526

)

(2,943

)

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

202,447

-

202,447

205,390

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

200,706

1,215

201,921

202,447

31.3.25

31.3.24

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

funds

Notes

£

FIXED ASSETS

Tangible assets

5

185,955

-

185,955

185,651

CURRENT ASSETS

Cash at bank

15,231

1,215

16,446

17,036

CREDITORS

Amounts falling due within one year

6

(480

)

-

(480

)

(240

)

NET CURRENT ASSETS

14,751

1,215

15,966

16,796

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT
LIABILITIES

200,706

1,215

201,921

202,447

NET ASSETS

200,706

1,215

201,921

202,447

FUNDS

7

Unrestricted funds

200,706

202,447

Restricted funds

1,215

-

TOTAL FUNDS

201,921

202,447

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2025.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

(a)	ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and

(b)

preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 5 December 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:

D Wright - Trustee

1.	ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice 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)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements also comply with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended), The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

Freehold property

-

not provided

Tree Planting & Enhancement

-

20% on cost and not provided

Plant and machinery

-

20% on cost

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees.

Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements.

2.	NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):

31.3.25

31.3.24

£

Depreciation - owned assets

146

56

3.	TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024.

Trustees' expenses

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024.

4.	COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

funds

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

1,838

562

2,400

EXPENDITURE ON

Charitable activities

Community Woodland

4,541

562

5,103

Other

240

-

240

Total

4,781

562

5,343

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

(2,943

)

-

(2,943

)

Transfers between funds

48

(48

)

-

Net movement in funds

(2,895

)

(48

)

(2,943

)

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

205,342

48

205,390

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

202,447

-

202,447

5.	TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Tree

Freehold

Planting

Plant and

property

& Enhancement

machinery

Totals

£

COST

At 1 April 2024

185,427

116,034

2,901

304,362

Additions

-

450

At 31 March 2025

185,427

116,034

3,351

304,812

DEPRECIATION

At 1 April 2024

-

116,034

2,677

118,711

Charge for year

-

146

At 31 March 2025

-

116,034

2,823

118,857

NET BOOK VALUE

At 31 March 2025

185,427

-

528

185,955

At 31 March 2024

185,427

-

224

185,651

6.	CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

31.3.25

31.3.24

£

Accrued expenses

480

240

7.	MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

Net

movement

At

At 1.4.24

in funds

31.3.25

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

202,447

(1,741

)

200,706

Restricted funds

Restricted

-

1,215

TOTAL FUNDS

202,447

(526

)

201,921

Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

2,467

(4,208

)

(1,741

)

Restricted funds

Restricted

2,361

(1,146

)

1,215

TOTAL FUNDS

4,828

(5,354

)

(526

)

Comparatives for movement in funds

Net

Transfers

movement

between

At

At 1.4.23

in funds

funds

31.3.24

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

205,342

(2,943

)

48

202,447

Restricted funds

Restricted

48

-

(48

)

-

TOTAL FUNDS

205,390

(2,943

)

-

202,447

Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

1,838

(4,781

)

(2,943

)

Restricted funds

Restricted

562

(562

)

-

TOTAL FUNDS

2,400

(5,343

)

(2,943

)

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows:

Net

Transfers

movement

between

At

At 1.4.23

in funds

funds

31.3.25

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

205,342

(4,684

)

48

200,706

Restricted funds

Restricted

48

1,215

(48

)

1,215

TOTAL FUNDS

205,390

(3,469

)

-

201,921

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

4,305

(8,989

)

(4,684

)

Restricted funds

Restricted

2,923

(1,708

)

1,215

TOTAL FUNDS

7,228

(10,697

)

(3,469

)

8.	RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES

There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31 March 2025.