The Trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 October 2025.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the Charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities SORP "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)".
The objective of the Charity is to promote for the benefit of the public within the area of benefit the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment by promoting and using traditional land management methods and promoting biological diversity. Further, it is to promote the education of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment.
The Trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on the public benefit when reviewing the Charity’s aims and objectives and in the planning of future activities.
The Charity has obtained an undivided share of common rights in land that it will protect and on which it will promote biological diversity.
In the current year, the Charity received a donation of £25,000 from Kent Wildfowling and Conservation Association. With this, the Charity has been able to start constructing works at Halling which are for the purpose of improving the conservation value of the site, providing vehicular access across the site and beginning scrub removal.
The Charity also received a donation in kind from KWCA amounting to £1,715, being the settlement of the Charity's insurance expense for the year.
The net income for the year amounted to £19,533.
As at 31 October 2025 total unrestricted reserves amounted to £20,886 (2024: £1,353). This reflects designated funds of £9,468 (2024: £396) and general funds of £11,418 (2024: £957).
The Board of Trustees have reviewed the reserves of the Charity and it is their intention to keep a balance of income sufficient to provide enough funds at all times to enable them to meet their objectives.
The Charity is a company limited by guarantee. The liability of its members is limited to £1 each.
The Charity is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association which are available from the Charity on request.
The Trustees who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
In the event of the dissolution of Wild Spaces Fund any net remaining assets of the Charity shall be applied or transferred in any of the following ways:
directly for the charitable objects; or
by transfer to any Charity or Charities for purposes similar to the objects; or
to any Charity or Charities for use for particular purposes that fall within the objects.
Under the articles of association, membership to the Charity are members of the KWCA, and then those who may apply to the Charity in the form required by the trustees, and then approved by the trustees.
The number of trustees/directors at any one timeshall not be less than 9, and shal not be subject to any maximum. At 31 October 2025 there were 9 trustee/directors on the Board.
This report has been prepared having taken advantage of the small companies exemption in the Companies Act 2006.
The Trustees' Report report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Wild Spaces Fund (the Charity) for the year ended 31 October 2025.
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the Charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the Charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act 2011.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 386 of the Companies Act 2006.
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 other than any requirement that the financial statements give a true and fair view, which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their financial statements in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Wild Spaces Fund is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales and a registered charity with the Charity Commission in the United Kingdom. The registered office and principal address is Globe House, Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 3EN.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charity’s governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and "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 Charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The Charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities applying FRS 102 Update Bulletin 1 not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the Charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include certain financial items at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the Trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Designated funds comprise funds which have been set aside at the discretion of the Trustees for specific purposes. The purposes and uses of the designated funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Income is recognised in the accounts on an accruals basis with the exception of donations which are recognised on a cash received basis.
Expenditure is recorded on an accruals basis.
Grant expenditure is recognised when awarded to the recipient. The expense is included on an accruals basis in the year in which a legal or constructive obligation to pay the grant arises.
Charitable activities include expenditure associated with making grants and donations, and include both the direct and indirect costs relating to these activities.
Irrecoverable VAT is charged against the category of resourceexpended for which it was incurred.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).
At 31 October 2025 there were no unpaid grant commitments (2024: £nil).
No member on the Board of Trustees received any remuneration in the year.
No member of the Board of Trustees had any expenses reimbursed in the year.
The Kent Wildfowling and Conservation Association loan was made to enable the charity to acquire rights in common in Norfolk. The loan is interest free with no repayment terms, and as such is treated as falling due within one year.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
During the year the Charity entered into the following transactions with related parties: