Trustees’ Annual Report 2008

As with the report submitted in 2007, this report looks at three issues concerning Bishops Waltham Gardening Club. These three issues are:

• a reflection on the progress made on the issues identified in the last report;
• the achievements of members of the club since the last report and
• the identification of areas for future development.

The Trustees have strived to improve the involvement of individuals in the activities of the Club with some success, but this remains an area where we would wish to continue to improve. Similarly some progress has been made on the Health and Safety front but this will be an ongoing and evolving process over the next year or more.

Much has been achieved since the last report; success in competitions and events and completion of projects must be in the forefront of the list.

This year for the first time in its history the team from BWGC, led by Ann Magrath, won the Hampshire Federation of Horticultural Society’s annual gardening quiz. This was in competition with 19 other clubs and it is a great tribute to the knowledge and expertise of the team members for their success. In 2008 the team has already won through the preliminary round and will now represent the club in the final at Sparsholt in 2009, in competition with 3 other clubs.

The team from BWGC which was responsible for organising our entry for the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show, also achieved the magnificent prize of a Silver Gilt Medal for the entry entitled “Checkmate” in the Inspiring Spaces section. In our entry the base of the exhibit represented a chess board with black and white gravel and the plants grown and shown were named after chess pieces – for example a bishop was represented by the dahlia “Bishop of Oxford”. Again we must pay tribute to the hard work and dedication of the individuals who put together the exhibit and actually displayed it at Hampton Court. It is worth noting that the first time the exhibit was mounted was at the Flower Show itself – it had not been mounted previously and existed only in the imagination of the construction team!

The completion of the fitting of the new allotment building and its opening by Chris Smith’s widow, Linda, must rank as a major achievement of 2008. With the help and support of a team of volunteers, Colin Carter completed the fitting of the building in short order to a high standard and its opening for all too see and share in, was a great and emotional occasion. We are very grateful for all that they achieved. The Trustees now use the meeting room on a regular basis for the board meetings. This alone saves the club around £300! With respect to the name of the building, it was inaugurated as the Chris Smith Building, but it is universally known to one and all as “The Shed”. It is great to note the success of the raised beds for gardeners who find a normal allotment plot very hard to access. Both beds were rapidly made use of.
Various members of the Board of Trustees have continued to work very hard to ensure that the club has enjoyed:

• an excellent year of monthly meetings with some great speakers and good attendance;
• a successful sale at Red Lion Street in May;
• an exciting social programme, as always brilliantly organised, culminating in an excellent annual dinner;
• an outstanding Annual Show with high quality entries.

It is essential to remember that the Trustees strive to make each aspect of the Clubs activities financially self supporting. Where this is not feasible cross subsidy from one activity to another enables the Trustees to continue to provide the loss making activity.

The move from Priory Park to the Catholic Church Hall, has now run through a whole year with complete success. Because it is a multifunctional hall and needs to be shared, then some adaptation of the ways we work needs to be undertaken, but these present few problems.

We need now to look to the future. A great deal has happened in the last 12 months and time needs to be taken to reflect on the direction the club needs to take. We could now rest on our laurels and maintain the status quo. Clearly stability is a priority, but we must also continue to strive to improve where it is feasible to do so. The board is currently considering:

• how we could improve car parking and vehicular access;
• given that the raised beds have been well received how we might provide more beds to give more access to those who cannot use a traditional plot;
• how we could provide a secure area for storage of and preparation of, for example plants for Red Lion Street, all at the Albany Road site;

and elsewhere:

• how to continue to monitor and improve awareness of Health and Safety;
• how to increase sponsorship for our entry to Hampton Court Flower Show, if we are successful in the application ballot;
• how to improve the number of exhibitors at the Annual Show; many of these shows are closing around the country - we need to strive hard to keep ours alive;
• how to improve the use of the meeting room at the shed as a social space;
• how to provide funds for and manage the Chris Smith Memorial Fund.

Ours is a community club and every aspect of the work the club is directed towards the provision of opportunities for members and the wider public to improve their knowledge and enjoyment of gardening and the cultivation of plants.

November 2008

Report to the trustees of The Bishop’s Waltham Gardening Club
Registered Charity Number 1118069
On accounts for the year ended 30 September 2008

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner        
As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts; you consider that the audit requirement of section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the Act) does not apply. It is my responsibility to state, on the basis of procedures specified in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners
Under section 43(7)(b) of the Act, whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner’s report                    
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. 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:

• which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
• to keep accounting records in accordance with section 41 of the Act; and
• to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the Act have not been met; or
• to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

                                                                                      Date: 31/12/08            
                                                         P R Emmerson