| REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: |
| REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: |
| Report of the Trustees and |
| Unaudited Financial Statements |
| for the Year Ended 30 April 2026 |
| for |
| Friends Of Mortimer Forest Limited |
| REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: |
| REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: |
| Report of the Trustees and |
| Unaudited Financial Statements |
| for the Year Ended 30 April 2026 |
| for |
| Friends Of Mortimer Forest Limited |
| Friends Of Mortimer Forest Limited |
| Contents of the Financial Statements |
| for the Year Ended 30 April 2026 |
| Page |
| Report of the Trustees | 1 | to | 2 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 3 |
| Balance Sheet | 4 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 5 | to | 8 |
| Friends Of Mortimer Forest Limited (Registered number: 12552166) |
| Report of the Trustees |
| for the Year Ended 30 April 2026 |
| 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 30 April 2026. 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). |
| OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES |
| Objectives and aims |
| Improving the understanding and interpretation of Mortimer Forest from its early origins to the present day, including opportunities for enhancement and sympathetic conservation and development. This includes a monitoring role of the forest environment, with Friends of Mortimer Forest (FOMF) members and others observing the flora and fauna, the condition of paths and accessways, the impact of forestry operations, the balance in demands of different user groups, interpretation and information needs and the occurrence of external threats such as disease and climate change. |
| FOMF's particular focus is that wildlife is seriously under pressure throughout the UK and Mortimer Forest is a microcosm of this, being home to at least 9 nationally vulnerable or threatened species. The Friends of Mortimer Forest (FOMF) undertake surveys of these and other flora and fauna, taking advantage of expertise in the area where required. |
| By sharing this information with Forestry England, opportunities for habitat protection or improvement can be then tabled for action. FOMF members are prominent in providing volunteer resources to Forestry England, where required. |
| Continuing development of partnership working with Forestry England and fellow environmental groups to design and implement practical workshop and environmental enhancement programmes, to improve the habitat and biodiversity of the woodland and grassland areas of Mortimer Forest. |
| ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE |
| Charitable activities |
| Since March 2025, Forestry England have been organising consistent volunteering sessions each month for FOMF members. This is a step change in activity compared to the previous year, successfully growing the volunteer offer from ad hoc winter sessions on habitat improvement, to a year-round seasonal programme of work. |
| We have continued our pond surveying activity to baseline and monitor the forest's ponds for species diversity using a combination of eDNA testing and netting. Following tunnel monitoring over the previous year, Dormouse boxes were installed in the Forest earlier in 2026 and regular monitoring is now taking place with a qualified handler to determine dormouse presence in the boxes. |
| The Walks programme has continued and has had good attendance from our members. Many of these walks are delivered under our agreement with Forestry England. We have been working closely together on routes and locations for these walks to ensure the programme fits alongside forestry operations, other events and any ecological constraints in the forest. |
| Talks have been given by our chairman to local schools, at the Discovery Centre in Craven Arms and at a local care home, highlighting the work we are doing. |
| Our overall working relationship with Forestry England is improving, with a quarterly meeting to discuss successes, concerns, areas for improvement and future projects. We signpost members towards Forestry England contacts and their communication channels so that they can raise any concerns directly with the local team. |
| Outside of Forestry England managed land, we have started a project near Pipe Aston to convert a 10-acre hillside with some meadowland and deciduous woodland into a nature reserve. The activities have included establishing and enhancing areas of wildflower meadow, as well as installation of Pied Flycatcher nest boxes and Bat boxes. Our objective is that this area will be a beacon for encouraging species diversity and numbers on the fringes of Mortimer Forest, as well as initiating a corridor for wildlife to the west. |
| FINANCIAL REVIEW |
| Financial position |
| The Friends of Mortimer Forest has retained a positive balance of unrestricted funds from donation throughout the year. The balance of unrestricted funds at 30.04.26 was £12,869 (30.04.25 £9,217) |
| Friends Of Mortimer Forest Limited (Registered number: 12552166) |
| Report of the Trustees |
| for the Year Ended 30 April 2026 |
| FUTURE PLANS |
| Looking ahead, over the next year some of our FOMF members who are currently volunteering will have the opportunity to train up with Forestry England to act as Volunteer Supervisors for this group. We hope that this will support the long-term sustainability of the group as we work towards self-led volunteering sessions under a jointly agreed future schedule with Forestry England. |
| We intend to complete our baseline pond surveys and report our findings and recommendations, and to fully establish the dormouse monitoring programme, including the training of additional dormouse handlers to ensure sustainability of the programme. |
| Alongside this, we plan to further improve our Pipe Aston reserve by maintaining and further enhancing the meadows, planting trees to extend the broadleaved woodland and installing owl nest boxes. |
| We will also be championing the restoration/consolidation of the historically important Bringewood Lime Kilns over current proposals for 'adaptive release'. |
