Principal activities of the company

The principal activity of the company during the year was the operation of a sustainability education-based business, with a particular emphasis on refill, reuse and community-led environmental initiatives. Eco Connect North East CIC aims to strengthen local communities, promote environmental awareness and reduce waste across Teesside and County Durham. Through its work with schools, families, community organisations and local events, the company continues to promote practical and accessible ways for people to adopt more sustainable lifestyles, while creating opportunities for community engagement, education and volunteering. During the financial year, Eco Connect North East CIC continued to develop its environmental and community activities, building on its established refill and reuse services and expanding its work with schools, families and local communities. Key achievements during the financial year include: Supporting local schools and families through the School Eco Entrepreneurs Project, participating schools continued to engage with approximately 100 families per week on average, promoting sustainable choices and encouraging families to adopt more environmentally responsible practices. Reducing waste through reuse via the reusable party kit hire service prevented approximately 4,500 single-use party items from being used during the year, helping to reduce waste and demonstrate the practical benefits of reuse. Engaging with the King’s Trust when Eco Connect North East CIC took part in a King’s Trust Seeing Is Believing visit, providing an opportunity to showcase the company’s community-based sustainability work and the positive impact of its activities. Community engagement and education as the company engaged with over 2,000 people through festivals, workshops and community events. These activities raised awareness of environmental issues and provided practical opportunities for people to learn about sustainable living, waste reduction and reuse. Supporting regular customers as the company continued to provide refill and reuse services to over 500 regular customers, helping to make more sustainable everyday choices accessible to local households. Developing community allotment projects through work commenced on community allotment initiatives designed to increase plot-to-plate opportunities. These projects aim to strengthen connections between food growing, healthy communities, environmental sustainability and the value of locally produced food. Creating volunteering opportunities as Eco Connect North East CIC provided approximately 30–40 hours of volunteering opportunities per month, enabling people to contribute to community projects, gain experience and participate in practical environmental activities. Collectively, these achievements demonstrate the company’s continued commitment to reducing waste, encouraging sustainable behaviour, supporting local communities and creating opportunities for people to participate in positive environmental change.

Additional information

Consultation with Stakeholders Eco Connect North East CIC works closely with a range of stakeholders to ensure that its activities respond to local needs and contribute to meaningful environmental and social outcomes. Key stakeholders include: Local families, customers and community members. Schools and educational institutions. Community organisations, charities and other community interest companies. Local authorities and sustainability-focused organisations. Volunteers, project participants and local event organisers. Business in the Community and other organisations supporting social and environmental progress. The company’s directors bring experience from business, sustainability, charitable and local authority sectors. This experience supports informed decision-making and helps ensure that the company remains responsive to developments in sustainability, community needs and the wider operating environment. Engagement through the company’s services, school projects, workshops, festivals and community activities provides opportunities to gather feedback and understand the needs of those who benefit from its work. Regular reviews and ongoing stakeholder engagement help inform the development of services and future priorities. A PESTEL analysis is maintained to support strategic planning, assess external influences and help safeguard the company’s long-term sustainability and effectiveness. Directors The directors who served during the year were: Ruth Watson Sharlein Smales Sarah Jane Phelps Katy Vigurs Future Plans During the next financial year, Eco Connect North East CIC intends to build on its existing achievements and continue expanding its environmental and community impact. Key priorities include: Developing and extending the School Eco Entrepreneurs Project, strengthening relationships with schools and supporting more families to engage with sustainable living. Continuing to grow refill and reuse services and encouraging further reductions in single-use products and waste. Expanding the reach of environmental workshops, festivals and community engagement activities. Progressing community allotment projects to create more opportunities for food growing, practical sustainability education and plot-to-plate learning. Developing partnerships with community organisations, local authorities, schools and other stakeholders to increase the reach and effectiveness of projects. Maintaining and developing volunteering opportunities that enable people to gain experience, build skills and contribute to their communities. Strengthening the company’s financial sustainability and operational capacity to support the continued development of its services. The company will continue to focus on delivering practical environmental solutions that are accessible to local communities, while supporting positive social outcomes and promoting a more circular and sustainable local economy. Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities The directors are responsible for preparing the Directors’ Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations. Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of its income and expenditure for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the directors are required to: Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently. Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent. Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in operation. The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy the financial position of the company at any time. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. Small Company Provisions In preparing this report, the directors have taken advantage of the small companies’ exemption provided by section 415A of the Companies Act 2006. This report was approved by the Board of Directors on 9.10.2026 and signed on its behalf by: Ruth Watson Director Eco Connect North East CIC

This report was approved by the board of directors on 9 October 2026
and signed on behalf of the board by:

Name: Ruth Watson
Status: Director