| The further development of partnership working with Forestry England and local community/environmental groups will continue to identify projects and means of implementation which will maximise the resources and potential outcomes such that we make faster progress in our conservation and habitat enhancement activities. |
| STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT |
| Governing document |
| The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006. |
| REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS |
| Registered Company number |
| Registered Charity number |
| Registered office |
| Trustees |
| Company Secretary |
| Approved by order of the board of trustees on |
| Friends Of Mortimer Forest Limited |
| Statement of Financial Activities |
| for the Year Ended 30 April 2026 |
| 2026 | 2025 |
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total |
| fund | fund | funds | funds |
| Notes | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM |
| Donations and legacies |
| Charitable activities |
| Other trading activities | 2 |
| Total |
| EXPENDITURE ON |
| Charitable activities | 3 |
| NET INCOME |
| RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS |
| Total funds brought forward |
| TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD | 9,217 |
| Friends Of Mortimer Forest Limited (Registered number: 12552166) |
| Balance Sheet |
| 30 April 2026 |
| 2026 | 2025 |
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total | Total |
| fund | fund | funds | funds |
| Notes | £ | £ | £ | £ |
| CURRENT ASSETS |
| Prepayments and accrued income |
| Cash at bank |
| NET CURRENT ASSETS |
| TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES |
| ACCRUALS AND DEFERRED INCOME | 7 | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) |
| NET ASSETS |
| FUNDS | 8 |
| Unrestricted funds | 9,217 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | 9,217 |
| The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 30 April 2026. |
| The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 30 April 2026 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 |
| Friends Of Mortimer Forest Limited |
| Notes to the Financial Statements |
| for the Year Ended 30 April 2026 |
| 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 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. |
| 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. | OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES |
| 2026 | 2025 |
| £ | £ |
| Fundraising events |
| 3. | CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS |
| Support |
| Direct | costs (see |
| Costs | note 4) | Totals |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Raising Funds | 2,620 | 1,794 | 4,414 |
| Friends Of Mortimer Forest Limited |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the Year Ended 30 April 2026 |
| 4. | SUPPORT COSTS |
| Governance |
| Management | costs | Totals |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Raising Funds | 1,094 | 700 | 1,794 |
| 5. | TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS |
| There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 30 April 2026 nor for the year ended 30 April 2025. |
| Trustees' expenses |
| There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 30 April 2026 nor for the year ended 30 April 2025. |
| 6. | COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES |
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total |
| fund | fund | funds |
| £ | £ | £ |
| INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM |
| Donations and legacies |
| Charitable activities |
| Other trading activities |
| Total |
| EXPENDITURE ON |
| Charitable activities |
| NET INCOME |
| RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS |
| Total funds brought forward | 5,459 | - |
| TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD | 9,217 | - | 9,217 |
| Friends Of Mortimer Forest Limited |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the Year Ended 30 April 2026 |
| 7. | ACCRUALS AND DEFERRED INCOME |
| 2026 | 2025 |
| £ | £ |
| Accruals and deferred income | 700 | 660 |
| 8. | MOVEMENT IN FUNDS |
| Net |
| movement | At |
| At 1.5.25 | in funds | 30.4.26 |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Unrestricted funds |
| General fund | 9,217 | 3,652 | 12,869 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | 3,652 | 12,869 |
| Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows: |
| Incoming | Resources | Movement |
| resources | expended | in funds |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Unrestricted funds |
| General fund | 8,066 | (4,414 | ) | 3,652 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | ( |
) | 3,652 |
| Comparatives for movement in funds |
| Net |
| movement | At |
| At 1.5.24 | in funds | 30.4.25 |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Unrestricted fund | 5,459 | 3,758 | 9,217 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | 5,459 | 3,758 | 9,217 |
| Comparative net movement in funds included in the above are as follows: |
| Incoming | Resources | Movement |
| resources | expended | in funds |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Unrestricted fund | 10,122 | (6,364 | ) | 3,758 |
| Restricted fund |
| Restricted fund | 1,710 | (1,710 | ) | - |
| TOTAL FUNDS | 11,832 | (8,074 | ) | 3,758 |
| Friends Of Mortimer Forest Limited |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the Year Ended 30 April 2026 |
| 8. | MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued |
| A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows: |
| Net |
| movement | At |
| At 1.5.24 | in funds | 30.4.26 |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Unrestricted fund | 5,459 | 7,410 | 12,869 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | 5,459 | 7,410 | 12,869 |
| Net movement in funds included in the above are as follows: |
| Incoming | Resources | Movement |
| resources | expended | in funds |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Unrestricted fund | 18,188 | (10,778 | ) | 7,410 |
| Restricted fund |
| Restricted fund | 1,710 | (1,710 | ) | - |
| TOTAL FUNDS | 19,898 | (12,488 | ) | 7,410 |
| 9. | RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES |
| During the year donations amounting to £4,905 (2025 £200) were received from the trustees. |